Daal Palak
Daal Palak is a comforting, nourishing lentil curry where soft masoor dal and tender spinach melt into a lightly spiced, savory base. A final sizzling garlic tarka adds smoky fragrance and a punchy finish that makes the dish taste far richer than its simple pantry ingredients suggest.
Ingredients
Daal palak base
- 140 gred lentils (masoor dal), rinsed
- 200 gspinach, roughly chopped
- 120 gonion, finely chopped
- 120 gtomato, finely chopped
- 10 gginger, finely grated
- 12 ggarlic, minced
- 1 small (8 g)green chili, finely chopped
- 1/2 tspground turmeric
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1/4 tspred chili powder
- 1 tspsalt
- 650 mlwater
- 1 tbsp (15 ml)neutral oil
Garlic tarka
- 1 tbsp (15 ml)neutral oil
- 10 ggarlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tspcumin seeds
- 1/4 tspred chili flakes
To finish
- 2 tsplemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Prepare everything first for quick cooking: rinse the lentils until the water runs mostly clear; finely chop the onion and tomato, grate the ginger, mince the garlic, chop the green chili, and roughly chop the spinach.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and green chili; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, without letting the garlic brown.
- 3
Add the tomato, ground turmeric, ground cumin, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mashing the tomato with the spoon until it starts to break down and the oil looks slightly separated from the masala.
- 4
Add the rinsed lentils and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a lively simmer. Cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are very soft and beginning to collapse. If the pot looks dry before the lentils soften, add a splash of hot water.
- 5
Add the spinach and simmer for 3-4 minutes until fully wilted and tender. Stir and lightly mash the dal with the back of a spoon for a creamier texture; the final consistency should be thick but spoonable, not dry. Adjust with a little extra water if needed.
- 6
For the tarka, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cumin seeds; fry for 45-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic turns pale golden. Remove from the heat immediately and stir in the red chili flakes so they bloom in the hot oil without burning.
- 7
Pour the hot garlic tarka over the dal palak. Add the lemon juice, stir gently, taste, and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Red lentils are ideal here because they cook fast enough to keep the dish within 30 minutes and naturally give a creamy texture.
- •If using mature spinach with thick stems, remove the toughest stems so it cooks quickly and blends smoothly into the dal.
- •Serve with basmati rice, roti, or a spoonful of plain yogurt if you want a cooling contrast.
- •For a looser, more soup-like dal, stir in 50-100 ml extra hot water just before serving.
Background
Daal Palak is a homestyle Pakistani dish that combines lentils with leafy greens, reflecting the everyday importance of pulses in South Asian cooking. Variations are made across Pakistan, with different dals, levels of heat, and finishing temperings, but the garlic tarka is a much-loved touch that adds aroma and depth.
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