Photo: Charles Haynes · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Jammukashmir · Dinner

Kashmiri Spinach Dal

Traditional 6. Kashmiri Spinach Dal recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 1 cup moong dal (split mung beans, 200g)
• 200g fresh spinach (cleaned, roughly chopped, 200g)
• 3 cups water (720ml)
• 2 tbsp ghee (30g)
• 1 medium onion (80g, sliced)
• 1 tbsp ginger-chilli paste (12g)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (1.5g)
• 1 tsp cumin powder (2g)
• ½ tsp coriander powder (1g)
• ½ tsp garam masala (1g)
• 1 tsp salt (5g)
• 2 green chillies (sliced, 15g)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced, 12g)
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (0.5g)
• 1 tbsp ghee (15g) for tempering
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (2g)
• 1 dried red chilli (broken, 2g)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (5g)

👩‍🍳 How to make Kashmiri Spinach Dal

1. Rinse moong dal 2-3 times until water runs clear
2. Boil 3 cups water in pan, add rinsed dal
3. Boil 20 min until dal is 3/4 cooked but not mushy (grains still slightly firm)
4. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in large pan on medium heat
5. Add sliced onions, fry 2 min until soft and translucent
6. Add ginger-chilli paste, fry 1 min (aroma releases)
7. Add asafoetida, stir 10 sec
8. Add all ground spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala), stir 20 sec (spices bloom)
9. Add spinach (in batches if needed, it wilts), stir 3-4 min until completely wilted and incorporated
10. Spinach releases water, liquid increases
11. Add minced garlic, fry 1 min (releases pungent aroma)
12. Pour in partially cooked dal with its cooking water
13. Add salt, green chillies
14. Stir well
15. Simmer uncovered 15-20 min on low-medium heat
16. Dal should be creamy and pourable (add ½ cup water if too thick)
17. Dal grains should be fully cooked and soft, spinach completely incorporated
18. For tempering: Heat 1 tbsp ghee in small pan on medium heat
19. Add cumin seeds, let crackle 30 sec
20. Add dried red chilli, fry 10 sec (chilli releases spice aroma)
21. Pour tempering oil and seeds into dal
22. Stir well, let sizzle for 10 sec
23. Garnish with chopped coriander
24. Serve hot with rice or bread
25. Visual cue: Creamy green dal, spinach fully wilted and distributed, cumin seeds and red chilli visible from tempering, dark green colour, aromatic cumin scent
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