Wondering what does dal stands for? Spinach Dal
Dal is a generic term used in India to describe all dry legumes/lentils. It’s a complete comfort food and a good source of protein. We can have dal in every meal. My love for dal/lentils goes way back. Growing up, I loved every lentil my mom cooked. Among all, spinach dal or dal palak was her favorite. But somehow, I never liked the idea of blending spinach with yellow dal. It was my least favorite. The sight of spinach dal on the dinner table would make me lose my appetite. But with time, eating habits change and today spinach dal is my to-go comfort food. I guess genetically, some of your habits get transferred to your kids too. Like me, my little one hated spinach dal but his love for Popeye, the sailor man is what made him love this dal. He wants to be strong and tall just like Popeye, so I guess it’s a win-win situation for both of us. 😉
This dal is super easy to make and completely doable on a weekday. It –
doesn’t require any special preparation requires only a few basic ingredients and spices that are already a part of your pantry is a healthy meal comes together in 30 minutes. is gluten free and can be Vegan too (skip ghee).
Temper it with mild spices, chopped spinach and a plethora of cooked yellow dal and you will have a nourishing and healthy meal ready for your family in just 30 minutes!
Now onto the recipe!
Indian moong dal or yellow lentils is a pretty basic recipe and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and spices. I have used moong dal as a base for this recipe but spinach dal can be prepared with a combo of lentils. Somehow I like yellow lentils with spinach, so have kept it pretty simple. To begin with pressure cook the dal until thoroughly cooked and soft. Soft and not mushy. This dal can be cooked in an IP, slow cooker or over the cooktop in a pan. Cooking time will vary.
Coming onto the tempering!
Tempering takes a dish to a whole new level and is an important step in Indian cooking. Aromatic spices when tempered in hot ghee releases there essential oils which deepen the overall aroma, and taste of a dish and makes it a lot more flavorful. Remember to keep stirring the tempering at regular intervals as it may burn and ruin the dish. The secret to this yummy dal is ‘garlic’. I believe that garlic adds an amazing flavor and taste to this dish. But if you don’t have a liking for garlic then feel free to leave that out and continue with rest of the recipe. It’s a very forgiving and versatile recipe, add or subtract ingredients to your liking. I prefer my dal to be on a thicker side but feel free to adjust the consistency as per your preference.
The combo of spinach and moong dal (yellow lentils) turns into some seriously good eats. Whenever I cook this dal, I get a lot of ‘yay’ and ‘thank you’ from my family. I hope you guys give this flavorful and robust dish a try. If you happen to make this spinach dal then either drop me a line below or share your yum pictures with me on facebook. Would love to see your creation! Cheers! LOOKING FOR MORE RECIPES, FIND ME ON PINTEREST ! CAN’T MAKE IT NOW, PIN IT FOR LATER ON YOUR BOARD. ALSO FOLLOW ME ON: FACEBOOK / GOOGLE+ / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST / TWITTER
