a surprise flavour for those who love to have dal-chawal. goes well with naan or simple pulao too.

the best part is that spinach goes well with any dal…whether its masoor dal, chana dal or tur dal, or even all the three together. what i have here is the basic recipe. you can even add some vegetables to ‘colour’ it up!
here’s what you need to have ready (basic spinach dal):

quarter cup dal (masoor/chana/tur dal)
one bunch fresh spinach leaves (or four-five cubes if frozen)
two onions, chopped
two tomatoes, chopped

for the seasoning:
two tbsps oil
few curry leaves
one tsp mustard and jeera seeds (each)
one tsp ginger-chilli-garlic paste
half tsp turmeric and red chilli powder (optional)
one tsp garam masala powder

— pressure-cook the dal along with some turmeric (and vegetables, if you want to add them – diced potatoes, green capsicum and carrots would be a fine combination)
— blend the spinach leaves into a paste and set aside.
— in a separate kadhai, heat some oil and season with mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste.
— add in the garam masala powder, the chopped onion and half of the chopped tomatoes.
— add the spinach puree and salt, and stir. cover and simmer until this paste begins to boil.
— mix well with the cooked dal (and check if the salt’s okay!)
— garnish with the remaining tomato and some coriander leaves.

enjoy!
oh, and don’t forget to squeeze about half a lemon onto it just before you serve.