Spinach dal (split lentils) with rice & ghee is my go-to comfort food. The basic recipe and procedure is the same but for variety, I change up the dals and accompaniments. The first version is with split pigeon peas (toor dal) & paired with an arranged salad of boiled egg, figs, mint. The second version is made with split chickpeas (chana dal), paired with some crunchy jalapeno chips for a bit of indulgence.
Wash and soak 1 cup of dal – toor, chana, moong, masoor or a mix of these.
For 1 cup dal, use 2 cups of water to soak/cook. Soak for about 5 minutes, except for chana dal which needs additional 4-5 minutes.
Cook dal & rice in separate containers in an Instant Pot, using the Rice setting (about 12-15 mins cooking time).
In the meanwhile, chop spinach. If using fresh, you will need about 3 cups chopped and tightly packed. If using frozen, 2 cups tightly packed.
When dal is cooked and ready to use, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or wide, shallow pan.
Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 3/4 tsp turmeric, 3 to 4 dried red chillies. Saute on med heat for 15-20 seconds.
Add chopped spinach and saute until it starts to wilt.
Add 1 tbsp tamarind paste and salt to taste – about 1 to 1.5 tsp depending on preference.
Continue sauteing on med heat for another 30 seconds.
Add the cooked dal and additional water if needed and mix well. Consistency should be runny at this point.
Let the dal mixture come to a boil. Then let it simmer for another 3-5 minutes before turning off heat.
Add the dal over rice and top with a dollop of ghee. Enjoy with any accompaniments of your choice.
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