Spinach dal | palakura Pappu is an easy and delicious recipe made in one pot dish. Pappu means cooked lentils or dal. Dal plays a vital role in South Indian cuisine, as it is a significant source of protein for vegetarians. Andhra thali is never complete without a portion of dal. Spinach dal is served in the main course with plain rice and a dollop of ghee. Spinach dal or palakura Pappu is the ultimate comfort food and a great source of vitamins and protein. There are plenty of dals in Andhra cuisine: spinach dal, gongura dal, tomato dal, and so on.
PURPOSE OF SOAKING DAL BEFORE COOKING
Soaking the lentils in plenty of water will reduce the phytate levels which lowers the potential cause for bloating or gas. I usually soak them overnight and cook them in the morning after giving a quick wash. Along with soaking, cooking lentils with a lot of carminatives also helps.
WHAT ARE CARMINATIVES?
Carminatives are foods that help to soothe the digestive tract and help in reducing bloating and indigestion. Some herbs and spices in our kitchen have valuable carminative properties which are cumin, coriander, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg.
HOW TO COOK SPINACH DAL IN INSTANT POT
1 Wash the toor dal until it runs clean and soaking them until other ingredients are prepared.
2 Meanwhile, Chop the onion, green chili, garlic, and spinach.
3 Drain the soaking water then give it a good rinse.
4 In instant pot, liner add soaked dal, water, turmeric, spinach, onion, garlic, green chili, tamarind paste. Don’t mix it.
Optional: I always cook pot in pot meals, in this recipe I made rice along with dal. Some times I replace rice with eggs, veggies.
5 Close the lid and set the instant pot on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 8 min.
6 When count down is done, quick release and remove the pot which is on top.
7 Add salt to dal and mash it with a ladle until the dal is smooth and soft.
SPINACH DAL ON STOVETOP PRESSURE COOKER
1 Wash the toor dal until it runs clean and soaking them until other ingredients are prepared.
2 Meanwhile, Chop the onion, green chili, garlic, and spinach.
3 Drain the soaking water then give it a good rinse.
4 In a pressure cooker add soaked dal, water, turmeric, spinach, onion, garlic, green chili, tamarind paste. Don’t mix it.
5 Close the lid and cook until 4-5 whistles.
6 Open the lid when pressure is gone.
7 Add salt to dal and mash it with a ladle until the dal is smooth and soft.
TEMPERING OR TADKA
“Tadka” is an Indian name for tempering. What is tadka exactly? The process where the whole or ground spices are cooked in hot oil or ghee and added to the dish. The hot oil extracts the aroma, flavor from spices and herbs and then carry this essence when added to a dish. Tadka has different variations all over India. In the south, curry leaves in tadka add a signature flavor to the dish whereas in Oriya cuisine or Bengali cuisine they use Panch phoron.
I prefer using oil and ghee for making tadka, ghee adds a nice flavor to dal. You can skip ghee, can replace with oil of your choice.
HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT TEMPERING
1 The crackling of spices and change in color indicates the process is completed. It takes only a few seconds so be prepared to move fast.
2 Pour oil and ghee in a pan over high heat. When the oil is hot enough, reduce heat to medium.
VEGANS CAN REPLACE GHEE WITH ANOTHER TBSP OF OIL
3 Add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter add cumin seeds, red chili, curry leaves, hing or asafoetida, red chili powder.
4 Turn off flame and pour this tadka on dal.
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Spinach dal | Palakura pappu
Equipment
Ingredients
- Toor dal - 1 cup
- Water - 600 ml
- Spinach - 90 grams or 3 cups loosely packed
- Onion - 64 grams
- Thai green chili -9 chili For mild spice level - 5 chilis
- Garlic - 2 pods medium-sized
- Tamarind paste - 1.5 tbsp or raw tamarind - 20 grams
- Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - To taste I added 2.5 tsp
Tadka
- Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
- Ghee - 1 tbsp Can be replaced with oil
- Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Dry red chilli -1
- Curry leaves - 4
- Hing or asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
- Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Instructions
How to cook lentils in an Instant pot:
- Wash the toor dal until it runs clean and soaking them until other ingredients are prepared.
- Meanwhile, Chop the onion, green chili, garlic, and spinach.
- Drain the soaking water then give it a good rinse.
- Add soaked dal, water, turmeric, spinach, onion, garlic, green chili, tamarind on dal or lentils. Don’t mix it.
- Close the lid and set the instant pot on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 8 min.
- When count down is done, quick release and remove the pot which is on top.
- Add salt to dal and mash it with a ladle until the dal is smooth and soft.
How to cook lentils in a regular pressure cooker:
- Wash the toor dal until it runs clean and soaking them until other ingredients are prepared.
- Meanwhile, Chop the onion, green chili, garlic, and spinach.
- Drain the soaking water then give it a good rinse.
- In a pressure cooker add water, turmeric, spinach, onion, garlic, green chili, tamarind on dal or lentils. Don’t mix it.
- Close the lid and cook until 4-5 whistles.
- Open the lid when pressure is gone.
- Add salt to dal and mash it with a ladle until the dal is smooth and soft.
How to make tadka:
- The crackling of spices and change in color indicates the process is completed. It takes only a few seconds so be prepared to move fast.
- Pour oil and ghee in a pan over high heat. When the oil is hot enough, reduce heat to medium.
- Add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter add cumin seeds, red chili, curry leaves, hing, red chili powder.
- Turn off flame and pour this tadka on dal.
Video
Notes
- You can make a pot in pot meal in this recipe I made rice along with dal. Some times I replace rice with eggs, veggies.
- Vegans, replace ghee with another tbsp of oil
- Clean the raw tamarind under water gently and pour 1/4 cup water and microwave for 30 sec. Then squeeze the juice which can be used as a replacement for paste.
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out
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I love hearing your feedback
Traditional recipe…which everyone likes.All the best.
I tried your dal recipe, its so yum🥰😋, My 3 years old daughter loved it