Lal Shaak diye Moong Dal / Red Spinach cooked with lentils

This is a very simple dish that I tossed up with some Red spinach leaves or Amaranth leaves lying about in my kitchen for a while now. I often make these leaves or Lal shaak, as it is known as in Bengali, the usual way ... cook it in a little mustard oil with crushed garlic and whole dry red chillies. And love it with rice.

But just after soaking the leaves in water this time, I realised I haven't cooked rice. It was not even on the menu for the day. I can't eat certain things with rotis ... and leafy veggies are one of them.

Then I saw the moong dal I had soaked earlier ... for a different thing altogether. Used that with the leaves and came up with this wonderful dryish dish . :-)

Without too many ingredients , it was quick to cook and was great as a side dish.




Need : Red spinach leaves ... cleaned and chopped, yellow moong dal / dehusked moong or mung lentils , sliced onions, sliced garlic, jeera / cumin seeds, haldi / turmeric powder, a little red chilli powder, lemon juice, salt to taste, cooking oil.


How to : Soak the moong dal ... the longer, the better. Ok ... say for around 2 - 3 hours.

Heat a little oil in a pan / kadahi / wok. Add the jeera and then the sliced onion and garlic together. Fry for a while ... do not brown.

Add the chopped leaves. Add a little salt .... very little ... just so the leaves leave water and cook well. Fry well till the leaves are well cooked and there's no raw smell.

Drain the dal from the water and add it to the cooked leaves. Add haldi, chilli powder, salt and stir well.
( Remember you have already added a little salt earlier ) .



Add a little water .... just so it skims the surface of the dal, cover and cook for a while.

Remember to remove cover and check that it does not burn. If needed add a little water from time to time.

Cook till dal is well done. It should not be mushy ... yet will break easily when held between the fingers.

Turn off heat and add some lemon juice.

Serve hot ... goes great with both rice and rotis or parathas. Do give this try folks !



Am signing off on a wistful note ... I so wish the lurkers would delurk. How much does it take to leave a line after all?

Take care all !! :-)


More recipes with the Moong Dal

Moong Dal Kachori

Moong Dal Halwa