Mung Bean Dahl With Spinach Recipes

BUTTERY MOONG DAL WITH GARLIC AND CUMIN

Steps:

• Put dal, turmeric and salt in a large soup pot, add 7 cups water and bring to a gentle boil, stirring.
• Turn heat very low and cover pot with lid slightly ajar. Check pot and stir frequently, as the dal has a tendency to boil over in the beginning. Skim off and discard any foam that rises. Cook for about 45 minutes, until quite soft. Taste and adjust salt. For a smooth, velvety consistency, purée dal in a blender, then return to pot. If you prefer some texture, just beat with a whisk for a minute or two. (If dal is very thick, thin with a little water.)
• Make the tarka: Heat ghee in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin, chile and garlic and cook until cumin is fragrant and garlic is lightly colored, about 1 minute. Add shallot and continue cooking until shallot is softened, about 1 minute more. Pour contents of skillet into pot and stir into the dal.
• Transfer to a serving bowl or individual soup bowls. Sprinkle with a pinch of garam masala or red chile powder and/or serve with basmati rice, if desired. Dal may be made in advance, refrigerated and reheated (it will solidify when chilled and need thinning). Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. It will keep 2 to 3 days.

MUNG BEAN DAHL WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse split mung dahl beans and drain. Place in a medium-large saucepan over high heat and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer, splashing in more water if lentils get too dry, until softened, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and fry until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add asafoetida and cook until browned, about 10 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 to 1 cup water, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Add coriander, Aleppo pepper, and turmeric. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, cover, and cook until bright green, about 5 minutes.
• Remove lentils from heat. Drain excess water but leave 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Stir in the spinach mixture and return pan to medium-low heat. Mix in lemon juice, sea salt, and garam masala. Simmer until desired consistency is reached, 5 to 10 minutes more.

MOONG DAL WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Combine the water, lentils, spinach, green chile peppers, ginger, turmeric, and salt in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil and cook until the lentils are tender and the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil and ghee together in small skillet; fry the curry leaves, red chile peppers, cumin seeds, mustard seed, and asafoetida powder in the mixture until the seeds begin to splutter. Stir the mixture into the lentil mixture. Sprinkle the ground red pepper over the mixture and cook another 5 minutes. Serve hot.