Pasalai Keerai Paruppu Kulambu / Palak Dal / Spinach Dal Curry

Palak Dal is a very tasty, mild and healthy curry that can be accompanied with rice. I have used split pigeon peas (toor dal/thuvaram paruppu) here which makes it way more tastier. The Toor dal used provides necessary proteins and spinach is rich in Vitamins, proteins and minerals, so the combo gives you not only a tasty dish but also makes super healthy combo. Have it with rice and it becomes a complete meal. It is not spicy, but has spices that gives a nice flavor and aroma. Accompany it with a spicy sides and it a makes a tasty platter too. I served this tasty curry with rice and a spicy prawn masala and it was so good. You can also serve with pooris and chapatis if you like the combo. The dish may not look appetizing but believe me the taste is completely awesome and even any one who hates greens will love this dal. Moreover this is a simple and easy recipe where you will have to dump all the ingredients into a cooker and cook for a few minutes, so it is a fuss free and an oil free recipe too. So don't wait next time when you get spinach try this, am sure you will love this. 

Take a look at my other dal recipes here!!

Sorry about the sudden disappearance from blogging, I had been sick for a long time and now am feeling better, so thought of posting some recipes which I had saved in my draft. Thanks to all my friends who kept mailing me with encouraging words when I was sick. Now am better and will be posting recipes as always. Thanks again friends. 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 3 to 4 People
Total Preparation Time - 20 minutes

1. Palak / Spinach / Pasalai Keerai - 1 bunch (weighed nearly 200 grams)
2. Split pigeon peas / Toor dal / Thuvaram paruppu - 75 grams (1/4 of a cup)
3. Shallots / Pearl onions - 5 
4. Tomato - 1 
5. Green chilly - 1 
6. Garlic pod - 1 
7. Coriander leaves - Few 
8. Curry leaves - Few 
9. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 spoon 
10. Salt - As per taste 
11. Water - 2.5 cups 

PREPARATION METHOD 

• Chop palak into smaller bits, I used the tender stems too, but you can choose the leaves alone and discard the stem. Also peel and chop onions and garlic into two. Slit green chillies and chop tomatoes into 4 big cubes.
• Put all the ingredients into a pressure cooker pan and lose the cooker with its lid. 
• Place on flame and wait until the pressure/steam oozes out of the nozzle then place the weight/regulator and pressure cook for about 15 minutes on low flame. 
• Remove from flame and open the cooker only after all the pressure has released. If you feel that its watery then place on flame and cook open for sometime until it thickens.
• Serve!!

 

TIP 1: You can use chana dal also instead of toor dal/thuvaram paruppu. It will taste good too. 

TIP 2: If you want to temper the curry then you can temper it in the following way. Take a pan and place on flame, add some oil or ghee and after it heats up splutter some mustard seeds, then add some curry leaves and chopped onions and saute until the onions gets cooked well. Then add it to the cooked curry and serve. 

TIP 3: If you feel that you could get bloated up due to the addition of toor dal then you can add a pinch of asafoetida to the curry. But still the use of cumin seeds and garlic will be enough to get rid of the bloating up. Palak is really good for your stomach and it eases digestion so nothing to worry about. 

TIP 4: I have added very little dal but you can add more if you wish. I did not want dal to dominate the dish completely so adjust according o your wish.

Delicious healthy and easy Palak Dal is now ready!! Serve with Rice and enjoy!!