Palak Dal
Serves 2–3
Black stone flower can be tricky to find, but if you manage to get your hands on some, I highly recommend including it in this dish. It adds an earthy depth that’s hard to replicate. You might see it called stone flower, kalpasi, dagar phool, or dagad phool — all names for the same aromatic ingredient.
Ingredients
225g split yellow mung (moong) lentils
700ml water
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded
A good pinch of black stone flower (dagar phool)
1 small brown onion, diced
2 tsp grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
230g baby spinach
½ tsp ground turmeric
Juice of half a large lemon
2 tsp salt
Method
Rinse the lentils in a sieve under running water for about 30 seconds, gently massaging them to wash away any impurities. Tip the rinsed lentils into a medium saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. If the water gets too low, top it up slightly — but avoid adding too much, as you don’t want to end up straining them.
While the lentils cook, melt the ghee in a large, deep frying pan. Add the cumin seeds, whole chilli, and dagar phool. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds, then reduce the heat slightly and stir in the onion. Cook for around 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and beginning to colour.
Add the ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, and cook for another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the turmeric and spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted and some of the liquid has evaporated — about 6 minutes.
Use a stick blender to blitz the spinach mixture into a smooth purée, then stir it into the cooked lentils.
Add the lemon juice and salt, stir to combine, and taste to adjust the seasoning if needed.
