Palak Lasooni Daal (Spinach Lentil)

Palak Lasooni Daal

Ingredients:
3/4cup moong daal (Yellow moong daal/Split green gram)
11/2cup roughly chopped palak (spinach)
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
2 small size tomatoes, chopped
9 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
2 green chilies, paste
1/4tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4tsp turmeric powder
3tsp oil/ghee
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash spinach thoroughly in running water until clean.
Blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes. Refresh in chilled water. Squeeze and remove excess water.
Dry roast the moong daal in a pan on medium heat. Remove from heat once the lentil starts getting golden brown. Let the lentil cool and then soak the same in water for half an hour.
Wash the lentil and transfer it in a pressure cooker. Add salt and turmeric. Add around 3cups of water and pressure cook until 4-5 whistles. You might see some water oozing out when the whistle  blows.
Once the cooker cools give a nice stir to the daal so that it gets mashed.
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. I prefer using ghee (clarified butter) for tempering to add that extra flavour.
Add the cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds start crackling, add the onions. Saute the onions till they are translucent.
Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste. Saute till the raw flavours are gone.
Add the tomatoes and fry till they are soft and tender. Try and mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon once they are soft. Add red chili powder if you want. I have added green chilies so I have skipped red chili powder.
Add around 2cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add water as per your requirement depending on the consistency you want. I am going to serve this with rice so I have added more water.
Pour this in the boiled daal. Stir to mix all the ingredients well.
Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25minutes.
Add the palak. Cook on high for 2-3 mins.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 
Palak lasooni daal is ready to serve. 
Tip!!
For tempering you can also use shahi jeera or black cumin. This gives a different flavour.