Dal Palak with a twist… yummmmm

As you travel across India, we will find various versions of Spinach and Mung dal or Toor dal. Down South, we will taste the addition of coconut, ginger, pepper, and cumin. Up North, we will taste the addition of garlic, onion, ginger, and tomato. Here’s my take on this. It tasted awesome and this can be an accompaniment to rice or rotis.

Ingredients:

1. Toor dal or Mung dal – 1/2 cup
2. Spinach – 2 bunches ( I used baby spinach box I got from Sam club)
3. Onion – 1
4. Garlic pods – 3-4
5. Ginger – about an inch
6. Tomato – 1
7. Green chillies – as per your taste (I used 6-7)
8. Red chillies – 2-3
9. Coconut – 1/2 cup ( I used fresh coconut. If you are using desiccated, use 2-3 tsps)
10. Tamarind – a strawberry sized
11. Curry leaves
12. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
13. Sesame seeds – 2 tsps
14. salt according to your taste
15. Cumin – 2 tsps
16. Pepper – 1 tsp

For temering:

1. Ghee – 2 tbsps
2. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
3. Urad dal – 1 tsp
4. Cumin – 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves

Method:

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook till tender. Do not over cook.
2. Chop the spinach and add to the dal and continue cooking without closing the lid for 10 mins
3. Microwave the tamarind in a small bowl of water. Let it cool. Squeeze the tamarind juice and add it to the boiling spinach and dal
4. Add turmeric and salt
5. In another pan, add 1/2 tsp ghee and fry sesame, garlic, ginger, green chillies, onion and tomato.
6. Now, grind the fried onion mixture with coconut.
7. Add the ground mixture to the boiling spinach and dal. Let it boil for another 5 mins
8. Season the dal with mustard, urad dal, cumin and curry leaves
9.