Introduction

Dal palak is a delicious and vegetarian recipe for you. Its a total comfort meal when served with rice.

Some more recipes. you may like – Lasooni Palak, Matar Masala, Chole Masala and Egg Curry.

Its made using spinach, lentils, garlic and basic spices!!!

Dal palak is also known as Spinach Dal. Now dal palak can be made using various lentils like turdal/tuvar dal/toor dal, moong dal, masoor dal(Red lentils) or by combining them together. I made this dal palak by using only tuvar dal.

Making of dal is like a ritual in every Indian household. Since, it is made everyday, there are a lot of varieties of it. Spinach dal is one of many such recipes.

If you want to have it with chapati or phulka(Indian bread), then avoid adding water to the recipe.

This recipe is very simple and you do not need loads of spices. I always like garlic with spinach, they are awesome together!!

If you aren’t a fan of garlic then you can skip it entirely.

This dal palak recipe comes together in 4 easy steps.

#1:Cook Dal(Lentils)

#2:Cook spinach in water

#3: Mix dal and palak to make dal palak

#4:Add tempering

You will make a delicious Indian Spinach Dal with these four steps explained with step by step pictorial illustrations below.

Everyone at my home likes this dal including my kid. Having it on a rainy day with hot rice makes your soul happy and satisfied.

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Overall Time: 25 minutes

Serving:2

Ingredients

For Dal

-1 cup of turdal

-1 cup of palak/spinach

-2 tbsp of oil

-1 tbsp of cumin seeds

-2 to 3 garlic, chopped or crushed

-2 dry red chilies

-1/4 tbsp of turmeric powder

-1 tbsp of red chilly powder

-1/4 tbsp of asafoetida

-1/4 cup of peanuts

-Salt as per taste

For tempering

-2 tbsp of oil

-1 tbsp of cumin seeds

-2 dry red chilies

Section 1: Cook Dal(Lentils)

Step 1: Add 1 cup of dal to pressure cooker and rinse it well until water runs clear or for 3 to 4 times.

Step 2: Pour 2 cups of water to the cooker and secure the lid. Pressure cook on medium heat for 3 whistles or until the lentil is cooked properly.

Step 3: Turn off the flame after 3 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.

Step 4: Once the cooker is cooled down completely, open the lid.  You can mash the dal a bit before using it in dal palak. However, if you like to retain the texture of dal then do not mash it.

Section 2 – Cook spinach in water

Step 1:  Boil the water and add spinach leaves to it. Let it simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Switch off the flame and drain water from spinach using a strainer.

Step 3: Transfer the cooked spinach into a bowl and smash it using a spoon.

Section 3 – Make Dal palak

Step 1: Heat the pan.

Step 2: Add oil to the pan.

Step 3: Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds to it.

Step 4: As cumin seeds crackles, add crushed garlic and dry red chilies into it. Saute it for a minute.

Step 5: Add smashed spinach to the pan and mix everything well. Saute it for a minute.

Step 6: Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chilly powder to the pan. Mix everything and let it cook for 1 minute.

Step 7:Now add dal (lentils) to the pan and mix everything again.

If dal is too thick, then add 1/2 cup of water and stir again. If you wish to have this dal with chapati or phulka, then avoid adding water to dal.

Step 8: Add peanuts and salt to the dal. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Transfer the dal to serving bowl.

Section 4 – Add tempering 

Step 1: Heat the pan.

Step 2: Add oil to the pan. Once the oil is heat, add cumin seeds to the pan. As soon as cumin seeds crackles, place dry red chilies to the pan. Saute it for a minute and switch off the flame and keep it aside.

Add tempering on the dal. Your dal palak is ready!!!

Key Points

1. You can even add chopped dry coconut to the dal. It enhances the taste of dal.

2. Using tempering is optional but I recommend it.

3. You may use moong dal instead of turdal. Also, you can use equal proportion of turdal and moong dal.

Health Benefits

#1.Helps in digestion

Spinach is high in insoluble fibers that benefits the digestion.

#2.Reduces blood sugar

Spinach is very high in potassium which is suggested to people suffering from high blood sugar.

Give it a shot and let me know how it tasted.