PAALAK DAAL (SPINACH DAAL/SPINACH AND LENTILS CURRY)

Paalak Daal is a highly nutritious and delicious type of daal preparation. Paalak i.e. spinach, is a very nutritious vegetable. Adding it to protein rich daal i.e. lentils, makes this dish high on the health quotient!

Spinach contains iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. It is said to be one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables. Also daal is a great source of protein, especially for the vegetarians! Can be enjoyed by the diabetes too!

Here’s a simple, delicious and nutritious recipe for Paalak Daal which my mom always made for us! Once again one of my personal favourites served with some hot steamed rice.

For more such daal or paalak recipies, do give a try to…..

1) Daal Tadka

2) Daali Toay

3) Nutri Daal Fry

4) Udupi Sambar

5) Daalichi Aamti

Here’s the recipe for the delicious and nutritious Paalak Daal…..

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 cups Soaked Tuar Daal (split pigeon peas)
• 2 cups Chopped Paalak (1 large bunch)
• 1 Tomato
• 3 Green Chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Tamarind pulp….. To be adjusted as per preference

For tempering :

• 2 tbs Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
• 1 sprig Curry Leaves
• 8 Garlic cloves

METHOD :

1. To make the Paalak Daal, first soak the tuvar daal in sufficient water for about an hour and a half.
2. Wash thoroughly and add to it the turmeric powder, chopped tomatoes, chopped green chillies and chopped spinach.
3. Add sufficient water to it i.e. approximately a bit above the daal’s level and pressure cook till done.
4. In the meantime soak 1 tsp tamarind in about 2 tbs hot water for about half an hour. Then smash the tamarind in the water itself using your fingers to get a thick pulp. Discard the seeds if any.
5. Crush the garlic cloves using a pestle.
6. When the pressure of the cooker subsides, open the lid and remove the daal from it.
7. Smash the daal a little with the back of a ladle. Add tamarind pulp, salt to taste and sufficient water and bring to a boil.
8. Heat a small kadhai or a pan for tempering and add the oil to it. When the oil is hot, add the cumin, asafoetida, curry leaves and the crushed garlic to it. Let the garlic brown a little.
9. Pour this tempering over the hot daal and cover with a lid immediately. Open the lid after a while add give it a good stir.
10. Serve the delicious Paalak Daal with hot steamed rice, Aaloo Gobhi, some cooling Paalak Raita and Gaajar Flower Taaja Loncha by the side.

NOTE :

Paalak daal is a very healthy and delicious dish. It tastes good when made a little bit tangy, and hence the use of the tomato as well as the tamarind pulp. But it can be adjusted as per preference. The tamarind pulp can be totally avoided too!

For those who don’t like the flavour of garlic, let me tell you that the same tempering without garlic gives the daal an equally delicious flavour!

The paalak daal if made a bit thicker, can be substituted for a vegetable and be relished with chapatis!