Palak Dal (Lentils With Spinach)

I have come across many different recipes of palak dals in my younger days, but I feel adding spinach at the end brings in more nutritive value and retains the lovely color also. I generally make this with toor dal.

A very good way to replenish the protein requirement of the body, this preparation is just the thing one can order. For me I can camouflage the spinach with the dal and make my son eat it without any suspicion.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup Toor Dal /Pigeon peas or Aarhar dal
1 bunch of Spinach leaves, washed thoroughly
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Red chilly powder
Salt according to taste
Water as required


For the tempering (tadka)
1 Onion, cut vertically into thin slices
2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
5-6 Garlic pods, finely chopped
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Whole red chilly
Fistful of spinach leaves, roughly chopped
2-3 tbsp Ghee


Method:
Wash the lentils properly and soak in water for half an hour. Add lentils, water, salt and 1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Set on high flame till 1st whistle and then reduce the heat. Cook for another 10-12 minutes or until it is cooked. Remove from heat and allow steam to escape.
Cut the spinach leaves roughly, mash the dal slightly with the back of wooden laddle and now add it to the dal and cover.

Heat ghee in a frying pan, add whole red chilly, cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, pinch of salt and fry until it starts leaving oil. Add remaining palak leaves and add red chilly powder for color just before taking the fried mixture off from the heat. Add this tadka immediately to the cooked dal and put it back on flame for 5 minutes. Serve this delicious, flavoury dal with parotha or roti.