I love Palak Paneer and Dal Palak and living for a long time in North India have had both of these dishes multiple times. We cook these frequently at home as well. Lately I have been toying with the idea of a Palak Paneer Dal and decided to give it a shot. Was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Folks at home loved it. Winter is the season where fresh Palak is available and so go ahead and give this a try. The Dal is quite versatile. I have used green moong Dal, however you can mix it up with Rajma and some Kali Dal. This is a healthy recipe which uses some milk and curd instead of cream. A wholesome meal by itself with phulkas and some salad, this is good simple meal option for the home. Happy Fooding Around with the Palak Paneer Dal.
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Fibre and Protein Tango
Ingredients
- 1/3rd cup or 75 gms whole green Moong Dal (Green Gram)
- 5 cups loosely packed fresh Spinach leaves
- 350 gms Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubed into 1 inch cubes
- 2 medium sized Onions, finely chopped
- 1 large Tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 Tsp Ginger paste
- 1 Tsp Garlic paste
- 1 – 2 green Chilli, finely chopped (according to spice intake)
- 1 Tsp Red Chilli powder
- ½ Tsp Turmeric powder
- ¾ – 1 Tsp Garam Masala powder
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seed
- 1 Tsp Sugar (Optional)
- 3 – 4 Tbsp heavy Cream
- 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 Tsp Kasuri Methi (crushed dried Fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and soak the whole green moong overnight or 5 – 6 hrs. Drain out the water. In a Pressure Cooker add the soaked lentil along with 2 cups of water and salt.
- Cook on high flame for 2 whistle. Lower flame and cook on low for 3 minutes. Switch off flame, cool the cooker to open lid.
- Blanch the Spinach leaves in a pan of boiling water. Boil for a minute or two until wilted. Take them out and immerse them in cold water. Dipping into the cold water will help them retain their colour.
- In a blender, blend the blanched spinach to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
- Heat the ghee and the oil over medium flame in deep bottom pan. Add the cumin seeds. When they start crackling add the chopped onions and cook for a 2 or 3 minutes, till the onions change colour and are translucent. Next add the chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic. Stir for a few minutes over medium -low flame before adding the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the tomato puree. Keep stirring till the raw smell of the spices disappears.
- Now add the prepared dal. Stir, mix well and blend the masala mix into the dal. Once mixed add the spinach along with ½ cup water as well at this point. Stir and mix well together.
- Cover and cook for 10 mins over medium heat. The spinach should bubble. Keep stirring at regular intervals to avoid sticking at the bottom. Once spinach is cooked, add garam masala powder and salt to taste. You may add the sugar here, in case you are using any .
- Cook for a minute or two more before adding the heavy cream, cubed paneer and mix well. Simmer on low for another 3 to 4 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the lemon juice and kasuri methi.
- Serve hot with roti, parathas, naan or rice.
Notes
If you like you can pan fry the paneer cubes to a light golden brown, before adding to the pan. You may also replace the heavy cream with milk to make it a lighter preparation for the family.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
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