palak dal recipe with step by step photos – easy and nutritious spinach dal recipe. this is one of the popular dal recipe as it combines the goodness of the arhar lentils (pigeon pea lentils) as well as palak (spinach) leaves.
spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K.
many people are not fond of greens like spinach, fenugreek leaves, amaranth leaves and that is specially true for kids. but when we mix the greens with dals or legumes then the dish not only becomes tasty but also nutritious. few such healthy and tasty recipes on the blog are:
in this palak dal fry recipe, you can substitute palak (spinach) with chaulai (amaranth leaves) or methi (fenugreek leaves) and even kale. i have made a kale dal too. you can also use moong dal or a combination of moong+arhar or masoor+arhar dal. i have also shared one more variation of making dal palak without onion and garlic.
serve the dal palak with roti, parathas or plain steamed basmati rice. it will also go well with jeera rice or ghee rice.
if you are looking for more dal recipes then do check:
spinach dal or palak dal recipe below:
spinach dal recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for pressure cooking dal:
- ½ cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) or 115 grams dal
- 1.5 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
for tempering palak dal:
- 1.5 tablespoon oil or ghee or butter
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ⅓ cup chopped onions or sliced shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ inch ginger (adrak), crushed or 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 3 to 4 garlic (lahsun), crushed with peels
- 1 green chili sliced or chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped spinach or 75 to 100 grams spinach
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), optional
other ingredients for palak dal:
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala optional
- a few drops of lemon juice optional
- salt as required
how to make spinach dal recipe
cooking dal (lentils):
- pick and then rinse 1/2 cup arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water.
- drain very well and add the lentils in a pressure cooker along with turmeric powder and 1.5 cups water. stir well and pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 9 whistles or for 14 to 15 minutes on a medium flame.
- when the pressure settles down on its own, check the lentils to see if they are cooked well. mash them with a spoon and keep aside.
tempering and making palak dal fry:
- in another pan, heat oil or ghee or butter. add the cumin and saute them till fragrant and brown.
- add the sliced shallots and saute till translucent. you can also use chopped onions instead of sliced shallots.
- next add the crushed ginger and garlic along with 1 to 2 green chilies (sliced or chopped).
- saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic disappears, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- now add asafoetida, red chili powder, coriander powder and stir well.
- then add chopped tomatoes.
- next add 1/2 tsp kasuri methi. kasuri methi is optional and you can skip it.
- mix everything very well.
- saute till the tomatoes soften and you see oil releasing from the sides of the mixture.
- add the spinach and mix very well again. saute till the spinach wilts.
- add the cooked and mashed dal. stir well.
- then add 1/2 cup water or as required. for a thicker dal, you can even skip the water or add less. for a thinner dal, add some more water.
- mix and stir well.
- season with salt and mix again.
- continue to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or till the palak dal reaches the desired consistency. lastly sprinkle garam masala powder, lemon juice and stir. you can even skip the garam masala and lemon juice.
- serve palak dal hot with rotis, parathas or steamed rice.
step by step spinach dal or palak dal recipe:
1. pick and then rinse ½ cup arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in water.
2. drain very well and add the lentils in a pressure cooker along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and 1.5 cups water. stir well and pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 9 whistles or for 14 to 15 minutes on a medium flame.
3. when the pressure settles down on its own, check the lentils to see if they are cooked well. mash them with a spoon and keep aside.
4. in another pan, heat 1.5 tbsp oil. add ½ tsp cumin seeds and saute them till fragrant and brown. you can also use ghee or butter instead of oil.
5. add ⅓ cup sliced shallots. you can also use ⅓ cup chopped onions instead of sliced shallots.
6. saute till translucent or light brown.
7. next add the crushed ginger, crushed garlic with their peels and 1 to 2 green chilies (sliced or chopped).
8. saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
9. now add a pinch of asafoetida, ¼ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp coriander powder. for a spicy dal, you can increase the quantity of green chilies and red chili powder.
10. stir well.
11. then add ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes.
12. next add ½ tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves). kasuri methi is optional and you can skip it.
13. mix everything very well.
14. saute till the tomatoes soften and you see oil releasing from the sides of the mixture.
15. add 1.5 cups chopped spinach.
16. mix very well again.
17. saute till the spinach wilts.
18. add the cooked and mashed dal.
19. stir well.
20. then add ½ cup water or as required. for a thicker dal, you can even skip the water or add less. for a thinner dal, add some more water.
21. mix and stir well.
22. season with salt and mix again.
23. continue to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or till the palak dal reaches the desired consistency. lastly sprinkle ¼ tsp garam masala powder, lemon juice and stir. you can even skip the garam masala and lemon juice.
24. serve palak dal fry hot with rotis, parathas or steamed rice or saffron rice or garam masala rice or kuska biryani or butter rice or jeera rice.
Very nice recipes explained with pics I usually check your website for veg recipes .
thank you shruthi.
Tried this recipe without adding onions and all the spice powders…Just turmeric..It tasted good that way too. Thanks for the recipe.
Welcome Nisha. Thanks for sharing this info. I am sure it will help others readers.
I have referred to other recipes of ‘palak dal’ in the past. But this turned out to be the best recipe to date! Definitely the yummiest palak dal I’ve ever tasted! Keep up the good work….
thanks prajakti for positive views 🙂 glad you liked the palak dal recipe.
Loved it… Thank u so much 🙂
welcome aarti and thanks for the feedback.
Hi love your site. Can i use yellow moong dal for this recipe?
yes pari, you can use moong dal.
i love your site and have just downloaded the app. ur efforts in writing and maintaining the same standard are clearly visible. both printable version and photographs are available..
and it has definitely made me a cook if not as good as anyone else.. but i am very happy about it. it gives me the courage to try new things.
pleased to know this aakanksha 🙂 thankyou so much for your kind, positive and encouraging words. glad we could help you in boosting your cooking skills and wish you all the best.