Palakura pappu / Spinach dal / Healthy dal recipe / Vegan spinach recipes

Healthy Spinach Dal Recipe / Palakura Pappu / Palak dal Andhra style 

Today´s recipe is a routine dish that can be prepared on a daily basis. Spinach dal is a very common dish in every household especially in the Telugu states of Andhra and Telangana. This healthy dal recipe goes very well with rice accompanied by any curry or papad. This is a staple diet of Andhrites of South India. Spinach lentils is also known as Palakura Pappu in Telugu. This simple palak recipe also goes well for roti if thickened. This dal variety with spinach is prepared with tamarind which gives tanginess to the dish.

Scientifically, it has been proven that tomatoes should not be cooked along with spinach. So whenever I cook spinach, I make sure that I do not add tomatoes in them. But today, I wanted a tangy and spicy side for my meals for which I have added tamarind to get the desired taste.

Spinach is popularly known for its iron content. It is also rich in protein, fibre, folate, calcium and Vitamins A and C.  Since it is a very good source of so many nutrients, it is advised to include this fabulous ingredient in our daily diet. Spinach dal is very easy to prepare with few ingredients that are commonly available in our kitchens. This palak ki dal can also be served as a soup. This is definitely an interesting recipe for kids as well who will love to add it to rice or as is.

You can also check out my recipe for Thotakura Pappu ( Amaranth in lentils )
                                                               
                   and                                         Shallots Sambar .

Preparation

Wash the leaves of palak along with the tender stems and keep aside. Wash toor dal and put in a pressure cooker.

Add sufficient water and chopped palak ( spinach ) leaves to the toor dal.

Pressure cook this combo of spinach and toor dal for upto 3-4 whistles. Allow it to cool. Once the pressure subsides, remove the lid and mash the lentils with the back of the ladle and keep aside.

Heat a vessel and add oil in it.

For the tempering, add mustard, cumin and fenugreek ( methi ) seeds.

When they splutter, add garlic pods, red chillies and curry leaves. 

Fry until the garlic pods turn light brown in colour. Now add the chopped onion and slit green chillies.

Saute for a minute and add turmeric and hing.

Mix well and saute for another a minute. Now put in the cooked and mashed toor dal and mix well.

Add the tamarind juice.

Do the seasoning with chilli powder, salt and sambar powders.

Add water to get the desired consistency and allow it to boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice with a side dish, any curry or a papad. I served it with snake gourd poriyal.

Ingredients

Palak ( spinach )  1 bunch

Toor dal 

Oil  2 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Methi seeds 1/4 tsp

Garlic pods 10

Red chillies 2

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Green chillies 4 ( slit lengthwise )

Onion 1 small

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Hing big pinch

Tamarind  small lemon size

Salt to taste

Sambar powder 2 tsp

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Wash the leaves along with the tender stems of palak and keep aside. 
2. Pressure cook toor dal and chopped spinach together for 3-4 whistles. 
3. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside. 
4. Extract the juice from the soaked tamarind and keep aside. 
5. Heat oil in a vessel and do the tempering with mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds.
6. When they splutter, add garlic pods, red chillies and curry leaves. 
7. When garlic turns golden in colour, add onions and green chillies.
8. After a minute, add turmeric powder and hing. 
9. Add the mashed toor dal and mic well. 
10. Add tamarind juice and water to adjust the consistency. 
11. Finish off with seasoning with chilli powder, sambar powder and salt. 
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain rice and curry of your choice.

Notes

• This spinach dal can also be prepared without tamarind. 
• The consistency of palakura pappu varies. You can make it thicker or thinner according to your desire. 
• This palak ki dal can also be prepared without onions and garlic during festive days.
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