Today's Dhal Palak

This is an oldie, but a goodie, comforting, the perfect soul food for a cold and blustery day..it just felt right to make this for lunch. There was snow on the ground when we all woke up, and even more snow fell, despite it being mid April and Spring is already here.  It shouldn't come as a surprise to us in the Midwest, we get days ranging in all sorts of varied weather, all within a span of a week! Nevertheless, I needed something to warm my insides, to make me feel cozy, and this flavorful dhal did just the trick. It is the perfect blend of spicy and savory, it is creamy as well as textured, flavors of ginger and garlic lurking about, throw in some turmeric and cumin in there, a bit more of this and that,  and you have the perfect bowl to dunk your flaky parathas in. I love the bite of black mustard seeds, bits of wilted spinach in there to give it color and extra flavor..I love love this dish, and i love to make it. 

I hope you love it as much as I do! I have made it before here on my blog, but I wanted to revisit it because one, we are under quarantine and I need to use what i have, and two, today's version came out pretty good, so i wanted to jot down my method today, so i can remember. Hopefully any dhal recipe you stumble upon here is top notch, but it doesn't hurt to have a little variety. I have always encouraged using my recipes as road maps, or just a gentle guideline if you are looking to start somewhere, but i love when others can take off with a recipe and make it their own, creating and tinkering along the way! Some of my best recipes have come from experimenting, taking a detour off the beaten path and creating something altogether new, or with my own flare to it! So, please, cook at your own enjoyment and feel free to tinker! 

you'll need:

1/2 cup yellow lentils, [mung bean]
1-2 tbs ginger garlic paste 
1 tbs ghee
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp  red chili powder
1/2 -1 tsp red chili flakes [based on your spice preference]
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp madras curry powder 
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh spinach  
salt to taste 
fresh coriander for garnish 
water

In a medium to large pan, rinse the lentils and then put them on the hob, with clear water just covering them. 

In another shallow pan, heat ghee.when it is nice and hot,  add black mustard seeds. once they start to sizzle and pop, add ginger garlic paste. sauté and stir, till fragrance is not as potent. Add in spices and salt. 

[this is your chonk. your tempering, your tadka.. it basically means your seasoning/tempering in ghee. 
it is where all the base of flavor comes from]

give everything a good stir. 

Once lentils are cooked to just about soft, scrape off any fluffy fuzz that rises to the top, and season with  a bit of salt. Add in tadka or seasoned mixture. stir and incorporate. Continue to cook down till dhal is thickened to your liking. I like mine a little more soupy, so i blitz it with one or two pulses of the immersion blender, and let it continue to cook in the juices. Taste test to see if you want it a little more spicy or a little more salty..

Add chopped spinach and stir in. 

Garnish with fresh cilantro. 

serve hot, with paratha or basmati rice. 

enjoy! 


T