• Add dal to a bowl and rinse it well thrice.

How to make Dal Palak (Stovetop)

• Option 1 - Cook dal in a pressure cooker: Transfer to a pressure cooker or a bowl. If using tomato, add it as well and pour water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on a medium heat or in the instant pot for 10 minutes. When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and mash or whisk dal well until slightly smooth.
• Option 2 - Cook in a pot: Add the rinsed dal & tomato (optional) to a sauce pan and pour water. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat and reduce to medium. Cook until mushy, adding more hot water if required.
• On a medium flame, heat a pan with ghee or oil and add cumin seeds. When they begin to sizzle, add ginger, garlic, red and green chilies. Let them fry for a minute and add hing.
• Add spinach and saute for 3 to 4 mins on a medium heat, until the leaves wilt & soften. Transfer the cooked dal, salt and turmeric. Mix well and stir in more hot water if you want a slightly loose consistency (to serve with rice).
• Stir in kasuri methi, taste test and adjust salt. Sprinkle lemon juice and serve with rice or roti. If you want to make a special tadka, check the special tadka section in the post.

Special Tadka (optional for extra flavor)

• Add 1 to 1½ tablespoon ghee/butter to a small tadka pan and heat on a medium flame. Stir in a large pinch of mustard seed, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 broken dried red chili and 1 sliced garlic.
• When the mustard seeds begins to splutter, turn off the stove and add 8 to 10 curry leaves (pat dry first). Stir in a pinch of hing and ¼ teaspoon red chili powder. Mix well and pour over the spinach dal.

Instant Pot Spinach Dal

• Press SAUTE button on the Instant pot and pour ghee to the steel insert. Add cumin, dried red chilies, garlic/ginger and green chilies. When the cumin seeds splutter, add tomatoes (optional) and saute for 1 minute.
• Add dal, turmeric and salt. If you prefer to use chilli powder as a substitute to green chilies, add it now.
• Press CANCEL button. Pour 1½ cups water and deglaze with a spatula to release any bits of food stuck at the bottom. Optionally you can also place a trivet and keep your rice bowl over it & cover.
• Secure the Instant pot with the lid. Press PRESSURE COOK button (high pressure) and set the timer to 10 mins. Let the pressure release naturally for at least, 15 mins. Release the rest manually.
• Add the chopped spinach to the dal and give a good mix. Press SAUTE button and cook for 2 mins until the spinach wilts and softens.
• Press CANCEL and sprinkle kasuri methi (optional). Cover the IP until you serve. This helps spinach to cook completely with the residual heat in the IP.
• Taste test and add more salt if needed. When the spinach dal cools a bit, add lemon juice. Serve with rice or roti.