Dal Palak (Spinach Dal)

Cozy and nourishing dal palak made with yellow moong dal, spinach and minimal spices. This spinach dal recipe is packed with protein and fiber for the perfect comforting meal when served with rice, roti or paratha.

❤️About This Recipe

It’s simple yet super delicious. Even though this moong dal palak is made with minimal spices unlike other dal recipes (like toor dal, dal tadka, dal fry), it is packed with flavors.

Quick to make: gets ready in 30 minutes only.

You can pack moong dal palak into the lunch box with plain basmati rice in a separate container.

Meal prep friendly: make a big batch and have it for a lunch too or freeze it for later.

🧾Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of the ingredients to make this spinach dal recipe.

• Yellow moong dal (Skinless): This is the most commonly used lentil type in India. For a variation, you can try with other lentils like toor dal, masoor dal or a mixture of toor dal, moong and masoor dal like this methi dal.
• Ginger, Garlic, Green chili: Here I have freshly grated ginger, garlic and finely chopped green chili. Alternately you can use ginger garlic paste. Or crush all three together in mortar & pestle or a spice grinder.
• Lime or Lemon juice: It perks up the flavor so do not skip it. Always add the lime juice at the end of the cooking (meaning once the simmering part is done.)

👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 

1) Take moong dal in a colander and rinse it under running cold water until water runs clear. Alternately, you can rinse the dal in a bowl 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.

2) Take washed dal and water in a pressure cooker and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid.

3) While dal is pressure cooking, heat the oil in a kadai or pan on medium heat on another stove. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.

4) Then add ginger, garlic and green chili. Saute for 30-40 seconds or until the raw smell of ginger-garlic goes away.

5) Add onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process.

6) Cook until onions are soft and light pink or translucent. 

7) Add turmeric powder and red chili powder.

8) Mix well and cook for 30-40 seconds.

9) Add chopped spinach leaves.

10) Mix and cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Do not overcook the spinach otherwise it loses its color.

11) Add cooked dal, remaining salt and some more water to make a dal consistency. Mix well and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. Do stir in between to make sure that the dal is not sticking to the pan.

12) Lastly, squeeze a fresh lemon or lime juice and mix. Serve right away or keep it covered if serving after some time so dal palak stays warm.

💭Expert Tips & Storage:

• If you like to add tomatoes to your spinach dal then add tomatoes after cooking the onion. Let the tomatoes soften and almost mushy. Then add spice powders and continue the following steps.
• Adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the green chili and red chili powder amount.
• Do not overcook the spinach otherwise it loses its color and nutritional value. 

Storage: 

• This dal palak stays good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 
• The dal thickens as it cools down and even more after storing. 
• If you have made extra spinach dal and planning to store some for later then make the dal consistency little on a thinner side. So it doesn’t thicken up too much.
• You can freeze the dal palak for up to 3 months. After defrosting and reheating the texture will be mushier but the flavor is still good.

🍽 Serving Ideas

• Moong dal palak tastes best when served with piping hot basmati rice.
• It can be served with mild-flavored pulao like peas pulao or corn pulao.
• This spinach dal can be served with roti or paratha with a side of kachumber salad or carrot sambharo.

Did you try this moong dal palak recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

📋 Recipe Card

Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!

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Dal Palak (Spinach Dal)

4.67 from 15 votes

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Cozy and nourishing dal palak made with yellow moong dal, spinach and minimal spices. This spinach dal recipe is packed with protein and fiber.

Author: Kanan

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Calories: 294kcal

Servings 3

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¾ cup Yellow moong dal (split and skinless)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups Water for pressure cooking
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Garlic paste or freshly grated
• ▢ 2 Green chilies finely chopped
• ▢ ½ cup Red onion chopped
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
• ▢ 1 ½ cups Spinach (palak) chopped (about 50 leaves)
• ▢ 1 cup Water to make dal consistency
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
• ▢ Salt to taste

Instructions 

• Take moong dal in a colander and rinse it under running cold water until water runs clear. Alternately, you can rinse the dal in a bowl 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore.
• Take washed dal and water in a pressure cooker and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid.
• While dal is pressure cooking, heat the oil in a kadai or pan on medium heat on another stove. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle a bit.
• Then add ginger, garlic and green chili. Saute for 30-40 seconds or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
• Add onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process. Cook until onions are soft and light pink or translucent.
• Add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix well and cook for 30-40 seconds.
• Add chopped spinach leaves. Mix and cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
• Add cooked dal, remaining salt and some more water to make a dal consistency. Mix well and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. Do stir in between to make sure that the dal is not sticking to the pan.
• Lastly, squeeze a fresh lemon or lime juice and mix.
• Serve right away or keep it covered if serving after some time so dal palak stays warm.

Notes

• If you like to add tomatoes to your spinach dal then add tomatoes after cooking the onion. Let the tomatoes soften and almost mushy. Then add spice powders and continue the following steps.
• Adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the green chili and red chili powder amount.
• Do not overcook the spinach otherwise it loses its color and nutritional value.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1615IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving

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