Dal palak ( spinach dal)

Spinach dal (Dal palak)

Ingredients: 

Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Spinach leaves - 3 cups
Moong dal - 1/2 cup (soak in water for 2 hours)
Onions - 2 finely chopped
Ginger-garlic-green chili paste - 2 tbsp (about 5 garlic pods, 1" ginger piece and 1 green chili)
Garlic pods - 2 and green chili - 1 (finely chopped - to cook with spinach)
Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Salt - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Cumin-coriander powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1 pinch

For tempering - cumin seeds - 1 tbsp, cinnamon stick - 1" piece, bay leaves - 2 to 3, asafetida - 1/4 tsp

Preparation: 

1. Cooking spinach: Finely chop spinach leaves. Wash and rinse in water. Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add chopped garlic and green chili to it and saute for about 2 minutes. Now add spinach leaves to it. Saute for about a minute and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle in pressure cooker. Once it is cooked, mash it with a food masher.

2. Cook moong dal for about 20 minutes in a cooking pot with closed lid.

Recipe: 

1. Heat remaining oil and ghee in a pan on a high heat. Once heated, add cumin seeds to it. Let it splutter, then add asafetida powder, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. After about 30 seconds, lower the heat to medium and add chopped onions. Saute till it becomes golden brown in color (about 10 to 15 minutes).

2. Now add Ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes. By that time, tomatoes becomes mushy and oil starts to ooze from curry.

4. Now add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin-coriander powder, curry powder, garam masala and chaat masala. Mix well and saute for about 2 minutes.

5. Now add spinach and cooked moong dal (with remaining water) to it and mix well. If there is not enough water, add about 1/2 cup water to the spinach dal curry and cook on a medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Serve with plain white rice or chapati.

Enjoy!