Bengali Spinach Dal
One of Monsoon Coast founder’s favourite dals, great with rice or with chapatis to scoop.
Ingredients:
⅔ cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
1 TBL vegetable oil
2 TBL butter
2 TBL Bengali Panch Phoron
2 medium onions, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBL ginger, minced
1 TBL turmeric
7 cups stock water
3 cups red lentils, rinsed well and drained
2 cups russet potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 TBL Delhi Chat Masala or Punjabi Garam Masala
2 bunches spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions:
1 – Toast coconut in a small dry pan over low heat and reserve for garnish.
2 – Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat.
3 – When the butter stops foaming, add the Bengali Panch Phoron and sauté until the seeds to start to pop a bit.
4 – Add the onions and sauté until they start to brown, about 10 minutes.
5 – Add the garlic, ginger and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute.
6 – Add stock or water and lentils, bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to prevent the lentils from sticking.
7 – Add the potatoes and simmer until the lentils break down, adding more water if necessary.
8 – Add Delhi Chat Masala or Punjabi Garam Masala and spinach, stirring for a few minutes until the spinach melts.
9 – Taste and add salt as required. (Note Delhi Chat Masala contains black salt so if you are using it you may not need to add more salt.)
10 – Serve garnished with toasted coconut and chopped cilantro.
Makes a very large pot