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Dal palak curry
Bengal gram lentils cooked with spinach
A quick pressure-cooker curry of chana dal and plenty of spinach with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chilli. It's earthy, lightly spiced and full of goodness. Serve hot with chapaties or boiled rice. For a change, use green gram lentils with skin (soaked for 8 hours, then washed to remove the skins), or replace the lentils with four potatoes cut into 1 cm cubes and ½ tbsp lemon juice.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ oz bengal gram lentils (chana dal)½ cup, soaked
- 1 ⅛ lb spinachchopped
- 2 onionsmedium, chopped
- 2 tomatoesmedium, chopped
- 2 tsp green chilli paste
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ¼ cup water¼ cup
For the seasoning
- 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
- ½ tsp garam masalasee the garam masala recipe
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp saltor to taste
For the tempering
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 3 ⅓ oz bengal gram lentils (chana dal) in water for 2 hours, then drain.
Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker, add ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and let them crackle.
1 minStep 3: Add 2 onions and cook until golden brown.
7 minStep 4: Add the lentils, 1 ⅛ lb spinach, 2 tomatoes, 2 tsp green chilli paste, ½ tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste and ¼ cup water.
Step 5: Add 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt and stir well.
Step 6: Close the cooker and cook for 2 whistles, then turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes more. Let the pressure drop by itself. Serve hot with chapaties or boiled rice.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dal palak curry take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of bengal gram lentils (chana dal)?
- Yellow split peas, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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