Dal palak with rice

Dal palak is the lunch most Indian homes already know how to make. Dal brings protein, palak brings fibre and iron, and a measured katori of rice completes the plate. It is comforting, familiar, and keeps you full through the afternoon without a heavy, sleepy feeling.

Why it helps

The trick with a rice lunch is not removing the rice, it is balancing it. When you eat rice with a generous serving of dal and greens, the protein and fibre slow down how quickly the meal raises your blood sugar. That means steadier energy and fewer 4 pm cravings. If rice worries you, read does rice make you fat, the honest answer is about portions and company, not the grain itself.

Ingredients (serves 3)

• 1 cup toor dal, or half toor and half moong dal
• 2 cups palak (spinach), washed and roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons ghee or oil, for the tadka
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced (optional)
• 1 dried red chilli or a pinch of red chilli powder
• 3 katoris cooked rice, about 1 katori per person

Method

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook it with turmeric, salt and about 3 cups of water for 3 to 4 whistles, until soft.
2. While the dal cooks, chop the palak, onion and tomato.
3. Open the cooker, lightly mash the dal, and stir in the chopped palak. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the palak wilts into the dal.
4. Adjust water for a pouring consistency, thicker than sambar, thinner than a paste.
5. In a small pan, heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, then garlic and the red chilli. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.
6. Pour the tadka over the dal and cover for a minute so the aroma settles in.
7. Serve hot with one katori of rice per person and a side of salad or curd if you like.

Make it your own

• Swap palak with methi or chaulai (amaranth greens) when they are in season.
• Stir a beaten spoon of curd into your bowl at the table for a little extra protein and tang.
• For a lighter dinner version, skip the rice and have the dal palak like a thick soup with a small roti.

Enjoy it as part of the CurviCare Plate, and see why dal matters in protein for Indian women.