VEGAN PALAK MOONG DHAL (aka spinach lentil yumminess)

VEGAN / GLUTEN-FREE / SATTVIC

This recipe is inspired by the cookbook 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. You probably have experienced palak paneer at Indian restaurants all oily and overcooked. This is not that. After having made this myself with lentils instead of paneer, I was amazed at how fresh and delicious it was. Something magical happens to the spinach when cooked for a long time. This could also be made with other greens like chopped kale or swiss chard or beet greens (or a mix!). I’ve used green lentils here, but I honestly think any small lentils would do. Just know that if you use split lentils such as mung dhal, that the texture will be a bit mushier. Best served over basmati rice (or whatever rice you have) or with unleavened bread such as parathas, roti, or pita.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole green lentils (or any lentils)

10-15oz fresh spinach leaves (or 1-2 bunches of thinly sliced swiss chard, kale, or beet greens) - or a mix!

2 tsp. cumin seeds

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1-2 dried chiles (you could also use a fresh hot chili OR even a few shakes or red pepper flakes)

2 Tbsp. of coconut oil, ghee, OR safflower oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced (omit if you want this to be Sattvic)

1 /2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 tomatoes (or 1/4 can chopped tomatoes OR 2-3 Tbsp. tomato paste)

1-2 tsp. salt (I prefer Himalayan pink salt), to taste

1 pinch of hing (aka asafoetida)

1 tsp fenugreek leaves (optional)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 lemon, for juicing

*** If using beet greens, you can use the red stems as well.

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse lentils and put into a LARGE saucepan or dutch oven and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Skim off any foam that floats to the top.

Grab the spinach/greens and add it to the pot, stirring to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can always add an additional half to 1 cup of water if needed. Be sure the lentils are cooked through and tender and that the greens have become very wilted and a bit mushy. If it seems really watery at the end, simply remove the lid and boil for 5-15 min longer. It should be a little watery.

While the lentils simmer, grind up cumin and chiles in with a pestle or in a small Cuisinart. Heat oil in a small skillet and add garlic and ginger, fry until fragrant and starting to turn golden (not brown or burnt). Add in tomato, cumin-chile mixture, and all spices and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the sauce from the small skillet to the lentil pot, stirring to combine. Simmer uncovered an additional 10 minutes to incorporate the flavors. I like to do a little immersion blending at the end just to incorporate it all and make it more creamy, but you can definitely skip this step as well. Squeeze lemon juice over and Enjoy!