Dhal palak is a very simple traditional side dish that makes an excellent side dish. It has spinach cooked in lentil curry. It is a typical comfort food for busy days, which can also be had as is as a soup.
This is yet another recipe that is filled with protein. If you are trying to get greens into your diet, this is the Recipe to go for. This dhal has mild flavors and is perfect for weeknight dinners to serve with rice or rotis!!
Preparation time - 10 mins Cooking time - 40 mins Difficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Dhal Palak - Serves 4
- Palak/spinach - 1 cup (chopped)
- Moong dal/Yellow split lentil/green gram dal - ¾ cup
- Onion - 1 (chopped)
- Tomato - 3 (chopped)
- Green chilies - 4 (slit lengthwise)
- Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
- Cinnamon - 1 stick
- Cloves - 4
- Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Procedure To Make Dal Palak -
- Wash the Moong dal and cook it with enough water. I usually cook the dal in a pressure cooker. But for the past few times, I have been cooking moong dal in a saucepan, and I am in love with the flavor it gives out. If cooking over the flame, add enough water to the dal and bring it to a boil. Then bring the heat to medium and cook for about 20 mins, until the dal is cooked and tender.
Wash the spinach and chop it finely. If using frozen spinach, thaw it in the microwave and keep it aside.
Add oil/ghee in a pan and when heated, add cumin seeds, cinnamon, and cloves. Fry it for a minute.
- Then add the onions, turmeric powder, and green chilies.
- Once the onions are fried, add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute and then add the tomatoes along with salt. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
- At this stage, add the spinach and mix well. Let it cook for about 10 minutes or until the spinach is tender.
- Now add the cooked dal. If needed, add water to bring the dal to the required consistency. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn off the flame and just before serving, add some lime juice.
Serve the Dhal Palak with rotis, pulkas, or rice!
Variations to Dhal Palak -
- Instead of just moong dal, a combination of tuvar dal and moong dal could be used. Also, Dal Palak can be made just with tuvar dal.
Similar Dhal Recipes
- Nimbu Dal - Lemon Lentils Recipe
- Lauki Dal Tadka | Masoor Dal with Bottle Gourd
- Khatta Meeta Moong Dhal | Sweet and Sour Whole Green Mung
- Beet Greens Dal | Moong Dal Tadka with Beetroot leaves
Recipe
Equipment
- ▢ pan
- ▢ bowl
- ▢ spatula
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 cup Palak/spinach chopped
- ▢ ¾ cup Moong dal/Yellow split lentil/green gram dal
- ▢ 1 Onion chopped
- ▢ 3 Tomato chopped
- ▢ 4 Green chilies slit lengthwise
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Oil/ghee
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 stick Cinnamon
- ▢ 4 Cloves
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- ▢ to taste Salt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Lime juice
Instructions
- Wash the Moong dal and cook with enough water. I usually used to cook the dal in the pressure cooker. But for the past few times, I have been cooking moong dal in a sauce pan and I am in live with the flavor in gives out. If cooking over the flame, add enough water to the dal and bring it to boil. Then bring the heat to medium and cook for about 20 mins, until the dal is cooked and tender.
- Wash the spinach and chop it finely. If using frozen spinach thaw it in the microwave and keep aside.
- Add oil/ghee in a pan and when heated, add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Fry it for a minute.
- Then add the onions, turmeric powder and green chilies.
- Once the onions are fried, add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute and then add the tomatoes along with salt. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
- At this stage add the spinach and mix well. Let it cook for about 10 mins or until the spinach is tender.
- Now add the cooked dal. If needed, add water to bring the dal to the required consistency. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for about 10 mins.
- Turn off the flame and just before serving add some lime juice.
- Serve the Dhal Palak with rotis, pulkas or rice!
Variations -
- Instead of just moong dal, a combination of tuvar dal and moong dal could be used. Also this can be made just with tuvar dal.
Nutrition
More Dhal / Dal
- Mango Dal | Toor Dal with Raw Mango
- Dali Thoy | Konkani Style Dal | Vegan Spiced Lentil
- Mitha Khechudi and Mitha Dali – Sweet Kichadi with Sweet Dal
Dhal Palak | Spinach Cooked In Lentil Curry
Equipment
- pan
- bowl
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup Palak/spinach chopped
- ¾ cup Moong dal/Yellow split lentil/green gram dal
- 1 Onion chopped
- 3 Tomato chopped
- 4 Green chilies slit lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon Oil/ghee
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 4 Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- to taste Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice
Instructions
- Wash the Moong dal and cook with enough water. I usually used to cook the dal in the pressure cooker. But for the past few times, I have been cooking moong dal in a sauce pan and I am in live with the flavor in gives out. If cooking over the flame, add enough water to the dal and bring it to boil. Then bring the heat to medium and cook for about 20 mins, until the dal is cooked and tender.
- Wash the spinach and chop it finely. If using frozen spinach thaw it in the microwave and keep aside.
- Add oil/ghee in a pan and when heated, add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Fry it for a minute.
- Then add the onions, turmeric powder and green chilies.
- Once the onions are fried, add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute and then add the tomatoes along with salt. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy.
- At this stage add the spinach and mix well. Let it cook for about 10 mins or until the spinach is tender.
- Now add the cooked dal. If needed, add water to bring the dal to the required consistency. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for about 10 mins.
- Turn off the flame and just before serving add some lime juice.
- Serve the Dhal Palak with rotis, pulkas or rice!
Variations –
- Instead of just moong dal, a combination of tuvar dal and moong dal could be used. Also this can be made just with tuvar dal.
