At times all you need is the simple flavors to comfort your taste buds. Palak Chana Dal is one such comfort meal for me. It is one of those everyday Indian dishes that add great variety and flavor to the table. To make a complete meal serve Palak Chana Dal with crispy, flaky whole wheat paratha or piping hot ghee laced chapati.
Lentils and green leafy vegetables are the powerhouses of nutrients. Combining these two into a single dish is definitely a smart idea to include the right amount of iron in our everyday diet. On a busy weekday, we get so much lost in the chaos of life that the nutrient part of any meal is almost neglected. But that should not be the case.
That is the reason I always try to use include simple yet nutritious dishes like Palak Chana Dal once every day in my meal. Due to improper diet, pregnancy, monthly periods and many other zillion reasons, we women are mostly iron deficit. What could be a tastier way then this Palak Chana Dal and many other similar recipes to regulate our daily iron intake? A little cautious step towards an iron-rich diet can definitely take you a long way. And for that, all you need to do is include simple dishes like Palak Chana Dal in the diet.
Why do I like Palak Chana Dal Dry?
I want the texture of dal and spinach to outshine in the dish. It is total bliss to enjoy this dry Palak Chana Dal with Phulka. When you take a spoonful of dry Palak Chana Dal, the taste buds feel the texture of lentil, the taste of spinach, which is somewhat lost in a soupy Palak Chana Dal. The little addition of toppings like – chopped onion, tomato, chutney, and coriander, transforms this dry Palak Chana Dal into a tasty one-pot meal.
TIPS TO MAKE A TASTY YET HEALTHY PALAK CHANA DAL:
- Make sure you soak the dal at least for 15 – 20 minutes before cooking. This ensures even and quick cooking of the lentil.
- Do not pressure cook the dal for too long and with too much of water. It might turn mushy.
- Ghee not only provides flavor to the dal it is also a good fat. But try not to overload the dal with the ghee.
- Spinach should not be cooked for too long as its nutrients get wasted during the long cooking process. Once leaves turn soft add the dal.
- Last but not the least, serve and enjoy Palak Chana Dal while it is warm and fresh. Becuase fresh food is always healthier than the stale meals next day.
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach many other food lovers like you, who are looking for a perfect tried and tested recipe.
- 1 Cup Chana Dal
- 1/2 bunch of spinach
- 1 medium-size onion fine chopped
- 1 green chilli sliced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Clean, wash and soak the chana dal in water for 15 minutes.
- Clean, wash and fine chop the spinach leaves. Set aside.
- Drain water from the soaked dal.
- Transfer chana dal to a pressure cooker along with ginger, green chilli, salt and 2 Cups of water.
- Pressure cook the dal over low heat till it is soft but not mushy.
- It usually takes 3 - 4 whistles over a low heat. Turn off the heat. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker. Open the lid and check the lentil for doneness.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan.
- Add the cumin seeds and saute for 10 second.
- Next add the chopped onion and fry till they turn light brown.
- Add the chopped spinach and cook for 1 - 2 minute or till the leaves become soft.
- Now add the pressure cooked dal, spices and season with salt to taste. Stir to combine.
- Cook the dal for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Serve Palak Chana Dal warm with chapati or paratha.
Equipment Required: Pressure Cooker ( buy it here ), Heavy Bottom Pan ( buy it here )
3 comments
Yummm! Dal palak is a favourite of mine. Thank you for this easy & healthy recipe!
I am so happy that you liked it and find it worthy of bookmarking 🙂
Tried this recipe today..came out really nice.:)