Last Updated on March 14, 2024 by Sabrina Currie
This easy stovetop dal palak recipe is fragrant, flavorful and comforting. It's also a healthy, protein-rich option for a delicious and budget-friendly weeknight meal. Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-free, for South Asians, this recipe is the ultimate comfort food.
This is a guest post from Nosheen Babar of the wonderful Pakistani recipe site, Untold Recipes. Her recipes are delicious and authentic, thank you Nosheen.
Why You Should Make Dal Palak
It's delicious! A versatile recipe, Dal Palak can be cooked and enjoyed in many different ways. This particular recipe is for a rich restaurant-style version. Prepared with a mix of three different types of dal, the texture is divinely creamy!
Traditionally enjoyed with naan, roti, or basmati rice, in my house, we often have it on its own, like a rich, hearty soup. Dal palak is always a popular recipe, even with the kids, and it's a great way to sneak some leafy greens into their diet!
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If you're looking for a simpler version of this dal palak recipe, I've provided some suggestions in the "Substitutions and Variations" section, but you should try the authentic version at least once.
What To Eat With Dal Palak
This curry pairs well with Indian Kakdi Koshimbir Salad, Roasted Carrots and Asparagus Gomae and Vegan Mayak Avocado. Basmati or Jasmine rice along with Naan bread or other flatbread are also traditional, tasty partners for curries.
For more South Asian recipes, Palak chicken is another easy spinach curry to I love, and Easy Malaysian Fish Laksa is a coconut based curry with a homemade curry paste. Scallop Curry is a luxurious but easy weekend dish and if you're looking for more vegan or vegetarian recipes, try the comforting vegan Panera 10 Vegetable soup or Carrot Pumpkin Soup.
A refreshing Mojito or Gimlet (with or without the vodka) makes a tasty tipple to pair up with this palak recipe.
Ingredients
The recipe is very simple to make despite the (possibly daunting) long list of ingredients. The complexity of the ingredients is what makes the palak dal recipe so delicious and authentic. Most of these ingredients are easily available at most grocery stores but you may need to find the amchur powder at an Asian grocer or online.
Lentils
A combination of dals are used in this recipe. You can use all three, buy a mixed bag or use just one or two if you don't have all three. Read the helpful tips below too!
- Masoor Dal - Red lentils, the split and skinned version of whole masoor dal
(brown lentils) - Moong Dal - Yellow lentils, the split and deskinned version of
whole green mung beans. - Toor Dal - yellow in color, split pigeon peas give the dal its creamy texture.
Soaking the lentils for at least 2 hours helps eliminate the gas and
bloating associated with eating lentils and speeds up cooking. The
lentils can be soaked for up to 12 hours. Soak them overnight to save time the next day.
Cooking the lentils in this recipe is done in 2 stages. First they are par cooked with half of the spices till they're 80% done. They are then set aside until the spinach mixture is finished. The cooked tomatoes and spinach are then added to the lentils and it all finishes cooking together. This method gives the curry more flavor.
Palak Mixture
- Spinach - Many people opt for fresh spinach leaves or baby spinach, but after trial and error, I find that frozen spinach leaves work best in this curry recipe. I've experimented with many different types of spinach for all my curries and find that frozen spinach delivers on taste and is the most convenient option. Baby spinach is perfect for salads but is too mild in taste and lacks the texture of actual spinach leaves. The fresh version is time-consuming to source, prep, and cook. Frozen vegetables are frozen at peak ripeness, rarely have additives and preservatives, and are pre-prepped, making them the ideal choice.
- Spices - A simple blend of salt, red chili powder, and turmeric is all I find necessary to season my dal palak.
- Fenugreek - Dried fenugreek adds a delicious aroma to all palak recipes. I add it to this dal palak recipe for an extra layer of flavor. Dried fenugreek leaves pair well with spinach in a curry, lending it a characteristic aroma. Dried herbs need to be rehydrated well to allow them to reach their maximum potential. This is why the fenugreek is added early in the cooking process.
- Amchur Powder - Amchur powder is a product of dried unripe mangoes. It tastes sour and is often used in curries to add a pungent flavor. The trick is to add this powder right at the end of your cooking process because once it's cooked, it loses much of its pungency.
- Whole red button chilies - These dried chilies are a Pakistani variety of chili peppers known as "dandicut." If you can't source these, use any variety of dried red whole chilies as a substitute.
- Tempering - Also known as tadka, tempering is cooking whole spices in a hot pan with oil to create a fragrant and delicious finishing oil. This is a popular and common step in many Indian and other South Asian curries. For this recipe, cumin seeds and dried red button chilies add the final layer with a nutty, smoky, and earthy aroma and taste.
Substitutions + Variations
- Change the greens - Try this dal with kale, turnip greens, or Swiss chard for variety.
- Use a different mix of lentils - Some other popular ways to make dal palak are with Pigeon pea lentils alone, a mix of Toor and masoor, just yellow moong dal, or a mix of Toor, moong, masoor, and chana dal.
- Try the recipe with ghee - If you're comfortable eating dairy, try this recipe with some desi ghee. It adds a delicious nutty flavor to the lentils and is a traditional ingredient in many South Asian recipes.
- Change the spices - Add a bit of garam masala to the lentils and try some mustard seeds and garlic for the tempering to change things up occasionally. For some inspiration on other options, take a look at my Kaali Masoor ki Daal (Brown lentils) recipe.
- Make a one-pot version - To simplify this recipe, sauté the onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a cooking pot and then add the lentils and spices. Once the lentils are cooked to about 80%, add the spinach, finish cooking the mixture, and temper the dal palak.
- Use an instant pot - Try an Instant-pot dal palak version to shave off even more time. Sauté the onions, garlic, and tomatoes in your IP, and then add the lentils, spices, and water. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a 5-minute natural pressure release. Uncover the pot, add the spinach, and cook on high pressure for five more minutes, with a 5-minute release, temper, and serve!
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1 - Add the soaked lentils, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, and 3 cups water in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly so the foam that forms doesn't spill over.
- Step 2 - Cover the dal and simmer it on low for 15 minutes, by which time it should be 80% cooked. *** While it's simmering, chop your onion. I like to use yellow onions for their neutral taste and color. Once caramelized, they create a delicious base for this stovetop lentil curry.
- Step 3 - In a separate small pan, heat the cooking oil on high heat and cook the chopped onion until golden brown. Then add the garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for 1-2 minutes, as soon as they soften, add ½ cup water along with the fenugreek leaves. (Roma tomatoes are the best for cooking a curry. With their meaty texture, few seeds, and low water content, they make a smoother curry in less time than their other counterparts.)
- Step 4 - Add the chopped frozen spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon red chili powder, and give everything a good stir. Then add another ½ cup of water once the mixture is boiling. Bring everything to a boil, cover, and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Step 5 - After 15 minutes, uncover the spinach and turn the flame up. Cook until all the liquid dries up, stirring constantly to mash the ingredients into a cohesive mixture.
- Step 6 - Add this mixture to the par-cooked creamy dal and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Make sure to check and adjust the seasoning at this point.
- Step 7 - After 15 minutes, pour the dal palak into a serving dish and stir in the Amchur powder.
- Step 8 - Prepare the tempering by heating ¼ cup oil and toasting the cumin seeds and red button chilies in it until fragrant. Pour this tempered mix (tadka), including the seasoned oil, on the lentils and serve. *** Don't burn or overcook the ingredients for tempering - The most important thing is to remember to roast the spices lightly but not burn them. Turn the stove off just before they are finished toasting and let the residual heat from the pan finish the toasting to prevent any scorching. Spices toast quickly so don't walk away during this step.
Top Tips
- Cook lentils until they're 80% done - Lentils typically keep expanding for a while after they stop cooking, so it's best to stop the cooking process before you think they're 100% done. Since the spinach will add more bulk to this recipe, adhering to this step is even more important.
- Mash the dal - For a perfect consistency of the dal, it needs to be slightly mashed with some visible whole pieces. Depending on the types of lentils you're cooking, this can happen organically through the cooking process. If you need extra help, you can use a potato masher or hand-held blender.
- Cook the spinach separately - Using the One-pot or Instant-pot method is tempting, but cooking the spinach separately adds much more flavor to the dal palak. If you have the time, try and stick to this method.
- Adjust the spices right at the end - Mixing the spinach and lentils takes a while for the flavors to fuse. Despite the temptation, it's best to wait for 10 minutes or so before adjusting the salt or chilies.
- Add the amchur after plating the dal - Amchur powder adds a nice tang to the lentils. However, if it's added earlier in the cooking process, it loses its potency.
Did You Know?
Spinach is what gives this recipe the 'palak' part of it's name. Palak can refer to a spinach or other similar varieties of greens used in palak recipes.
Tempering - The tempering process, done at the beginning or end of
preparing any curry, is an important part of South Asian Cuisine. The purpose
is to bloom the spices to release maximum flavor and aroma. If the tempering
is done at the end, like in this curry, the seasoned oil is added along with the
toasted spices to the finished dish.
FAQ'S
The dal palak can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat the refrigerated curry, add a little water and then microwave. For frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight before heating.
If you don't want to add onions and tomatoes, boil the lentils with your preferred blend of spices. Add the spinach when the lentils are 80% cooked and then add the temper mixture. To ensure that the dal palak isn't bland, you may want to add a heavier blend of spices and tempering.
Dal palak is a very healthy dish that's low in calories and high in fiber. This makes it an ideal recipe for someone trying to lose weight.
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Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
📖 Recipe
Easy Stovetop Dal Palak (Spinach Lentil Curry)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup soaked masoor dal red lentils
- ⅓ cup soaked moong dal yellow lentils
- ⅓ cup soaked Toor dal split pigeon pea lentils
- ½ cup cooking oil
- 1 chopped yellow onion
- 2 teaspoon garlic paste
- 2 chopped Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves see notes
- 1 cup frozen spinach see notes
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon amchur powder see notes
- 2 teaspoon white cumin seeds
- 6 whole red button chilies see notes
Instructions
- Drain the soaked lentils and add them to a cooking pot with 3 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes, and then turn the stove off (see notes).
- Heat the cooking oil In a large pan and sauté the onions until they're a light golden brown.
- Add the garlic paste, saute for 30 seconds, and then add the tomatoes. Stir fry the tomatoes for 1-2 minutes to make them sweat, and then add the 2 tablespoon of dried fenugreek leaves and ½ cup of water (see notes).
- Once the mixture starts bubbling, add the spinach, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of red chili powder, and another ½ cup of water. Bring everything to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, uncover the spinach and cook on high till all the water has evaporated. (see notes)
- Add the par-cooked lentils to this mixture, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, to allow all the flavors to fuse. Turn the stove off and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
- Pour your cooked dal palak into a serving dish and stir in the amchur powder.
- Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil and toast the cumin seeds and red chili powder. (see notes) Pour this tempering over the plated curry and serve.
Notes
preparing any curry, is an important part of South Asian Cuisine. The purpose
is to bloom the spices to release maximum flavor and aroma. If the tempering
is done at the end, like in this curry, the seasoned oil is added along with the
toasted spices.
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