Indian Lentils And Spinach Recipes

SPINACH CHANA DAL

Steps:

• Put the dal in a medium-sized pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming the foam that rises to the top. Once it boils, stir in the turmeric and cover partially, occasionally stirring. Cook for 75 minutes, being careful to check and stir a few times after 60 minutes. Stir in the salt when the dal is done.
• While the dal cooks, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Stir for 30 seconds and then add the onion. Saute 5-6 minutes or until the onion starts to brown.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add the spinach and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and cover. Cook until the spinach wilts, around 8-10 minutes.
• When the dal is done cooking, add the spinach mixture to it and combine. If the dal feels too dry, stir in a bit of water to a consistency of your liking. Adjust salt to taste.

FAVORITE INDIAN LENTILS AND SPINACH (DAL PALAK)

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils well in a fine strainer under running water. Coarsely chop the spinach.
• Transfer the lentils and spinach in a medium to large saucepan and add the water, salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Mince the garlic. Heat the ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and add the asefetida, if using, and cumin seeds. As soon as they begin to sputter, add the garlic. Cook garlic until it begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add the chilies, paprika, and garam masala and briefly stir. Turn the heat off and pour the tarka (spiced ghee) over the dal. Stir well.
• Chop the cilantro, if using. Scatter it over dal and serve with basmati rice if you like.

INDIAN LENTIL CURRY WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Combine the lentils, water and turmeric in a pot big enough to hold the spinach.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the lentils disintegrate, about 40 minutes. Add a bit more water if needed. You are going for a thick puree consistency.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onion and cook until the edges of the onions start to brown.
• Stir in the green chili and garlic ginger paste and cook until the sputtering stops.
• Add the spice mix and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. This is the critical step. You don't want your spices to burn.
• Add the tomato paste and stir. Turn the heat down and let it simmer 3-4 minutes.
• Stir the tempering into the lentils. Add the salt and taste.
• Mix in the spinach, a bit at a time, letting it wilt into the dal. When all the spinach has been mixed in, cover and let simmer 5 minutes.
• Adjust the salt and serve. You are going to need more. For sure. So creep up on it. Add a bit. Stir. Taste. Add some more. Keep going until you get it where you want it.

INDIAN LENTILS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in the hot oil until beginning to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic to onion; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Mix chicken broth, lentils, 1/2 cup water, crushed garlic, coriander, salt, cumin, chili powder, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf into onion mixture; bring to a boil. Cover pan, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer until lentils are soft, about 35 minutes.
• Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and add 1/4 cup water; heat in microwave for 5 minutes. Stir spinach and continue cooking in microwave until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Let spinach cool, about 5 minutes; drain water and squeeze excess water from spinach.
• Mix spinach into lentils; cover pan and simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes.

INDIAN LENTILS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Mince the garlic.
• Dice the carrot and onion.
• Fresh or frozen spinach can be used.
• Coarsely chop the spinach if fresh.
• Rinse and drain the lentils.
• Add all the ingredients but the spinach into the pot and allow to.
• simmer until beans are at the desired texture between 45 min to 1 hour.
• Bean freshness also varies the cooking time.
• The older the dried bean the longer it takes to cook.
• Once the lentils are done remove the bay leaf and add the spinach.
• Cook for a minute longer then take off the heat.
• If not eating in the next hour or so put into the refrigerator.

DAHI DAL (YOGURT LENTIL CURRY WITH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Put the moong dal in a pan with the measured boiling water, salt, turmeric and ginger. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the spinach, cover again and cook for another 5 minutes until the lentils are soft and the spinach has wilted.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until golden, then stir in the chile powder. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the lentils are ready, blitz to a purée with a hand blender or in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan, if necessary, and bring to the boil. Then take off the heat, add the yogurt and mix well. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, top with the fried onions and serve.

CHANA DAL (YELLOW LENTILS) WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Wash lentils and allow to soak in water at least an hour before use (I usually let mine soak overnight).
• Drain the lentils, place in a large pot with enough water to cover the lentils, bring to a boil and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils have softened (you may use additional water to do this).
• Cook uncovered to let the cooking liquid evaporate - but be careful not to overcook such that they become mushy.
• Heat oil, add bay leaves and cinnamon, and then fry mustard seeds till they sputter, then add onion, ginger, garlic and chili and fry a further 5 minutes.
• Add spinach and cook for 10 minutes or until spinach is dry and liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir in the remaining spices and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Finally add the lentils, stir and cook a further 5 minutes.