Methi Daal Tadka (or Daal Palak)

Volume

Serving for 4 people.

Ingredients

- 1 bunch of Methi
- 1 davara Toor daal
- 3x water (~700ml water)
- 2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp oil
- 2 red chillis (dried) + 2 red chillis (dried)
- 3 tsp red chilli powder + 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 2 green chillis + 2 green chillis
- 0.5 tsp turmeric

Other Requirements

- Pressure cooker
- Sauce pan + ladel

Steps to Prepare

1. Boil the Daal

  1. Follow the usual process to prepare paruppu using a pressure cooker (covered under basics).

  2. Once prepared, add 2 tsp of salt and mix and mash it thoroughly.

2. Prepare the Methi (or Palak)

  1. Cut the onion, tomato and green chillis. Cut the leaves of the methi (or palak) into smaller pieces and use only the leaves.

  2. Wash the methi (or palak) in a bowl of water, and allow it to soak. There should be enough water in the bowl so that the leaves can float towards the top and there are a few centimeters of water below. Rub the leaves a little before letting it soak, so that some dirt and sand comes off.

  3. In a sauce pan add 2 tbsp til oil and wait for it to heat up.
  4. In a sauce pan add 2 tbsp til oil and wait for it to heat up.
  5. Add the tomato and green chillis, and add 1.5 tsp of salt, 3 tsp of red chilli powder and break open 2 red chillis. Stir and mix the vegetables well until they soak in the flavour and lose the raw flavour. (Note that the tomatos aren't present in the below picture)

  6. From the surface of the bowl, pick up the leaves, without digging deeper into the water. Carefully pick up all of the leaves, while leaving the bottom of the dirty water behind.

  7. Add the methi (or palak) leaves to the vegetables and continue stirring till cooked well.

  8. When completed and done well, the leaves shold have shrunk, and look less bright and raw.

  9. Once done, add the cooked toor daal to the vegetables. Add some more water (incrementally) to the mixture and start stirring and cooking well.

  10. Add salt, and other powders as required to enhance the flavour.
  11. Once the consistency and flavour is approprite, transfer the daal into the final serving vessel.

3. Add the Tadka

  1. In a sauce pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and allow it to heat up.
  2. In a sauce pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and allow it to heat up.

  3. Allow it to sizzle a little bit and then add it on top of the daal.

  4. Do not mix it into the dish yet.
  5. After served, mix it in the last minute, just before serving onto different plates.

Serve the daal with rotis or with ghee rice.