Preparation Time: 10 mins + soaking time
Cooking Time: 20–25 mins
Servings: 3-4 servings
What I particularly love about green lentils is their texture after cooking. Unlike some dals that become completely mushy, green lentils still hold their shape a little even after they are cooked. They become soft and tender, but you can still see and feel the lentils, which I really enjoy.
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| Green Lentil Dal with Spinach |
This dal can be made as a simple plain dal, or you can add spinach or any greens you have on hand. Whenever I have spinach, I usually add it to the dal like I did here. Otherwise, I simply make the same recipe without spinach.
Of course, you can make this recipe with other dals too. I have made a very similar version with toor dal, which used to be my regular dal recipe before I started making it with green lentils.
The combination of tomatoes, ginger, cumin, kasoori methi and spinach gives this dal a lovely flavor without making it too complicated. It is a simple, comforting dal that goes well with rice as well as roti or chapathi.
Ingredients:
- Green lentils - 1 cup
- Spinach, chopped - 2 cups or as needed
(I used baby spinach leaves) - Tomato - 2 small or medium, finely chopped
- Fresh ginger, grated - 1/2 Tbsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Red chilli powder - 1 tsp, adjust according to spice level
- Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
- Ghee - 1 Tbsp, divided
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tbsp
- Kasoori methi / dried fenugreek leaves - 1/2 Tbsp, crushed
- Salt - as needed
- Water - as needed