Spinach Dhal

No Indian’s meal is really complete without some dhal (pulses/lentils) in it. Especially so, for a vegetarian. Dhal is our major source of protein, so dhal-based dishes are both healthy and comforting. Dhal + vegetables is a double-healthy dish, or so I tell myself. So, here is the basic method that I follow - it’s borrowed from both the North and South-Indian versions of dhal. You may substitute the spinach with any kind of vegetable/s of your choice.

Ingredients:

1. Uncooked Moong dhal - 1.5 cups
2. Cut/torn spinach - 3 cups (spinach wilts and shrinks when it is cooked)
3. 1 medium onion - diced
4. a small piece of ginger, finely minced
5. 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
6. 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
7. 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
8. 1.5 teaspoons of sambar powder (or curry powder, or any spice-powder of your choice; this is also optional)
9. 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
10. 1 teaspoon of salt (or more depending on your taste)
11. ¼ teaspoon of hing
12. 2-3 dried red chillies (depending on your tolerance to spice)
13. 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil/vegetable oil
14. some cilantro/coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Cook the moong dhal with enough water (there should be 1-2 inches of water above the dhal) till it is mushy and soft.
2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, splutter some mustard seeds. Next add, some cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder, and red chillies and saute for a few seconds. Add the ginger pieces and the onion and saute on medium heat until the onion turns translucent.
3. Next, add the minced garlic and continue to saute for a minute or two.
4. Add the cut spinach leaves and saute till the spinach begins to wilt. When the spinach begins to wilt, add salt and sambar powder and mix well. Allow the spinach to cook (you may close the pan with a lid to aid the cooking)
5. When the spinach is cooked, add the cooked dhal and mix it well with the spiced spinach. You may add a couple of cups to water to adjust the consistency of the dhal to your liking. The resulting dhal continues to thicken as it cools and stores.
6. Let the dhal simmer with the spinach until there is no raw smell of the cooked dhal. Put a lid on the pan, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes.
7. Taste the dhal to check for seasonings. Finally, remove it from heat and garnish it with coriander/cilantro leaves.

Dhal can be had with steamed/cooked rice, or had as a side-dish to roti.