Yellow Moong Dal with Spinach / Palak Dal / Palong Saag Diye Mug er Dal

It’s probably the first Sunday when I am working in the morning. Today I woke up at 7’o clock and then couldn’t go back to sleep. Usually on Sundays...I sleep till 11 and then with a haze I cook whatever I can cook and then again I go back to sleep after having lunch. So...yes...Sundays are mostly for me to sleep. But I guess...I am breaking the chain. So here it is...what I am posting today, Palak Dal. I actually saw this recipe on Tarla Dalal’s channel, and then gave it a shot. We are not so much of a lover of spinach or palak...but with a little garlic, it’s a nice way to eat greens!!!

So...yes...I changed a little. I added carrots, but that’s not necessary. Even without carrots, this dal is super tasty!!! Do give it a try!!

Heat oil and temper it with cumin seeds, bay leaves, hing / asafoetida and dry red chillies. Saute them for half a minute.

Add the sliced onions and cook them until translucent.

Add the garlic paste.

Cook the garlic paste on low flame for a minute.

Add the tomatoes and cook until pulpy.

Add the frozen / blanched spinach leaves and carrots if you are using. Sprinkle some salt and cook until all the water evaporates.

Add teh cooked dal and simmer until the dal thickens.

Yellow Moong Dal with Spinach / Palak Dal / Palong Saag Diye Mug er Dal

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 cup of yellow split moong dal

1 medium onion – sliced

1 medium tomato – chopped

4-6 garlic cloves – minced / paste

2 green chillies – chopped

1 cup of frozen spinach blocks / 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves

½ cup roughly chopped carrots / frozen baby carrots

2 dry red chillies

2 bay leaves

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp oil

A pinch of hing / asafoetida

Method:

Wash and rinse the moong dal until clear water runs out.

Then put them in a pressure cooker and add 2 and ½ cups of water. Add some salt and the turmeric powder. Mix them well and pressure cook the dal until the cooker blows 4 whistles.

Let the pressure vent out naturally and then open the lid. Transfer the cooked dal in a bowl and keep aside.

In a kadai heat the oil and temper the oil with whole cumin seeds, bay leaves, dry red chillies and hing / asafoetida.

Sauté the in oil for half a minute or until they start to sizzle and splutter, and add the sliced onions to them.

Sprinkle some salt over the onions and cook them until they become translucent.

Add the garlic paste to them and lightly sauté for a minute or so.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt.

Cook the tomatoes until they become mushy.

You can add the carrots at this stage if you are using them. Cook them a little or until they start to become soft and then add the spinach leaves.

If you are using fresh spinach then blanch then in hot water for 2-3 minutes to wilt them a little.

When the tomatoes are pulpy then add the frozen / blanched spinach to them.

Stir and cook the spinach until all the water gets evaporated.

Now add the cooked dal and give a good stir to mix them well.

Put the flame on medium to high and let it come to a boil.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Simmer until the dal thickens and comes to your preferred consistency.

Put off the flame and serve hot with some rice and potato fries or curry.