SPINACH DAL
Dal palak | spinach dal is an easy and comforting dish and though i have tasted this in restaurants never tried at home. But my friends here, used to make this often for rotis. For a change from usual Keeari masiyal and keerai poriyal  i tried this dal palak which a bunch of palak which i got from the Indian store . To my surprise the kids and hubby loved this a lot and they finished the entire bowl in no time.
 Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25 Mins | Serves: 3-4
   Palak | spinach  2 cups    Onion  1    Garlic 3-4 cloves    Ginger  1/2 tsp (chopped)    Green chili  2    Toor dal  3/4 cup (cooked)    Sugar  1/2 tsp    Salt  as needed    Oil + ghee  2 tsp each.    Cumin seeds  1/4 tsp    Mustard seeds  1/4 tsp    Lemon juice  1 tsp      Â

Method:
- Wash the palak and chop them finely.
- Chop the onion and  the ginger finely. Slit the green chilies.
- Cook the toor dal with garlic pods, in pressure cooker till 4-5 whistles. Mash it nicely and keep aside.

- In a pan oil and ghee. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- When they crackle add the ginger, onion and green chilli.

- Cook till the onions turn pink and translucent.
- Add the chopped palak and add sugar and salt.
- Cook in a medium flame till the spinach shrinks.
- This will take 4-5 minutes

- Add the cooked toor dal and mix well. If it is thick add water to reach a right kootu consitency.

- Bring this to a nice boil. Switch off the flame and squeeze the lemon juice.

- Serve hot with rice | roti.

- If you are adding tomatoes add just after the onions are cooked.
- Do not add lemon juice in the last if you are adding tomato.
- You can add chopped onions and tomatoes to the dal while adding garlic(before cooking)