Lentils and Spinach (The Indian way)



Lentils and Spinach (The Indian way)

Ingredients

200 gms of yellow or red lentils

1 medium-size onion, chopped into small pieces

150 gms of spinach chopped into medium-size pieces

2-3 tablespoons of oil (preferably olive or sunflower)

1/2 tablespoon of chilli powder

1/2 tablespoon of turmeric powder

1-2 tablespoon of any curry powder
3 slices of garlic chopped into fine pieces
1 red or green chilli chopped into fine pieces
Salt as needed

Procedure

1. Cook the lentils in one litre of water till they are soft. Add the chopped garlic to the lentils and cook them together. If you are using a pressure cooker, wait for atleast 2 releases. (You can add salt to the lentils, when you cook them.) 

2. Empty any excess water after cooking the lentils.

3. Heat the oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and the chopped chilli. Add the turmeric powder. Fry them until they become a little soft.
4. Add the chopped spinach to the mixture. Fry them till the fresh green colour of spinach changes to a dark green colour.

5. Add the chilli powder and the curry powder to the soft mixture, stir and fry till the mixture turns light red in colour.

6. Add the lentils. Add 200ml of water only if the mixture is too thick. Add salt as needed. Stir and cook the mixture, until the mixture becomes light red again.

7. Serves 4 persons.

Options

1. You can serve this with rice or Indian bread like Chapati, Naan or both rice and bread.

2. You can some chopped coriander leaves as topping.
3. You can add 1 teaspoon of garam masala when adding the lentils to the nmixture.

3. You can skip adding the chilli powder and the curry powder. Such a lentil dish is called Tadka Dal (Plain Lentils).
5. You can add cumin seeds or mustard seeds to the oil at the beginning before you add the onions.
6. You can skip adding the onions and the garlic along with chilli powder and the curry powder. You can just add cumin seeds or mustard seeds to the oil (1-1.5 tablespoon) at the beginning. Usually during such preparations, the excess cooking water from the lentils is added to the dish. Such a lentil dish is called Masiyal (a South Indian dish)