Palak Dal

1 small bunch of spinach, cleaned, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped fone
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup of moong dal / green gram, pressure cooked for three whistles (I use a combination of half-split green moong and yellow moong dal - good fiber content)


6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped
5-6 curry leaves
1 green chilli chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin / jeera powder
1 tbsp coriander / dhania powder
Salt
Oil


- Heat some oil in a kadhai. Add jeera seeds, mustard, asafoetida, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, jeera powder and turmeric powder. Toss about well, allow the seeds to splutter.


- Now add the onion and mix about again.


- Toss is the spinach, stir it in and then add a dash of salt - this will help the spinach wilt faster. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.


- Add the tomatoes, mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.


- Add the coriander powder. Mix. Add the pressure cooked dal. Mix well. Adjust salt. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.


- Serve hot with rice :)

Lauki Moong Dal

Coriander leaves for garnish (not optional, a huge chunk of taste is imparted to this particular dal by the coriander so use lots, use fresh)

- Soak the dal for 15-20 minutes. Now put it into a pressure cooker along with the chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies and turmeric powder and of course, the lauki. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Allow it to cool.

- Now remove the lid, turn on the heat. Add jeera powder, coriander powder, salt. mix well. Let it simmer.

- Meanwhile, take your tadka pan, heat oil (I use ghee but you go ahead and be ridiculous and use oil) in it. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and when it splutters, carefully add this to the dal. Stir it in well. Let it simmer - when it boils up well, turn off the heat and add the truckload of coriander leaves you have chopped. Immediately cover the dal, let the coriander release its flavours. Serve after it cools down a bit, with rice and papads :)