Spinach Dal (Lentil) Recipe
A recipe for a quick and easy vegetarian gluten-free spinach and lentil dal. This is great as a light meal or can be served as a side. Use coconut oil instead of ghee to make it vegan. The soup uses yellow mung/moong bean , but you can substitute any other lentils on hand like red lentils, green mung, split peas
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow mung bean lentils
- 120 g baby spinach leaves
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 small tomato finely diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 knob ginger grated, thumb sized piece
- 1 medium green chilli chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp ghee or virgin unrefined coconut oil for vegan version
- 1/2 small small lemon juiced
Instructions
- In a deep sauce pan, boil the mung bean lentils with water. Keep cooking for about 20 minutes until the lentils turn soft and mushy. Alternatively use a pressure cooker to quickly cook them in about 10 min.
- Once lentils are cooked, begin the tempering process. In another sauce pan heat ghee and cumin seeds. Allow them to sizzle.
- Next add in the chopped green chilli, garlic and onion in that order. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.
- Add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Then add in the chopped tomatoes and chopped ginger. Sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and turn mushy.
- Next add the boiled lentils and baby spinach. Mix well.
- Add boiling water to bring to the thickness of soup / stew you desire.
- Bring to a boil for a few minutes. Then pour the soup in bowls and squeeze over the lemon juice.
Notes
Making it Vegan: Use coconut oil instead of ghee to make it vegan