Spinach Dal

This quick and easy spinach dal recipe is mild, easy on the stomach and delicious!!
Spinach is best consumed fresh although frozen spinach is also available in the local super markets
The nutrients of the fresh spinach can be best preserved if the spinach is cooked as soon as it is purchased or picked fresh.   

Spinach with some water added to it in a pan, cooks in minutes directly on a stove.
It is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B2, B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, and is  a very good source of protein
This dish goes well with rotis, puris, naans or plain cooked basmati rice!

Ingredients to serve 6 people

1 medium sized bunch spinach (finely chopped)
1 Medium Sized Onion (finely chopped)
¼ Cup Toor Dal
¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp Sambhar Powder (optional)
¼ inch piece Asafoetida or
½ Tsp. Asafoetida Powder
2 Green Chillies
2-3 Cups Water
1-2 Tsp. Salt

For seasoning

1-2 Tbs Oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Urad dal
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Red Chilli (Dry)
few Curry leaves

Spinach Dal

Preparation

Pressure cook the toor dal with the chopped spinach and turmeric with a cup of water
Turn the cooker off after 2-3 whistles!

In a large pan, add the cooked dal and spinach mix, salt, asafoetida and sambhar powder
Add the remainder of the water.
Cook for a few minutes on medium heat

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small pan
Add the mustard seeds
When it crackles, add the urad dal, red chilli and cumin seeds
When the urad dal turns golden brown, fry the green chillies and the chopped onion until the onions turn golden brown

Garnish it with a few curry leaves

Note: You may pressure cook the toor dal and cook the spinach separately in a microwave for 5-6 minutes if you wish.
My preference is to pressure cook the dal and spinach as it is quick and gives you the desired taste anyway!!
Toor dal enhances the taste – if you prefer to use Mung Dal, you can use it instead!!!
Spinach should not be tucked away in the fridge for a few days as most of the nutritional value will be lost.