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Palak Dal
Indian 30 min Easy

Palak Dal

Yellow lentils cooked with spinach and a garlic tempering.

Origin & Story

Palak dal marries protein-rich lentils with iron-rich spinach, a nourishing everyday dish found across Indian homes for a balanced, budget meal.

Main Spices & Their Role

Cumin

The base of the tempering.

Turmeric

Cooked with the lentils for colour.

Garlic

Fried until golden for a punchy finish.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow lentils
  • 2 cups chopped spinach
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt

Method

  1. 01

    Boil lentils with turmeric and salt until soft.

  2. 02

    Stir the chopped spinach into the hot dal and cook 3 minutes.

  3. 03

    In a pan heat oil and fry cumin, garlic and chilli until golden.

  4. 04

    Pour the tempering over the dal.

  5. 05

    Stir and serve with rice or roti.

Veg & Vegan Alternatives

Vegetarian

This dish is already vegetarian.

Vegan

Already vegetarian and vegan — cook in oil (not ghee/butter) to keep it fully plant-based.

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Created by Aarav Gautam