Dal Palak or Spinach Dal is healthy and delicious vegatarian recipe. It is almost made in every house with different variations. Dal Palak is a simple recipe in which lentils are cooked with spinach and tempered with some basic spices.

Although I make Toovar dal / ArharDal very often at home, this time, for a change tried to make this Palak Dal combo as my daughter is on diet . It goes well with any rice and sabzi and can be enjoyed with rotis and lacchas too. I made Otty Roti ( Chappati made from Oats) for her with this and she enjoyed her meal a lot.

Lentils and Chopped Spinach leaves is a wonderful combination, and surprisingly so, considering both have very different tastes. However, when cooked together they make for a very healthy, nutritious and protein-rich gravy.

To Make Dal palak: I have used Toovar Dal/Arhar Dal (Pigeon Dal ) and Yellow Moong Dal both but you can use any combination you like.

Tempering : You can give a very simple tempering of Hing and Jeera to this Dal. If you want it more complex, add onion in the tempering as well.

Print Recipe

Dal Palak

Lentils and Chopped Spinach leaves is a wonderful combination, and surprisingly so, considering both have very different tastes. However, when cooked together they make for a very healthy, nutritious and protein-rich gravy.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4

Author: Bhawna Maharshi

Ingredients

• 1/4  Cup Yellow Moong Dal (Split)
  
  
• 1/2 Cup Toovar dal
• 250 grams Spinach Leaves, chopped
• 1 inch Ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin ( Jeera )
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 Green Chillies, chopped
• To taste Salt
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (Optional)

Ingredients for tempering

• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds ( Jeera )
• 2 Dry Red Chillies
• Pinch of Hing ( Asafoetida )

Instructions

• To begin making the Dal Palak recipe we will first cook the lentils (dal) using a pressure cooker using 3 cups of water, Turmeric powder and little salt.
  
  
• Next we will cook the spinach with the spices.Into a pressure cooker or Pan, add a teaspoon of oil add the Cumin Seeds, ginger, green chillies, turmeric powder,  garam masala powder, salt and spinach.
  
  
• Stir all the ingredients together just to combine them.
  
  
• Once combined, cover the pressure cooker, place the weight on. Pressure cook until you hear one whistle Or Cover the pan and cook until the spinach is soft.
  
  
• Now that you have the spinach and lentils ready, if your cooker is large enough, add the cooked dal into the spinach and give it a stir. Bring the Dal Palak to a quick boil. 
  
  
• For Tempering, Into a small saucepan, heat a tablespoon of ghee. Add in the cumin seeds , Hing and dry red chillies. Roast them until they crackle and sizzle.
  
  
• Add this seasoning to the Dal Palak and give it a stir. Add lemon juice if you want.
  
  
• Serve dal palak hot with rice or roti. 
  
  

Notes

Dal- You can change the lentils to make the Dal Palak . You can replace it with Hari Moong Dal, Dhuli Masoor Dal, Chana Dal or Tuvar Dal.

Greens – Along with Palak or Spinach, you can also add greens like Bathua (Chenopodium), Methi or even kale Leaves. Radish Greens  can also be added in this Dal.

Tempering – You can give a very simple tempering of Hing and Jeera to this Dal. If you want it more complex, add onion in the tempering as well.

A tempering of Panch Phoran will also give it a new style.

Cooking with lots of love and straight from the heart.

Bhawna Maharshi

Pans n ovens