Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Lasooni Dal Palak | Spinach and Lentils Seasoned with Garlic

Today, let's chat about Proteins. People who eat non-vegetarian food get their proteins from the animal sources like fish, meat & egg. The sources of protein for vegetarians are pulses or legumes & a few vegetables. That is the reason, I suppose, dal plays such an important role in Indian cooking. Any dish, which contains both legume and grain, is a complete source of protein. Our ancestors have done an excellent job by carefully selecting ingredients that go into making any dish in such a way that the nutritional value of the dish rises up always. Kudos to them !!!

I cook leafy vegetables at least 2-3 times a week. I try to explore simple, tasty & healthier curry recipes. I don’t like adding cardamoms, cinnamon & whole lot of spices in everyday food. I like it to be simple. Given a chance, I even avoid garlic & onions. As ayurveda suggests, garlic, onions & few other vegetables increase the “khrodha, kama & other harmful feelings inside the body”. Hence, it is advised to limit the usage of such vegetables to toddlers, young children & adolescent youth. I strongly believe in them & try to avoid them as much as possible. I suggest everybody cooking for young children to avoid such vegetables once a while to keep them calm & focused.

Now, don’t think I have gone nuts. I’m asking you to avoid them & myself preparing dal with loads of garlic. Isn’t it like “do what I say & don’t do what I do”? Note that garlic has umpteen health benefits too. One should not forget that. I feel, we need to know the chemistry of a vegetable to reap the benefits from them. For older people or middle aged people, it works like magic in reducing the bad cholesterol & safe guards the heart. Now that, we know both the advantages & disadvantages of garlic, we can decide when to use them & when not??Am I right?
Was I clear or did I confuse you guys more? Before I confuse you completely let me come back to..err…., Lasooni Dal Palak.

Lasooni Dal Palak is an amazing dish that can be served with either rice or rotis. I got two lasooni dal palak recipes while browsing. One was from One Hot Stove of Nupur ((I mostly followed her)& other from SaffronTrail. I used some ingredients & some nice points from both the recipes & created my own!!. Believe me, it tasted fantabulous. Ever since I prepared this, I have been crazy about it & these days whenever I buy palak, it is only lasooni dal palak at our home until my family complain about it ;)


Ingredients:
  • 1 cup toor dal
  • 1 cup masoor dal
  • 3 pods garlic, sliced
  • 1 pod garlic minced
  • 1 medium sized onion sliced
  • 1 tomato chopped finely or ½ cup tomato puree
  • 2 cups finely chopped spinach/palak (I used frozen palak).
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder/paprika
  • 1 tbsp ghee/oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeerige
  • A pinch of turmeric
  • 1 green chilli chopped
  • 1tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt according to taste

Method:
  • Mix both the dals & wash them in running water two or three times.
  • Add 1 cup water, chopped green chilli & turmeric to the washed dal. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.
  • Allow the dal to cool. Meantime, fry the sliced garlic pods in ghee until golden brown. Remove them & drain them on absorbent paper.
  • Prepare the tempering/tadka by using the same ghee (used for frying the garlic). When ghee is hot, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds splutter add minced garlic & onions. Sauté till onion turns golden brown.
  • Add the finely chopped spinach/palak, red chilli powder & cook the spinach for 3-4minutes. Follow spinach by finely chopped tomatoes & cook the tomatoes for 2-3minutes.
  • Mash the cooked dal gently & pour it to the pan. Add ½ cup of water, salt & mix well. Boil the dal for 3-5minutes on a slow flame.
  • Turn off the flame, add lemon juice. Mix well. Garnish it with the fried garlic & serve it hot with rice or rotis.


15 comments:

  1. Great dish Sushma, I love it. Full of protein as you said and taste fab too. Here is my version! :))

    http://aromahope.blogspot.com/2009/02/panchratani-palak-dal-raw-jackfruit-and.html

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  2. I make this very often, but I don't add lemon juice.

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  3. heu sushma nice info about protein .Thanks and this dal is quite different..will try it soon Thanks for the recipe :)

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  4. Lovely! Psstt.. i always use garlic when tempering my plain yellow dal. its just so much more flavourful :)

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  5. Great post Sushma..I love this combo of dal n greens n usually make it..actually am so fond of garlic too..But my hubby pukes if he sees it..only if he see..so I make it invisible hehe..Keeper recipe..:)

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  6. Hi Sushma, very nice recipe.. quick and easy to make too and tastes havenly. my MIL and FIL do not like garlic.. so this is my version - http://shreezexperiments.blogspot.com/2009/03/dal-palak.html

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  7. hey naavu soppu sambar maadidru belluli haakthivi alwa. Bellulli ilde soppina huli tasty ansodilla :(

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  8. the dal looks so rich and mouth-watering Sushma! Good one :)

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  9. wow Idu nanna fav huli..Garlic and lemon juice gives this huli a different taste..Yumm

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  10. I love garlic in anything. I put double the quantity in this recipe :D

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  11. @Ashakka,
    Thanks Ashakka. I saw your version today, will surely try next time & let you know.

    @Smitha,
    I love this dish more because of the lemon juice. I love anything tangy & sour. Thanks for the comments

    @Mangala Bhat,
    tumba thanks rii

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  12. i am heavy handed when it comes garlic and lassuni dal palak or lassuni dal methi is something i cook very often :)

    wishing u and ur loved ones a very happy Ugadi :)

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  13. Comfort food is this...simple and yummy

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  14. @Nags,
    Even I add garlic to normal dal tadka sometimes.

    @Varsha Vipins,
    Ha Ha Ha.., nice trick. I am happy that my hubby never complains about garlic.

    @Shree,
    Ditto is the case with my parents. They dont eat garlic. Liked your version of dal palak.

    @LG,
    howda? namma maneli normal soppina hulige garlic hakalla, but I agree to the fact that garlic adds a nice flavor to leafy vegetables.

    @Uma, Ashwini & A_and_N,
    Thanks a lot.

    @Sia,
    Wishing you a very happy & a prosperous new year Sia. Thanks for visiting Savi-Ruchi. Keep coming :)

    @Priti,
    Completely agreed Priti.
    Thanks for your wonderful comments.

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  15. I'm making this for dinner tonight. I think I'll try to shoot it, but I don't think it will be as pretty as your picture!

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