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Sri Lankan Palak Dal Recipe (Spinach Dal Recipe)

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How to make Palak Dal (Spinach Dal)


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 Spinach

The 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 Dal

Sri Lankan Palak Dal /Lentils with Spinach
Preparation time: 40 mins
Serves: 2 to 4

What 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 taste

For tempering:

2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A few pieces of rampe/ pandan leaves or curry leaves

How 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.

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  3. 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. 🙂

    Reply

  6. 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 😀

    Reply

  11. 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.

    Reply

  12. 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!

    Reply

  13. 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.

    Reply

  14. 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!

    Reply

  15. 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

    Reply

  16. 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.

    Reply

  18. The first picture is just awesome! love the flavors here. esp with the coconut milk.. never quite had dal with coconut milk this way..

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  19. I got in without any error today! Yay! 🙂 I make a daal with spinach and coco milk, didn't know it was Sri Lankan! 🙂

    Reply

  22. 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…

    Reply

  27. 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.

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  28. 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.

    Reply

  29. 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 🙂

    Reply

  32. Wow!!!wat a coincidence…I also posted the same recipe today but different from yours…Will surely try yours next time…Nice clicks…

    Reply

  33. 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 😀

    Reply

  37. 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!!!

    Reply

  39. 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.

    Reply

  44. 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!

    Reply

  46. 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. 🙂

    Reply
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