what is sirukeerai (tamil) called in english?

Answer 1

Siru in Tamil means 'small'.
Keerai is used to decribe a wide range of leafy greens eaten raw, cooked and used as medicinals.
It is commonly translated into English as 'spinach', which is also often recommended as a substitute in recipes despite not being botanically related to most, if not all, Indian keerais.

Like many traditional foods the specific botanical attribution is inconsistent, due among other factors to differences in local usage, differences in botanical classification, translation and probably mistakes relating to all three of the above factors - however all agree that the plant is a member of the genus Amaranthus.

For general information on amaranths see the wikipedia article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth

The most commonly associated plant is Amaranthus polygonoides which is known as Tropical Amaranth.

http://www.arusuvai.com/fooditems/greens/siru_keerai_52.html

http://www.medindia.net/alternativemedicine/ayurvedaanddiet/Herbal-Plants/Tropical-Amaranth.asp

http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=4119&start=165

Other candidates include

Amaranthus campestris aka Plains Amaranth

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/faminefoods/ff_families/AMARANTACEAE.html

Amaranthus caudatus aka Love-lies-bleeding, Pendant Amaranth, Tassel Flower, Velvet Flower, Foxtail Amaranth, and Quilete

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:Redm_1upnX8J:mnes.nic.in/pdf%2520files/FUEL_OIL_YIELDING_PLANTS_LIST3.pdf+sirukeerai+amaranthus&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4

Amaranthus tristis (aka A. tricolor; polygamus; gangeticus etc) aka Joseph's Coat

http://www.aravindhherbal.com/matria.asp?PagePosition=2

hope this is of some help

Answer 2

dunno but it would probably help if you wrote what language sirukeerai (tamil) is!!!