Palak Dal Recipe, How to make Dal Palak Recipe | Spinach Dal Recipe

May 15, 2015

Palak dal is easy and nutritious dal recipe. This is one of the popular dal recipe as it combines the goodness of the arhar dal as well as palak (spinach) leaves. I have adapted this palak dal recipe from my Mother-in-law, who has been making this way for many years and make sumptuous south-indian food. I am lucky that I learn't from two cuisine from my mom and mom-in-law. I am Punjabi daughter cum south indian bahu :D

I can prepares this in two ways - with tomato-onion-palak tadka or plain palak tadka, but my husband love to eat this way which I am sharing with you with onion-tomato-palak tadka. It's easy, tasty and easy to prepare and flexibility in choosing locally grown lentils, it has become popular vegetarian dish in all parts of India with even at my home.

As we know, spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. Spinach and lentil goes very well together.

Serve the dal palak with roti, parathas or plain steamed basmati rice. It will go well with jeera rice too.

If you are looking for more dal recipes then do check dal fry, punjabi dal makhani, dal amritsari, tangy sambar (toor) dal recipe.

Let's start to make this easy and quick recipe with simple step-by-step process.

Ingredients :Tuvar or arhar dal/pigeon pea lentils
Chopped spinach/palak - 1 cup
Chopped Onion - 1 no
Chopped Tomato - 1 no
Chopped green chili/hari mirch -1 no
Chopped ginger/adrak - 1 inch
Garlic cloves - 3-4 nos finely chopped
Cumin seeds/shahi jeera - 1tsp
Asafoetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder/haldi - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder/lal mirch powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water for pressure cooking the dals - 2 cups
Water to be added into dal - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp

Preparation Method :

1. Clean and wash the lentils. Soak the dal for 10-15 minutes. Take the lentils in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder, add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes or till the dals become soft and mushy. Mash the dal with spoon and keep it aside.

2. For Tempering / Tadka
Step by step process :

(2) In a pressure cooker, add desi ghee (or you take oil but Desi-ghee gives you the full desi aroma of dal ) and add jeera (3) add chopped onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic, cook it about 2 minutes till onion becomes transparent and soft, Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, heeng, coriander powder and saute for another 2 minutes, fry till the tomatoes become soft and mushy, (4) Add chopped palak, saute for 7-8 minute till the spinach becomes soft and stops releasing water on a medium flame. (5) your tadka is ready, as shown in below picture