Recipe for Dal Palak

Dal Palak 🥬🍛

Dal Palak is a comforting Indian staple: creamy lentil dal with spinach, gently spiced, fragrant and filling without meat. It’s great for a quick dinner and often tastes even better the next day. Stock up on essentials at Asian Food Shop

History and origin 🧭

In India, dal refers both to lentils and to lentil dishes. Palak means spinach. Together, they make perfect sense: dal brings body and creaminess, spinach adds freshness and color. It’s a home style favorite when you want something reliable without complicated steps

How it’s made, styles and ingredients 🥄

Dal Palak can be made in a few ways depending on the lentils you use and how restaurant style you want it

red lentils cook fastest and turn naturally creamy
yellow lentils are milder and more classic in texture
tadka tempering is spices bloomed in fat at the end and it makes the biggest difference

The flavor base is onion, garlic and ginger with turmeric and cumin. Add garam masala right at the end for the best aroma

Flavor profile 👅✨

creamy lentils with gentle depth
fresh green spinach notes
warm spices that are aromatic rather than hot
a soft tomato lift if you include it

How to serve 🍽️

classic with basmati rice
also great as a soupier dal with a little more water
meal prep friendly, it often tastes even better the next day

Health notes 🌿

A balanced vegetarian dish that satisfies. Lentils bring fullness and spinach adds a veg-forward base. For a lighter version, keep the fat modest and let the spices do the work

How to choose ingredients 🛒

lentils, red are fastest, yellow are milder
spinach, frozen is convenient, fresh tastes brighter
spices, cumin and turmeric build the base, garam masala goes at the end
shortcut, ready Dal Palak is handy for busy days

Recommended 3 products ✅

Ashoka Instant Dal Palak 280 g when you want Dal Palak without cooking, just heat and serve with rice
SWAD Garlic paste with ginger 300 g a quick pan base that instantly nudges flavor in an Indian direction
Drana Garam Masala 500 g the finishing aroma that makes even a simple dal taste deeper

Recipe: Dal Palak 🥬🍛

Ingredients (3 to 4 servings)

lentils 220 g ideally red or yellow
spinach 300 to 350 g fresh or frozen
onion 1 large
garlic 3 cloves
ginger about 2 cm
tomatoes 2 small or 200 ml passata
oil 1 to 2 tbsp
ghee 1 tbsp for tadka or butter
cumin 1 tsp
turmeric 1/2 tsp
ground coriander 1 tsp
chilli to taste
garam masala 1/2 tsp to finish
salt to taste
water 900 to 1100 ml depending on thickness
optional lemon to brighten
optional coriander to garnish
to serve basmati rice

Method

Rinse the lentils and simmer with water, turmeric and a pinch of salt until soft.
Heat oil in a pan, add half the cumin and let it sizzle for a few seconds.
Add finely chopped onion and cook until golden. Stir in garlic and ginger and fry briefly until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, ground coriander, chilli and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the base thickens and mellows.
Stir the base into the cooked lentils. Add water as needed and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add spinach and cook 3 to 5 minutes until just tender.
Turn off the heat, stir in garam masala and rest for 2 minutes.
For tadka: heat ghee in a small pan, add the remaining cumin, bloom briefly and pour over the finished dal.
Finish with lemon and coriander if you like. Serve with basmati rice.