Palakura Papu (Dal and Spinach)

Dal is cooked almost very day for lunch in most of the households in South India.Whether it is tomato dal,spinach(Palakura) dal,fenugreek (menthikura),mango dal etc.

This is very easy to prepare just add dal with any of the above and pressure cook it along with onions,green chillies and do the seasoning.

There is a another way to cook Palakura pappu which my mother inlaw does.She pressure cooks Toor dal and boils spinach.Later she mixes both and does the seasoning.Both the method taste different.The first method, the taste of dal dominates and second method taste of Spinach dominates and has a little different colour.

When i am hard pressed with time i do the first method or else i prefer doing the later method even though it is little lengthy.Here goes my m-law recipe for the simple comfort food...

Ingredients:-

Toor dal (kandi pappu) 1 cup

Spinach (palak kurra) 1 cup (chopped)

Tomato 1 (chopped finely)

Onions 1 chopped

Green chillies 2 slited

Turmeric powder 1/2tsp

Red chilly powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Seasoning

Oil 1 tbsp

Rai 1 tsp

Udad dal 1tsp

Cumin seeds 1tsp

Red chilly whole 2

Hing a pinch

Curry leaves few

Method:-

Pressure cook toor dal (kandi pappu).When cool mash it into smooth paste.

Boil Spinach for 5 mintues.Drain the water and keep aside.Don't throw the water.

Take oil in a pan,when hot add hing.Then add all the seasoning.When they are fried add tomatoes.

Cook until tomatoes are soft.Then add the dal and spinach.

Mix well and add the water which was kept aside after draining the boiled spinach

Add salt and mix well.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.