Dal palak is a popular Indian dish that combines lentils (dal) with spinach (palak) to create a nutritious and flavorful meal.
It is a wholesome and comforting dish that is commonly prepared in households and enjoyed across various regions of India.
The lentils are cooked until soft and then simmered with a tempering of spices and aromatic ingredients. Here are the easy steps to follow to make this recipe.
Key Takeaways:
- Dal palak is a popular and nutritious Indian dish that combines lentils and spinach in the right proportion and simmered to perfection.
- This flavorful dish made with a few aromatic spices is enjoyed across several regions of India, both by vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians.
- Spinach dal is usually enjoyed with rice but can also be paired with a variety of Indian bread, such as roti, paratha, or naan.
- Dal Palak tastes savory and earthy. It also offers a mildly spicy taste but the richness may vary according to the type of lentils used to make the dish.
- The alternatives to this dish include dal fry or dal makhani. Palak paneer or chana palak are also close alternatives.
The Ingredients:
- Red lentils – 200 gms (soaked and cleaned)
- Spinach – 2 bundles, finely chopped and cleaned (400 grams)
- Dry chilli – 3 pieces
- Panch phoron – 1 tsp Indian five spices cumin, fenugreek, brown mustard seeds, fennel and nigella seeds
- Bay leaves – 2 pieces
- Garlic – chopped 1.5 tsp
- Green chillies – 3 to 4 slitted
- Turmeric 1 tsp
- Mustard oil 2 tsp
- Tomato chopped – 2 tsp
- Onion chopped – 2 tsp
- Coriander leaves for garnish 1 tsp
- Salt as per taste
How to Make Dal Palak (Step by Step Images)?
1. Turn the gas on, heat a pan and add some water, bring it to boil and add the lentil. Cover it with a lid, let the lentil boil.
2. You will see white foams, please discard it with a spatula.
3. Turn the flame high and boil the lentil till 10 mins.
4. Smash the lentil with a smasher and add a little water. Add two cup water and turn the flame high.
5. Add the spinach into it. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Cover it with a lid and let the spinach boil for 5 mins.
6. Now let us prepare the tadka in a separate small pan. Add some oil in a separate pan, 1 tsp Indian five spices cumin, fenugreek, brown mustard seeds, fennel and nigella seeds, bay leaf and fired chilies.
7. Add the onion and green chilies. Fry till it is brown and add the chopped garlic. Stir it for 2 mins.
8. Add the chopped tomatoes and add a pinch of salt. Fry till it is cooked and turn off the flame.
9. Pour the tadka over the lentil and spinach. Mix it all and boil it.
10. After 2 mins Dal palak is ready and add coriander leaves finally. Serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, roti, naan, or paratha.
Recipe Card
Dal Palak (Lentils Spinach)
Ingredients
- 200 grams Red lentils (soaked and cleaned)
- 400 grams Spinach (finely chopped and cleaned)
- 3 pieces Dry red chili
- 1 tablespoon Panch phoron (Indian five spices cumin, fenugreek, brown mustard seeds, fennel and nigella seeds)
- 2 pieces Bay leaves
- 1.5 tablespoon Garlic (chopped)
- 4 pieces Green chilies (slitted)
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric
- 2 tablespoons Tomato chopped
- 2 tablespoons Onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
- 2 tablespoons Mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Turn the gas on, heat a pan and add some water, bring it to boil and add the lentil. Cover it with a lid, let the lentil boil.
- You will see white foams, please discard it with a spatula.
- Turn the flame high and boil the lentil till 10 mins.
- Smash the lentil with a smasher and add a little water. Add two cup water and turn the flame high.
- Add the spinach into it. Add turmeric and salt to taste. Cover it with a lid and let the spinach boil for 5 mins.
- Now let us prepare the tadka in a separate small pan. Add some oil in a separate pan, 1 tsp Indian five spices cumin, fenugreek, brown mustard seeds, fennel and nigella seeds, bay leaf and fired chilies.
- Add the onion and green chilies. Fry till it is brown and add the chopped garlic. Stir it for 2 mins.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and add a pinch of salt. Fry till it is cooked and turn off the flame.
- Pour the tadka over the lentil and spinach. Mix it all and boil it.
- After 2 mins Dal palak is ready and add coriander leaves finally. Serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, roti, naan, or paratha.
Video
Notes
- Choose the right type of lentils to make this dish so that they cook pretty quickly and blend nicely with the spinach. Typically, split red lentils (masoor dal) or split yellow lentils (moong dal) are best to make this dish.
- It is advised that you soak the lentils in water for about half an hour after thoroughly washing them. This will make them softer and reduce the cooking time considerably.
- There is no strict specification regarding the consistency of Dal Palak. It can be thicker with less water content or thinner with more water. It is entirely a matter of your personal liking.
- Time the addition of spinach to the dish perfectly. It is important to retain the freshness and vibrant green color of palak along with its nutrient. Adding them at the right time will result in perfect wilting and render the desired texture and prevent overcooking.
- Tempering, or adding the tadka is also a crucial step in this recipe. This is important to ensure that the flavor of the palak is enhanced and not reduced. I pour the tadka to the dish while the spices are still sizzling in the hot oil or ghee.
