Dal Palak Recipe / Palak Dal (Spinach Dal)

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I am a bad eater when it comes to veggies and my mother always had trouble in feeding me greens. When I started feeding my daughter, I made sure she took greens as a part of her diet and thank god she likes green when its with dal so keerai kootu is often made. Dal Palak sounds to me like a north indian version of keerai kootu :) It is very humble looking but the burst of flavour with greens, dhal and to add on ghee tadka - its finger licking good , I would say.

Dal Palak Recipe  - Ingredients

• Palak - 1 bunch (2 cups tightly packed)
• Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 medium sized finely chopped
• Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped
• Tomato - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Salt - to taste

To Temper:

• Ghee - 2 tsp
• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Hing - a generous pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Red Chilli -1

Method:
1.Pressure cook toor dhal upto 4-5 whistles until mushy with turmeric powder and salt. Then mash it up with  a laddle and set aside. Heat ghee and add the items under 'to temper' table and allow it to splutter.

2.Then add garlic, onion and saute till golden brown. Then add tomato and saute till raw smell of tomato leaves and is mushy.Wash palak and add it to the tempered items.

3.Saute till it shrinks in size. Add red chilli powder and transfer this to the cooked dhal. and give a stir.Allow it to cook for 3-5mins in low flame.

4.Then mash it up with a laddle to combine well. Allow it for a boil and switch it off as per your required consistency.

Serve hot with a dollop of ghee with rice - tastes divine. Any one who doesnt like spinach , am sure they will change their mind once they taste this like me :)

My Notes:

• You can try this dal with any other variety of spinach too.
• The measurement of dal and greens can be altered as per your choice.