Dal Palak Recipe | Easy Spinach Dal
User Reviews
4.9
135 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
10 mins
-
Total Time
30 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
135 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Indian
Dal Palak Recipe | Easy Spinach Dal
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Simple, healthy, yet tasty and comforting this Dal Palak recipe or Spinach Dal is made with pigeon pea lentils (tuvar dal), red lentils (masoor dal) and fresh spinach (palak). The recipe is not overly spiced and is made without onion and garlic as well.
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Ingredients
For cooking lentils
- ¼ cup tuvar dal (hulled and split pigeon pea lentils or arhar dal)
- ¼ cup masoor dal (hulled and split red lentils)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1.5 cups water - for pressure cooking lentils
More ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ginger - finely chopped or 1 inch peeled ginger
- ½ to 1 teaspoon green chilies - chopped or 1 green chilli
- 2 cups spinach - finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- ½ to 1 cup water or add as needed
- salt as required
Instructions
Pressure cooking lentils
- Pick and rinse the lentils a few times in water. Take the lentils in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also add turmeric powder and 1.5 cups of water.
- Pressure cook on medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or 7 to 8 whistles or until the lentils become soft and mushy.
- Open the lid only when the pressure drops naturally in the cooker. Check the lentils.
- They should be cooked well and softened. Mash the lentils lightly with a spoon and set aside.
Making dal palak
- In a pan, heat ghee. Keep the heat to a low and fry the cumin seeds first.
- When they crackle, add the finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Fry for a few seconds or until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Now add the finely chopped spinach. Mix the spinach with the rest of the fried spices.
- Sauté spinach for some minutes until the leaves becomes soft and stops releasing water on a low to medium-low heat.
- When the spinach leaves are softened, add the kashmiri red chili powder and asafoetida.
- Mix well and sauté for half a minute on low heat.
- Add the mashed lentils and salt according to taste. Mix the lentils with the sautéed and softened spinach.
- Add water around ½ to 1 cup depending on how thick or thin you want the dal to be.
- Stir to combine and simmer the dal for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Serve Dal Palak hot with rice and a side vegetable dish or salad or raita.
Notes
- The recipe is made with two kinds of lentils. You could make it only with tur dal or masoor dal. You can also make Dal Palak with only chana dal. For cooking with chana dal add more water and pressure cook for more time.
- Use tender, green, fresh spinach. If the stems are tender, you can add them. If they are fibrous or dense, then do not add them.
- Instead of green chillies, you could also 1 dry red chilli. Remove the seeds and then fry it after the cumin seeds crackle, so that its flavors are released in the dal.
- Add water as needed to make a thicker dal or a soupy thin dal depending on the consistency to prefer.
- This recipe make for four servings. But you can scale it to make for 2 servings or 8 servings.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
135kcal
(7%)
Carbohydrates
13g
(4%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Cholesterol
19mg
(6%)
Sodium
720mg
(30%)
Potassium
255mg
(7%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
1492IU
(30%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
9mg
(10%)
Vitamin E
1mg
Vitamin K
73µg
Calcium
37mg
(4%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
95µg
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Magnesium
35mg
Phosphorus
75mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 135 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 135kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 4% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 19mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 720mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 255mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 1492IU | 30% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 73µg | |
| Calcium | 37mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 95µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 35mg | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 75mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
135 reviews
Excellent
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