Dal Palak aka, Spinach Dal is a flavorful, lightly spiced dal recipe made with lentils and spinach. Served with Basmati rice or with roti (Indian flatbread), it is a one-pot delicious meal, made in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot or any pressure cooker.
Indian dal is one of the most versatile meals you can make. This humble, home-style Indian lentil dish is hearty, comforting, and is so easy to make. This spinach dal is wholesome, nutritious and we eat it all year through, but it is especially comforting in the Autumn/Winter months.
Enjoy it steaming hot, with a bowl of Basmati rice or rotis, or even as a side with Naan.
This palak dal or spinach dal is made with two types of lentils – I have used masoor dal (red lentils) and toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas). A few essential spices are used to add flavor to the dal. This recipe can be made on the stovetop, or with a pressure cooker. I will be sharing the pressure cooker method, which is fuss-free and a one-pot recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Spinach leaves (regular or baby spinach)
Rinsed lentils – Use masoor dal and toor dal in a 1:2 proportion. You can also add moong dal if you want to.
Whole spices – Cumin, green chilies, dried red chilies
Spice Powders – Coriander Powder, Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Turmeric
Step by Step Recipe
Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Once it is hot, add the oil and cumin seeds. Let the cumin start to sputter.
Then add the chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes until onions are soft.
Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute more. Then add the rinsed lentils to the Instant Pot, along with the green chilies (if using). Add the spices - turmeric, coriander powder, and Kashmiri chili powder.
Add water and salt.
Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and Pressure Cook for 7 minutes on High pressure. Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release for 5 minutes and then manually release the pressure (NPR 5 minutes).
Open the lid of the Instant Pot. The lentils will be cooked.
Add the chopped spinach leaves, and mix it well with the cooked lentils. Cover and keep the dal for 2-3 minutes more until the spinach is softened.
Optional step - make a 'tadka' or tempering of dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves in hot oil or ghee, and pour this into the cooked palak dal. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.
Palak dal or lentil curry is now ready to be served! Serve hot with Basmati rice or Naan or Rotis.
Expert Tips and Recipe Variations
Use Moong Dal - You can add moong dal to masoor dal and toor dal, or swap out any of the dals as per your convenience and what you have in the pantry. This is a very versatile recipe, and any combination of toor, masoor and moong dal will work well.
Use Kale or Chard - Palak dal or spinach dal is made with spinach greens, however, you can substitute the spinach with kale or Swiss chard or any greens of your choice.
Make it on the Stovetop - You can make Palak Dal on the stovetop if you don't have a pressure cooker. The lentils will take 25-30 minutes to cook on the stovetop.
Add Tadka - Once the lentils are cooked, heat a small tadka pan (or saucepan) with ghee or vegetable oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, dried red chilies, and let them heat up until aromatic. Add this tempering to the cooked palak dal and stir before serving.
Palak Dal (Spinach Dal)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Toor Dal
- ½ cup Masoor Dar
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or Vegetable Oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 Green Chilies
- 1 inch Ginger Minced or finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced or finely chopped
- 1 Onion Finely Chopped
- 1 Tomato Finely Chopped
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach Leaves Chopped
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Once it is hot, add the oil and cumin seeds. Let the cumin start to sputter.
- Then add the chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes until onions are soft.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute more. Then add the rinsed lentils to the Instant Pot, along with the green chilies (if using). Add the spices - turmeric, coriander powder, and Kashmiri chili powder.
- Add water and salt.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and Pressure Cook for 7 minutes on High pressure. Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release for 5 minutes and then manually release the pressure (NPR 5 minutes).
- Open the lid of the Instant Pot. The lentils will be cooked.
- Add the chopped spinach leaves, and mix it well with the cooked lentils. Cover and keep the dal for 2-3 minutes more until the spinach is softened.
- Optional step - make a 'tadka' or tempering of dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves in hot oil or ghee, and pour this into the cooked palak dal. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves.
- Palak dal or lentil curry is now ready to be served! Serve hot with rice or naan or rotis.
Can I use brown lentils and red lentils? I’m German and don’t understand what kind of lentils you are using. Brown and red lentils is what I can get at the store. 🙂 no coconut milk? Looks so creamy in the pictures
hi Leni, 'Toor dal' and 'masoor dal' are usually available in Indian grocery stores in Germany as well. However, you can use certainly brown lentils for this recipe. The taste will vary slightly athough the cooking time remains the same. Enjoy!