Simple, healthy, yet tasty and comforting this Dal Palak recipe or Spinach Dal is made with pigeon pea lentils (tuvar dal), red lentils (masoor dal) and fresh spinach (palak). The recipe is not overly spiced and is made without onion and garlic as well.
Pick and rinse the lentils a few times in water. Take the lentils in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also add turmeric powder and 1.5 cups of water.
Pressure cook on medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or 7 to 8 whistles or until the lentils become soft and mushy.
Open the lid only when the pressure drops naturally in the cooker. Check the lentils.
They should be cooked well and softened. Mash the lentils lightly with a spoon and set aside.
Making dal palak
In a pan, heat ghee. Keep the heat to a low and fry the cumin seeds first.
When they crackle, add the finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Fry for a few seconds or until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
Now add the finely chopped spinach. Mix the spinach with the rest of the fried spices.
Sauté spinach for some minutes until the leaves becomes soft and stops releasing water on a low to medium-low heat.
When the spinach leaves are softened, add the kashmiri red chili powder and asafoetida.
Mix well and sauté for half a minute on low heat.
Add the mashed lentils and salt according to taste. Mix the lentils with the sautéed and softened spinach.
Add water around ½ to 1 cup depending on how thick or thin you want the dal to be.
Stir to combine and simmer the dal for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Serve Dal Palak hot with rice and a side vegetable dish or salad or raita.
Video
Notes
The recipe is made with two kinds of lentils. You could make it only with tur dal or masoor dal. You can also make Dal Palak with only chana dal. For cooking with chana dal add more water and pressure cook for more time.
Use tender, green, fresh spinach. If the stems are tender, you can add them. If they are fibrous or dense, then do not add them.
Instead of green chillies, you could also 1 dry red chilli. Remove the seeds and then fry it after the cumin seeds crackle, so that its flavors are released in the dal.
Add water as needed to make a thicker dal or a soupy thin dal depending on the consistency to prefer.
This recipe make for four servings. But you can scale it to make for 2 servings or 8 servings.