everyday Indian recipe (Malabar Spinach Dal)

Ceylon spinach / Malabar spinach is finely chopped and cooked in tempered oil till soft. Toor dal is pressure cooked and added to the ceylon spinach leaves mixture to finish the dal. Serve malabar spinach leaves dal with steamed rice and with a crispy papad.
Makes: around 4 Servings of Malabar Spinach Dal.

Ingredients:

-Amaranth Leaves / Ceylon Spinach 2 Cups Packed
-Toor Dal 1 Cup
-Tamarind 1 inch Piece
-Green Chiles 2 -3
-Powder 1/4 tsp
-Salt to taste

Talimpu:

-Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
-Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
-Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
-Broken Dried Red Chiles 3 – 4
-Asafoetida a Big Pinch
-Curry Leaves 5
-Oil 2 tsps

Method of preparation:

Wash toor dal under water and pressure cook in 2 cups of water for 3 whistles.
Alternatively, let the toor dal boil in enough water till it is completely cooked and soft.

Remove hard stems, thoroughly wash and roughly chop ceylon spinach leaves.
Soak tamarind a half a cup of water for sometime.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.

Heat oil in a small pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles, chopped ceylon spinach leaves, tamarind water, turmeric powder and salt.
Cook covered on low flame till ceylon spinach leaves turn soft and cooked well.
Stir in cooked toor dal and boil the dal for another 5 minutes on low flame.
Adjust the consistency of the dal with water if required and boil for another minute.
Serve malabar spinach leaves dal with steamed rice and with a crispy papad.
Notes: Make sure ceylon spinach leaves are cooked well before adding the dal.