Spinach Dal Recipe, Indian Cuisine

This ‘dal’, of semi-liquid consistency, is served with bread and rice. Serve it hot with a dash of butter. It can be refrigerated or frozen.

Ingredients:

1 cup Mung (split green & yellow lentil) with peel ½ cup Chana (yellow lentils) 2 cups chopped spinach 1 chopped tomato 1 tablespoon oil

Seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon crushed garlic ½ chopped onion ½ teaspoon crushed ginger ½ teaspoon coriander powder ½ teaspoon red chili powder 1 teaspoon crushed green chili 1 teaspoon garam masala

Garnish: ½ teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Method:

1. Check ‘dal’ for grit; rinse a couple of times and drain.

2. Bring to boil about 4 cups water in a 3-quart pan. Add ‘dal’ to hot water. Stir in salt and turmeric powder. (Water can boil over when ‘dal’ is added; lower the heat as needed.)

3. Partially cover and simmer on medium heat until ‘dal’ is almost cooked (about 40 minutes). (Add more hot water depending on the consistency desired.)

4. Add chopped spinach to the cooked ‘dal’; let cook for about 10 minutes until everything is well mixed.

5. To sauté, heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Add cumin and caraway seeds; as soon as they change color (few seconds), add garlic and onions. When the onions are golden brown, stir in tomatoes and remaining seasonings (except garam masala) and cook for a couple of minutes.

6. Mix the sautéed seasonings into the cooked ‘Spinach Dal’. Continue cooking on medium heat for about 5 minutes until ‘dal’ is thickened. Add garam masala. Serve hot, optionally sprinkled with lemon juice.

Variation: Use peeled yellow Mung or peeled light yellow Urad dal (or a mix of them). They take little less water and only 20–30 minutes to cook.

Makes about 8 servings, ¾ cup each. Per serving –

Nutritive Value: 158 calories, 9 g protein, 25 g carb, 5 g fiber, 3 g fat, 0 mg chol.

Food Group Exchange: 1 Legumes/Meat, ½ Vegetable, 1/8 Fat.

About the Author: Kusum Gupta is the author of ‘Recipes with a Spice – Indian Cuisine for Balanced Nutrition’. It is a collection of 260 recipes from different regions of India, using whole grains, lentils, vegetables, and different spices and herbs, allowing you to indulge your appetite, spice up the food, and treat your taste buds to an exciting range of flavors. It addresses the needs of the experienced cook as well as the adventurous beginner or a child wishing to explore the world of cooking or changing to healthy way of eating. Visit www.healthyindiancuisine.com.