A true comfort food, palak dal makes for the best accompaniment with hot rice and subzi on a weeknight. The apartment we live in right now is very convenient to buy basic groceries and vegetables. On every Sunday, a van full of the freshest vegetables from the farmer’s on the outskirts of Hyderabad come to the road below our place and people flock to it to buy their week’s worth of vegetables. They are cheaper than the stores too! I rush down each time I see the van and although I buy 1/10th the amount of vegetables others buy, the vegetable vendors treat me well 😀
I bought a bunch of palak yesterday and have been wondering what to make with it. I considered palak paneer, but I didn’t have any paneer in hand and was too lazy to buy paneer or make my own. I always have a stock of dal (of course) and decided to take the easy route and make some palak dal instead. No regrets!
Palak Dal Recipe
Ingredients for Palak Dal:
Serves 2
Toor dal/Yellow lentil – 1 cup
Fresh green spinach, chopped – 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Garlic – 4 cloves
Red chillies – 4
Curry leaves – one strand
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
How to make Palak Dal:
1. Pressure cook the dal and spinach with some turmeric for 2-3 whistles.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai, crackle some mustard seeds, add the crushed garlic and red chillies and fry for a minute.
3. Add the cooked dal-spinach and mix well.
Serve hot with rice or rots. Palak dal also goes well with jeera rice or other mildly spiced rice dishes.
Nags says
November 27, 2008 at 8:36 amAnon – thanks for trying out my recipes 🙂 My husband is a vegetarian-who-eats-egg so I don’t cook non-veg at home anymore. I do have it occasionally when we go out for meals.
But that doesn’t mean I won’t be posting any more non-veg dishes. When I go home to Kottayam on vacation, you will see some recipes coming up 🙂
Next time, please do leave your name!
Anonymous says
November 27, 2008 at 8:33 amHey, I am a fan of your site. Tried many dishes from here and all turned out great. Just a doubth, Have you become totally vegetarian after wedding?
Poonam says
February 10, 2008 at 1:22 amHey Nags, I love palak in my dal. Your recipe is a little different than mine. Will try yours sometime.
Shella says
January 20, 2008 at 7:08 amThats a lovely click. Is the secret a new camera??? Palak daal (especially the one my MIL makes) is an all time comforter. I just love the texture.
Hima says
January 19, 2008 at 8:35 pmI love spinach dal, made in anyway. Thanks for sharing your version.
Cynthia says
January 18, 2008 at 8:56 pmSpinach dal is one of my favourite dals and you are so right, it goes down really well with some rice (and achar!) 🙂
DK says
January 17, 2008 at 8:28 pmThere is something so soothing about lentil and spinach. Its always been my all time fav. I also love it with masoor dal.
Nanditha Prabhu says
January 17, 2008 at 7:08 pmhOw come you retained the colors of dal and palak? looks yum!
DEEPA says
January 17, 2008 at 4:29 pmPure comfort food..Any time of the day , i am readdy to have it …really healthy food.I mostly have dal with rice ….
Aparna says
January 17, 2008 at 7:16 amYour dal looks nice.
I know spinach has a lot of things going for it, including old Popeye’s endorsement, but I’m afraid spinach is something I give a wide berth to! I’d rather get my iron from other green veggies.
easycrafts says
January 17, 2008 at 6:56 amI like palak in any dish and this is also the right time for trying out palak dishes as we get the best palak during winters
Red Chillies says
January 17, 2008 at 3:51 amLoved your idea of palak daal, all basic ingredients, yet rich in taste. I add some ginger in my daal.
KayKat says
January 17, 2008 at 3:00 amI love the colour! Seems like you found the perfect balance between the dal and the spinach!
Jeena says
January 17, 2008 at 2:33 amNags I love spinach with spices it is so tasty. Your picture looks amazing it looks so creamy and delicious!
Namratha says
January 16, 2008 at 10:04 pmLooks awesome Nags, I make it with Moong dal though, should try yours.
Rajitha says
January 16, 2008 at 9:52 pmthat is comfort food!!..
Sagari says
January 16, 2008 at 6:39 pmpalak dal , mango pickle and hot rice HEAVEN nice recipe nags
Sig says
January 16, 2008 at 4:29 pmMy palak dal normally turns a very ugly shade of green, it is not all photogenic 🙂 Yours look great!
Manasi says
January 16, 2008 at 4:22 pmDaal with palak! Taste bhi , health bhi!! Lovely!
Manasi says
January 16, 2008 at 4:22 pmDaal with palak! Taste bhi , health bhi!! Lovely!
Richa says
January 16, 2008 at 3:56 pmcomfort food it is 🙂
i made it w/ masoor dal just the other day, same steps, though sometimes i add an onion as well to the cooker 🙂
Happy cook says
January 16, 2008 at 3:37 pmI love dal with any kind of greens.
With spinach it is also delicious
bee says
January 16, 2008 at 3:19 pmwe make a moong dal version of this with spring onions and spinach.
yours looks yummy.
Pooja says
January 16, 2008 at 2:43 pmPalak Dal -yum yum yum …. 😛 .
its my all time favorite.
A perfect entry for con=mfort foods.
stay tuned…
-Pooja
Susan says
January 16, 2008 at 2:23 pmA great greens recipe, Nags! So very healthy. Thanks for participating in My Legume Love Affair!
RAKS KITCHEN says
January 16, 2008 at 1:31 pmDal palak is very easy to make and protien rich too …!You have cooked the dal and palak perfectly without changing the colour!
Rachel says
January 16, 2008 at 12:41 pmI love dal of any kind…hey Your pictures seem to be getting lovely post-by-post..care to share the secret????? I meant the food picture and not yours!! 😛
Seena says
January 16, 2008 at 12:09 pmVery simple dish!
photo valare nannayittundu Nags!
Raaga says
January 16, 2008 at 11:58 amcomfort food at its best… dal 🙂
Sia says
January 16, 2008 at 11:47 amdal and rasams are the ultimate comfort food for me…and addition of palak or methi is what i do whenever i feel the need to increasing my intake of greens.
Meeta says
January 16, 2008 at 9:50 amNags, I love palak in my dal. It truly is comforting. This sounds like a perfect comforting dish at anytime. Lovely!
Thanks for joining the MM!