Palak dal is a nutritious and flavorful dish from Indian cuisine that combines tender spinach leaves with lentils. The lentils are cooked until soft and then simmered with a blend of spices. Palak dal is often served with rice or chapati and makes for a hearty and satisfying meal.

How to make Palak Dal :

Begin by soaking and pressure cooking the toor dal. While cooking, add in the peanuts and chana dal for a delightful crunch. Next, incorporate finely chopped onions, whole tomatoes, and spinach, cooking until the dal is soft and mushy. Prepare the tempering by adding the specified ingredients, then pour it over the cooked dal and simmer with spices. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent the dal from sticking to the pan.

Serving suggestion for Palak Dal :

Serve this dal with some rice or roti .

Palak Dal

Palak Dal is a nourishing dish that brings together the goodness of lentils and the vibrant flavor of spinach.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Pressure cooking 20

Total Time 45

Course Dal, Lentil

Cuisine Indian

Equipment

1 Pressure Cooker optional

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor dal
2 tbsp chana dal
1/4 cup peanuts
8 oz/big bunch of spinach/palak
2 big tomatoes

For Tempering/Tadka:

2 tsp ghee
1 tsp jeera
1/4 tsp hing
2 tbsp crushed ginger-garlic and green chillies
1 big onion finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp jaggery optional, to taste
1 tsp kitchen king masala to taste

Instructions

Pressure cook toor dal, chana dal, peanuts, spinach, and tomatoes until well-cooked (takes about 3 whistles). Give spinach/palak a good mix and then mix with dal to incorporate well. This can be cooked on open flame using a heavy-bottomed pan and stirring in between, ensuring it does not stick to the pan/vessel. Add in spinach/palak and tomatoes when the lentils/dal are around 80% cooked.
In a separate pan, heat ghee and add jeera, hing, crushed ginger-garlic, and green chillies. Sauté until aromatic.
Add finely chopped onions to the tempering and cook until they turn golden brown.
Transfer the cooked dal mixture to the pan and mix well with the tempering.
Add salt and Kitchen King masala, adjusting the taste according to preference. Add jaggery (if using).
Simmer the dal for a few minutes until the flavors blend.
Palak Dal is ready to be served. Enjoy it with rice or chapati for a wholesome and delicious meal!