Dals (lentils) are super food! They are rich in vitamins, great source of protein (especially for vegetarians), lentil soups help to recover faster after an illness and most important lentils are not boring! Dals are not boring!
If you find lentils too yellow and mellow, well you are not cooking them right! Lentils gives a creamy and hearty base and enhances the flavor of spices and vegetables cooked in them.
Spinach is my go to vegetable for add it dals; it is great source of fiber, cooks effortlessly and gives a nice texture to the soup.
The tadka is totally optional but do add it if you haven’t before. It gives the dal a spicy kick!
Happy Cooking!
Palak Dal
A hearty, rich in protein and fiber lentil soup with spinach.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker/Instant pot
Ingredients
Dals (Lentils)
- 1/2 cup channa dal washed
- 1/2 cup tuvar dal washed
- 1/2 cup pink masoor dal washed
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups water
Spinach
- 4 cups loosely pack baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp salt
- water for blanching
Masala
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp asafetida
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger
- 2 tbsp minced garlic 6 to 8 cloves
- 2 tsp minced green chilies
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp cumin coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp amchur powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp sugar
- salt as per taste
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Tadka (optional)
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tbsp fried onions
Instructions
Dals
- In a pressure cooker/instant pot add all the lentils along with salt, turmeric and water, pressure cook on medium flame for 3-4 whistles or 15 minutes in instant pot. Let it depressurize naturally.
Spinach
- Coarsely chop the spinach leaves. Have a bowl of ice water ready on side.
- Add them to a boiling water (salt added) and blanch them for a minute. Immediately transfer them in ice cold water.
Masala
- In a medium pot on a medium heat, heat the ghee.
- Add cumin seeds and asafetida, let the seeds sputter.
- Next add onions and sauté them for 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic and green chilies and cook for another minute.
- Add tomatoes along with pinch of salt and cook covered until the tomatoes are softened.
- Add turmeric, red chili and cumin coriander powder and give it a big stir.
- Drain and add blanched spinach and mix throughly.
- Use a whisk to roughly mash the cooked dals and add to the spinach mix along with 1 cup of water and salt as per taste.
- Bring the dal to boil, stir occasionally.
- Add amchur (or lemon juice), garam masala and sugar. Adjust the salt level as per your liking.
- Dal is ready to serve at this point. Below tadka is optional, it gives a spicy kick to the dal.
Tadka
- Heat ghee in a pan, chilli powder and fried onions, mix and pour it over hot dal before serving.
