Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 1 1/2 cups chana dal (soaked overnight and washed and drained after soaking (dried split chickpeas, often sold in the bulk section))
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter - could substitute olive oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin (whole seeds)
  • 1 onion (large, peeled and chopped)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
  • 1-2 teaspoons ginger (fresh, peeled and grated)
  • 1 green chili (chopped)
  • 5 ounces spinach (fresh, chopped)

Instruction

  • Put the dal in a medium-sized pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming the foam that rises to the top. Once it boils, stir in the turmeric and cover partially, occasionally stirring. Cook for 75 minutes, being careful to check and stir a few times after 60 minutes. Stir in the salt when the dal is done.
  • While the dal cooks, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Stir for 30 seconds and then add the onion. Saute 5-6 minutes or until the onion starts to brown.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the spinach and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and cover. Cook until the spinach wilts, around 8-10 minutes.
  • When the dal is done cooking, add the spinach mixture to it and combine. If the dal feels too dry, stir in a bit of water to a consistency of your liking. Adjust salt to taste.