Spinach Dal or Dal Palak is a one-pot meal made with spinach and red lentil, moong dal and with basic spices. It is a healthy and nutritious curry. Making this dal in the instant pot is very easy and quick - It will be done in 20 minutes. This protein-rich dal is served with plain rice, chapati /roti.
In Indian we make this dal curry in many variations, here are some Dal Palak, Tomato dal. I make this dal once a week without fail in different methods.
A SHORT VIDEO RECIPE:
SPINACH DAL RECIPE WITH STEP WISE INSTRUCTIONS:
Ingredients:
- Baby Spinach - 1 cup (200 grams)
- Red lentil -½ cup
- Moong dal - ½ cup
- Onion - 1 medium
- Tomatoes - 2 medium
- Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
- Mustard seeds, urad dal - ½ tsp
- Garlic (chopped) - 1 Tsp
- Green chillies - 4 to 5
- Turmeric powder - ½ Tsp
- Garam masala - ½ Tsp
- Lemon juice - 1to 2 Tsp
- Oil - 2 Tbsp
- Few coriander leaves
- Curry leaves a few
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
Place the inner pot inside the Instant Pot.
Switch on the sauté mode. Once the inner pot is hot. Add oil.
Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and allow it crackle.
Add chopped garlic and saute for few minutes.
Next, add chopped onions, slit green chillies and fry until onion turns into translucent.
Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and curry and saute for few minutes until the tomatoes become little mushy.
Next, add washed lentils along with spinach and mix well.
Then add 2 cups of water and add salt according to your taste. Mix well.
Cancel the sauté mode. Close the lid and keep the valve in sealing mode.
Select pressure cook mode and set to high pressure for 5 minutes.
Once the cooking is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.
Open the lid, add garam masala powder ,lemon juice and mix well.
Check the seasoning if needed add salt.
Finally add few coriander leaves and enjoy healthy and delicious dal with rice or roti.
NOTES:
Adjust the green chillies according to your taste.
Instead of green chillies you can add 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder.
📖 Recipe
SPINACH DAL IN INSTANT POT
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- Baby Spinach – 1 cup 200 grams
- Red lentil -½ cup
- Moong dal – ½ cup
- Onion – 1 medium
- Tomatoes – 2 medium
- Cumin seeds – 1 Tsp
- Mustard seeds urad dal – ½ tsp
- Garlic chopped – 1 Tsp
- Green chillies – 4 to 5
- Turmeric powder – ½ Tsp
- Garam masala – ½ Tsp
- Lemon juice – 1to 2 Tsp
- Oil – 2 Tbsp
- Few coriander leaves
- Curry leaves a few
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the inner pot inside the Instant Pot.
- Switch on the sauté mode. Once the inner pot is hot. Add oil.
- Then add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and allow it crackle.
- Add chopped garlic and saute for few minutes.
- Next, add chopped onions, slit green chillies and fry until onion turns into translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder and curry and saute for few minutes until the tomatoes become little mushy.
- Next, add washed lentils along with spinach and mix well.
- Then add 2 cups of water and add salt according to your taste. Mix well.
- Cancel the sauté mode. Close the lid and keep the valve in sealing mode.
- Select pressure cook mode and set to high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once the cooking is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Open the lid, add garam masala powder, lemon juice and mix well.
- Check the seasoning if needed add salt.
- Finally add few coriander leaves and enjoy healthy and delicious dal with rice or roti.
Video
Notes
- Adjust the green chillies according to your taste.
- Instead of green chillies, you can add 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder.
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What beautiful touches of red and green go through this warming golden dal. Delicious!
An easy way to make spinach dal, just love it!
Spinach dal is so comforting and soothing paired with white rice. Instant pot makes it even easier to make it. Nice share Pavani!
What a delightful lentil recipe. A beautiful and delicious sounding recipe. Yum
Wow I love this easy way to make spinach dal! On my to make list!
Any form Daal is so welcome in Indian pantry and dinner table and you have come out with a smart way of doing in a smart pot. Loved the blogpost
Hi, Pavani, I’d like to make this but have a question. Is the moong dal for this recipe dried whole mung beans or the split ones without the skin. I have the whole ones, but I’m not sure they cook as quickly as red lentils.
Also, step 3 of the instructions calls for urad dal, but you mean the moong dal there, right?
Thanks!
Hi Kelly, here I have used split yellow moog dal. If you are using whole ones, soak them in water few minutes and reamainh process is same.
In step 3 I have used split urad dal for tempering.
Can this be done just on the stove top?
Just cook longer on simmer?
Hi Kim, yes you can make this dal on the stovetop.
What chili, specifically?
I live in the south and cook a lot of Tex mex, so I’m thrown off 😉
Hi Melissa, you can any normal red chilli powder you get in the grocery store
If I were to make this in the crockpot, do I need to bloom the spices first or can I throw it all in and let it simmer?
Can’t wait to make this!
Hi kelly, yes you have to bloom the spices first and follow the instructions