Dal Palak

Dal  Palak

Ingredients

for pressure cooking

1 cup arhar dal/tuvar dal/pigeon pea lentils
2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi

For tempering the dal:

100 gms spinach or 1 cup tightly packed chopped spinach
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped (optional)
½ inch ginger + garlic + 1 or 2 green chilies - crushed in a mortar-pestle to a coarse paste
1 tsp cumin/sabut jeera
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
¼ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
¼ tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
a few drops of lemon juice (optional)
2 tbsp oil or ghee or butter
1 or 1.5 cups water to be added later or as required
salt as required

Method

Pick and rinse the arhar dal very well.
Add the lentils in a pressure cooker.
Add turmeric powder, 2.5 cups water and stir.
Cover and pressure cook for 8 to 9 whistles or more till the dal has become soft and mushy. Mash the lentils and keep aside.
In another pan, heat oil or ghee or butter.
Add the cumin and fry them till fragrant and brown.
Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
Next add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chili and saute till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic disappears, about 20 to 30 seconds.
Add chopped tomatoes. saute till the tomatoes soften.
Add asafoetida, red chili powder, coriander powder and stir well.
Add the chopped spinach and saute till the spinach wilts.
Add the cooked and mashed dal.
Stir and then add 1 to 1.5 cups water or as required.
season with salt and continue to simmer till the palak dal reaches the desired consistency.
Lastly sprinkle garam masala powder, lemon juice and stir.
Serve palak dal hot with rotis, parathas or steamed rice