Beet greens dal recipe – This healthy, homey dal is made in pressure cooker. Yes, it is made in just one pot aka cooker. This is very easy and quick to make.
This moong dal with beet leaves is very flavorful. I have used only pressure cooker to make this dal.
I have made tadka, added spices, beet leaves, dal, water everything in pressure cooker and let it cook. And at the end, I added some lemon juice. Yummy dal is ready to serve. The method cannot be easier than this.
This is no onion no garlic dal recipe. If making this dish Jain then skip the ginger in the recipe.
Few weeks back, I bought beetroots and they come with beautiful leaves. I had no idea how I can use those. As I have never seen my mom cooking with beetroot leaves in India.
So I asked for suggestions on facebook, one follower suggested me to make a subzi or side dish and fellow blogger Chitra suggested me to make dal with greens.
I made both dishes with it and we just loved it. So I thought I should share with you guys. So I bought beetroots again last week. Since beets are in season right now, these are easily available. And I made both dal and subzi again this weekend for photos.
Check out more dal recipes with greens
Dill leaves dal // Dal palak // Methi dal // Gongura dal
How to make beetroot leaves dal recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) Chop the beet green and also chop the stems. My beetroot stems are pretty thin and tender, so I chopped it without peeling it. But if yours are thick then you might need to peel it or remove those strings. You will feel and see those strings as you chop whether it needs to be peeled or not.
2) Wash them very well. I keep them in cold water in a bowl till I prepare other ingredients for this dal. By this time all the dirt will settle down at the bottom of the bowl. And then you can remove those leaves from the water with your hand. Alternately you can wash them before chopping.
3) Wash the moong dal under running cold water till water runs clear. No need to soak.
4) Heat the oil in a pressure cooker on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
5) Add ginger paste and chopped green chilies. Cook for 30 seconds or till the raw smell of ginger goes away.
6) Now add chopped beet leaves and stems. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
7) Add washed moong dal and mix.
8) Add dry spice powders (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala) along with the salt.
9) Mix well.
10) Add 1 ½ cups of water and mix. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid, put the weight on. Let it cook on medium heat for 3-4 whistles. Then turn off the stove.
11) Let the pressure go down by itself then open the cover.
12) Add another 1 cup of water and turn the heat on medium. And let it come to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the water quantity as per your liking consistency.
13) Finally add lemon juice, mix and serve.
For a variation, you can use mix of masoor dal, toor dal and moong dal
Serving suggestion: Serve this beet greens dal with plain steamed rice or jeera rice. Serve roasted papad and kachumber salad or pickle on side. Here I have served with brown rice.
Beet greens dal recipe
Ingredients (1 cup = 240 ml)
- ½ cup Yellow moong dal (split and skinless)
- 1 ½ + 1 cups Water
- 2 cups Beetroot leaves and stems chopped, from 2 beets
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 2 Green chilies chopped finely
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Lemon juice
Instructions
Preparation:
- Chop the beet green and also chop the stems.
- My beetroot stems are pretty thin and tender, so I chopped it without peeling it. But if yours are thick then you might need to peel it or remove those strings. You will feel and see those strings as you chop whether it needs to be peeled or not.
- Wash them very well. Keep them in cold water in a bowl till you prepare other ingredients for this dal.
- By this time all the dirt will settle down at the bottom of the bowl.
- And then you can remove those leaves from the water with your hand.
- Alternately you can wash them before chopping.
- Wash the moong dal under running cold water till water runs clear. No need to soak.
Making beet greens dal:
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker on medium heat.
- Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add ginger paste and chopped green chilies. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Now add chopped beet leaves and stems. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add washed moong dal and mix.
- Add dry spice powders along with the salt. Mix well.
- Add 1 ½ cups of water and mix. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid, put the weight on. Let it cook on medium heat for 3-4 whistles. Then turn off the stove.
- Let the pressure go down by itself then open the cover.
- Add another 1 cup of water and turn the heat on medium.
- And let it come to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Finally add lemon juice, mix.
Absolutely delicious dhar! The best I’ve prepared and tasted–ever! Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂
Happy to know that you enjoyed
Refreshed, and found it.. Sorry for the bother.
No prob at all.
Can’t see the recipe anymore….! 🙁
Sorry, I was working on it. You can see it now.
Super recipe and well illustrated. Can’t wait to try it. Beetroot is such a great crop.
thanks. Hope you enjoy
Are the moong dal split or whole?
I have used split skinless moong dal
Today i have tried out and it come well.
Awesome beet green dal…,
thank you for the wonderful recipe
Thanks for the positive review. Nice to know that dal came out good.
woooooooooooow… so nic & 2moro Saturday going 2 cook green leaves 4 1st time, from the photos it realy look yam yammeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Thanks, hope you enjoy it. Happy cooking !!!
great tip. Thanks for sharing. others will get benefit from it. 🙂
I usually wash first and then chop for spinach, fenugreek, cilantro leaves. but these leaves are pretty big in size compare to methi, cilantro. and I find little difficult to wash them whole as I do have big vessel that I can keep whole leaves in water.
Simple and healthy dal!
One small suggestion, washing the veggies& greens first and then cutting is the best way save their health benefits. We will definitely loose some nutritions if we wash/rinse them after chopping! 🙂
great tip. Thanks for sharing. others will get benefit from it. 🙂
I usually wash first and then chop for spinach, fenugreek, cilantro leaves. but these leaves are pretty big in size compare to methi, cilantro. and I find little difficult to wash them whole as I do have big vessel that I can keep whole leaves in water.
You can wash the Beet leaves directly in running water-na?..as we do for other bigger veggies like carrots, radish etc. Wash the greens and keep them in colander for some time, then chop n cook! 🙂
If you want to wash that way you can but I do not prefer this method for leafy vegetable. I prefer to soak them in water.
leafy greens are delicate and you cannot scrub them like you do for carrot or radish or potato. as you can’t scrub, you won’t be able to remove dirt, germs or pesticides (if not organic) by washing them under running cold water. you need to keep them in cold water in order to make them clean properly.
Thanks for the credit! Looks yummy!
My pleasure. 🙂
Love your recipes and all ideas but I never used Pressure cooker in my life and not willing too. How can I use this recipe without pressure Cooker. Thanks 🙂
Yes you can make this in open pot, but takes little more time.
1) Soak the dal in warm water for at least 30 minutes for quick cooking and save some time.
2) heat the oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, ginger, chili then add dal, only stems (not leaves) and water along with salt. you will need more water than mentioned quantity. let it simmer till dal gets cooked. check in between, if needed add some more water. add leaves at the end, because they cook quickly and loose its color.
3) when dal is 90% cooked at that time add chopped leaves, all the masala. mix and cook till dal cooked all the way through. add lemon juice finally.
What a healthy meal.. My sis is always in full praise of it.. So nice clicks too
A very innovative way to use beet greens. I always wonder how I could use them. Lovely looking daal.