DALS… Can’t have enough of them! Must-Try recipes from Across India
India is one of the few countries that is blessed with variety in almost every aspect, food being the most obvious one. The unquestionable love and celebration of good food has been bringing people together for many years, and when we think of good food, one of our most loved preparations comes to mind – the quintessential Dal.
From Dal Makhani to Panchratna Dal, it is the undying love for this flavoursome and versatile staple that most Indian households include in our daily diet. And each region in the country has its own favourite way of preparing them.
Lasooni Dal Palak
Spinach Dal infused with garlic
This is an easy, healthy and tasty recipe of spinach with lentils. It has the subtle aroma of ghee tempered with cumin and a gingery creamy taste. Spinach and dal go very well together and in India we often add veggies to dal to make it more nutritious.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup Yellow Moong Lentils (Moong Dal)
- 1 ½ tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 7-9 medium garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- 1 green chilli, slit
- 1 ½ cup spinach, finaly chopped
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- Salt as required
Instructions:
- Wash the Dal well and soak for an hour. Drain the water and add the dal to a medium-sized pan along with 3 cups of water. Boil well until fully cooked. Mash the dal lightly.
- In a separate pan heat the oil/ghee. Add Cumin seeds. Add crush garlic and saute till light brown. Add onions and saute, then add tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes become pulpy and you see oil releasing from the sides of the mixture.
- Add the turmeric and red chili powder. Add the chopped spinach and green chilies. Mix well and saute on a low to medium flame for few minutes till the spinach wilts.
- Now add the mashed dal. Stir well. Add water depending on the required consistency. Stir well and bring the dal to a simmer. Add salt and garam masala.
- Mix well and serve with rotis/rice.