Dhal Palak/Palak Dhal/Spinach with Lentil

Spinach is one such leafy vegetable we include in our diet at least twice in a week.One thing I make very often is dhal palak or spinach sambhar.
Today recipe is my own way of making dhal palak especially for my son.When he was 3 years old he didn't like the texture of the chopped spinach add it to the dhal.So I used to grind the palak and made it once,as we all liked the taste since then started making this way.
Here I used masoor dhal to make dhal spinach,it can be made with moong dhal or toor dhal,here goes the recipe................................

Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Massor dhal	1/3cup
Spinach/palak(roughly chopped)	2 cups(tightly packed)
Onion(roughly chopped)	1
Tomato(roughly chopped)	1
Green chilly/pachamilagai	3-4
Shallots/chinna vengayam	4
Garlic/poondu(finely chopped)	3 cloves
Sambhar powder	1/2tsp
Salt	11/4tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4tsp
Oil	2tsp

For the Seasoning

Ingredient	Quantity
Mustard seeds/kadugu	1/2tsp
Urad dhal/ulutham paruppu	1/2tsp
Cumin seeds/jeeragam	1/2tsp
Red chilly/varamilagai	1(broken)

Method

Wash and rinse the dhal for couple of times in water and cook it in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles with enough water.
Heat a pan with a tsp of oil and saute the onion and green chilly with a pinch of salt till transparent.Then add the tomato and cook it mushy,now add the chopped spinach cook it for two minute or till it shrinks.

Let it cool and grind it in a blender to a coarse paste,keep it aside.Heat the pan with the remaining oil and crackle the mustard seeds,then follows the cumin seeds and urad dhal.Then add the red chilly and add the chopped garlic,shallots and turmeric powder.Saute it for a minute.

Now add the ground spinach and give it a mix.At this stage add the cooked dhal and a cup of water. Sprinkle the sambar powder and salt,let it boil for for 3-4 minutes.Put off the fire.

Dhal palak is ready.Serve it with rice and poato fry and pappad.

Enjoy.............................................................

• Do not boil it for a long time,otherwise the color will change.
• Shallots can be substituted with half regular onion.

This goes for Vegan Thursday event started by Priya of Priya's Versatile Recipes.

Posted in: Gravy/Side dish,Sambhar/Kuzhambu/Rasam,Vegan Thursday