Ever since Siri hosted AWED Sri Lanka Recipes event, I got hooked to the cuisine. I had borrowed a book and this is the third recipe I tried from it. A simple palak dal recipe (lentils and spinach) but enhanced in true Sri Lankan way not to mention the addition of the ever-present coconut milk.
Fresh Green SpinachThe book I had only mentioned dal and I wasn’t sure which dal they were referring to. So I used toor dal. You could also try this with moong dal and get a totally different flavour. Yummy either ways, I am sure.
Soaked Toor Dal for Palak DalSri Lankan Palak Dal /Lentils with Spinach
Preparation time: 40 mins
Serves: 2 to 4What I Used:
1.5 cups toor dal
A big bunch of spinach, chopped (about 4 cups loosely packed)
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 small tomato, chopped fine
2 dried red chillies
2 garlic pods, crushed
A 1″ piece of cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
1.5 cups light coconut milk
Salt to tasteFor tempering:
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A few pieces of rampe/ pandan leaves or curry leavesHow to make Palak Dal:
1. The first step is to cook the lentils. Usually I use pressure cooker but for this recipe, its important not to cook them mushy. So, add about 4 cups water to the 1.5 cups toor dal and soak for an hour. Then, keep on a medium fire to cook for about 20-25 mins. The lentils should be cooked yet stay as individual pods.
2. Heat oil and add the ingredients for tempering. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add the cinnamon, chillies, garlic, jeera and onions. Fry until onions turn transparent.
3. Then add the tomatoes and mix well for another minute. Add the chopped spinach now and lower fire. Let it wilt and reduce in size. Keep stirring till the it mixes well with the rest of the added ingredients.
4. Now add the cooked lentils and combine gently. Bring to boil. Reduce fire and add the coconut milk and salt. You can add some chilli powder if you’d like more heat. Simmer for 5 mins and remove from fire.
Serve spinach dal hot with steamed white rice or roti.
I did try dis Daal, am not an expert and it turned great me and my husband enjoyed it.
Happy you enjoyed the Sri Lankan Palak Dal recipe interesting 🙂
Now I should dig my teeth in Sri-lankan dishes too. sound interesting cuisine from our neighbor country.
And yes, I prepare this spinach daal too (with Moong daal).
Nags, yello-n-green combo pics look so beautiful! Good capture. 🙂
Wow lovely tempting photos. Looks so creamy and yumm.
coconut milk in spinach dal? never tried that.. u seem to be knowing lot of srilankan dishes 🙂
I've never used coconut milk in my dal, it must surely add tonnes of flavor. Cinnamon is new too, will surely give it a try this time, I just hope I remember to turn off the stove before the dal turns to a mush 😀
Cooked it and loved it. Thank you 🙂
So glad you liked it Anon 🙂
Cooked it and loved it. Thank you 🙂
Just made this recipe. Couldn't find some ingredients and mom didn't want seeds because of her teeth (used some powdered spices instead of seeds and leaves) and it is delish! Thanks for a great recipe! Can't wait to try others.
So glad you liked it Anon 🙂
Hello Nags – This is my first visit to your site as I was searching for Palak recipes. Being a Indian with strong roots in Srilanka I was impressed by your palak dal:-) Well Srilankans use dal and coconut as major ingredients. Staying at SFO I am more inclined towards Organic Healty food. I substitute the coconut milk with powdered almond powder or skimmed milk.
Sharai – so good to hear from you! I am glad you found the Sri Lankan Recipes interesting 🙂 Do share if you have any traditional recipes from your parents. You can email me!
hello Ska, glad you like my recipes 🙂 Unfortunately, I don't cook non vegetarian recipes anymore because I am married to a vegetarian. I do have some in my archives which I tried before my wedding. I will try my best to add some more but no promises.. sorry again!
This is the second recipe i made from this site. I quiet like your cooking style. Its easy, simple, fast to cook & delicious. Can you please post more of non-vegeterian recipes/Fish.
Thank you
I just made this today. I did not have mustard seeds but used regular mustard. (i am sure it would have been even yummier)
This was DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing. I stumbled across this from a google search, since I had some Toor Dal that I needed to use. I will be a regular here.
I have to make some of this soon.
The first picture is just awesome! love the flavors here. esp with the coconut milk.. never quite had dal with coconut milk this way..
I got in without any error today! Yay! 🙂 I make a daal with spinach and coco milk, didn't know it was Sri Lankan! 🙂
Palak with Toor Dal picture is gorgeous.Cant wait to try the recipe..
Shri
After saw the picture started feeling hungry … Picture is so tempting …. Perfect for lunch with some rice …Thanks for sharing dear …
Lovely pics Nags and this sounds so yum…My husband used to travel a lot to SriLanka and always bring these neatly packaged masala packets…You just needed to add them to any dish to get this lovely aroma, all over the house…And coconut milk to this sounds awesome…
will try it out and the pics are just great
Wow! Fantastic ..Awesome Pics ..Looks soo yummy!!
oh lovely! I love SL food much but the spiciness in toooooo much.. esp. in fish items.. 🙂
As soon as I read the title I too thought that you are hooked to Sri Lankar cuisine. The first picture of the spinach is absolutely refreshing.
This looks fantastic, and I'm pretty sure the only way I'll try a Sri Lankan dish any time soon is if I make it myself. I've never heard coconut milk victimized! I'll turn a deaf ear.
Adding the coconut milk must take it to a whole new level! Sounds awesome, Nags! 🙂
Wow – what a yummy dal. Its looks gorgeous… Again you took an easy dal and made it so great!
yum yum. let's clarify, though, that cocnut milk is NOt healthy. In fact, one cup has over 50 grams of saturated fat.
This is lovely, I found this from TasteSpotting. Will try it soon!
Robin – I think coconut and coconut milk is victimized too much anyway. Its used extensively in our cooking in Kerala and the Malays use it like we do water. We all seem to be doing just fine 🙂 So maybe its just a matter of getting used to it. Either ways I am sure this palak dal is far healthier than a big mac!
Sakhi – yes yes, try adding the pandan flavour to this. But I think the flavour is mainly used for things like kaya (which is super yummy, google it) or pandan flavoured cakes and bread. u cud try those too 🙂
coconut milk in spinach dal? never tried that.. u seem to be knowing lot of srilankan dishes 🙂
I have been hooked on to coconut milk ever since i first used it in my veggie curry, it brings delicious flavor in the dish!
Ok I have a confession to make. I went to the Asian store this week and got myself a teeny weeny bottle of Pandan Leaf flavour. I am guilty since then coz I have no idea why I picked it up. I say it's all ur influence over me. It's like the moment I saw Pandan leaf over it I thought wow Nags and got it back home…now tell me what do I do with it???
Oh boy I like the 2nd pic a lot…nice colors and do u think I can add the flavour from the bottle to this dal recipe?? HELP before M notices the absurd bottle!!!
wow!!
Thats a cool addition of coconut milk!!
Good to know that Srilankans also make Dals!!
Grt clicks!!
We make something similar bk in my native sans cinnamon. Keep them coming Nags 🙂 meanwhile let me see if I can get hold of that Srilankan cook book.
Wow lovely tempting photos. Looks so creamy and yumm.
Wow!!!wat a coincidence…I also posted the same recipe today but different from yours…Will surely try yours next time…Nice clicks…
Very diffrent…
I've never used coconut milk in my dal, it must surely add tonnes of flavor. Cinnamon is new too, will surely give it a try this time, I just hope I remember to turn off the stove before the dal turns to a mush 😀
That a bowl of healthy dal….adding coconut milk must have given some different and yummy flavour
Thats a nice addition of coconut milk to the regular dal..Need to give a try sometime..
Now I should dig my teeth in Sri-lankan dishes too. sound interesting cuisine from our neighbor country.
And yes, I prepare this spinach daal too (with Moong daal).
Nags, yello-n-green combo pics look so beautiful! Good capture. 🙂
This is new new to me. I always cook dal and spinach together. It does taste good but I must try this. Coconut milk, yumm!
Yes adding coconut milk makes it much creamier and the flavour was really good. I think the cinnamon helps too!
I have tried adding coconut milk in regular keerai kootu once as I dint had coconut in hand,the taste was completely different from kootu…Though this dish sounds very similar to our indian cuisine,sure addition of coconut m ilk and pandan leaves,gives different flavor!
Last picture is simply superb!