PALONG ER DAL

BEANS & LEGUMES ARE WELCOME!

Haven't stepped into Mustafa Centre, I would not know India, a part of it's neighbours eat varieties of lentils, beans! The Burrabazaar Area provision stores in Kolkata may stock them all but we live in the middle class Bengali neighbourhoods where the shops stock rajma, kabuli chana, kala chana; not hare chana or red lentil skin on! Each time I visit, I wish to buy a couple of those varieties of the lentils & beans; also the different varieties of gluten-free flours like an expensive teff flour? I hate  wastage; when to cook all varieties, for whom; that minimal eater? I say, "tui amar guinea pig holina, blog takey dar korate ektu technically help korli na, kono interest nei tor amai ektu social mediai famous korer". To all my complaints, his answer is not to drag him into these. I think mentions make the family happy; whatever they say! That I do, also cook bean curries that we prefer with handmade breads! Like our father, his mother; T wants lentil curries occasionally! All of them enjoy "tok dal" / sour lentil curry! I have to have dal with rice meals; my gluten-allergic son was dependant on lentil curries when a toddler; also I didn't believe in tinned food for him. Until last year, he had rice and dal with love! Dal Curries matter in the family!

ALL DAY I PLAN, COOK, SAVOUR FOOD!

Since Diwali, I am not in control! I do not know why I am eating a lot of carb! Malpoa kills, in the past one week, I had perhaps 20-25 of them! Am I getting bored sitting idle all day? Do I miss son? I am curious about the  changes in him after starting to live alone far off. Would he still say, "mumma tokey merey dui tukro korey debo beshi katha bolbi to! Kicchu janish na, kicchu parish na!" Lets see what he does when we meet! In all these excitement, I am unable to plan how to treat him, what he would want mumma to cook for him; if he would chat with us! When we meet I am to feed him Bengali platters! Today, I had been happily busy cooking for a client! Sitting idle is not what I look forward to; I am wanting to earn at a time when many a factors are not congenial to my wish; the first barrier is an unconfident self! I am a confident cook but to upgrade myself doing various courses is not my thing! Better I share a lentil soup recipe for you, I cook it good, it does not require much of skill!

WHAT IS PALONG ER DAL?

Palong Shaak is spinach green! Leafy Greens are a must cook in our family, in my kitchen too! I love it; the rest eat! The son creates a lot of trouble eating leafy greens ever since he turned a teen; may be because I fed him a lot  in his child! The daddy used to love palong shaak! The child did not refuse the way the brother refused egg! Egg did not suit him; he puked, the mother kept forcing! A life without eggs is not an issue! My side of the family now eats egg but we are not so egg prone except for Bidisha! In the man's side, his sister dislikes egg! Spinach Dal is common in the Indian Sub-continent, if not much in Bengal! I cook items way! I do have a combined recipe of Dal Palak & dried Bombay Duck in the blog! I prefer complete freedom while cooking; not willing to follow ditto a recipe! I did my version of spinach dal this time using the regular kitchen spices; it is protein rich, vegan, gluten-free!

Here are few similar recipes from the blog :

PANCHMESHALI DAL

SHOJNEDATA TETUL DIYE MUSHURIR DAL

MUSHUR DAL FRY

GOTA SHEDDO

LOTI SHUTKI O PALONG ER DAL

INGREDIENTS :

SPLIT MOONG BEAN / SMALL YELLOW DAL : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP [WASHED]

ROUGHLY CHOPPED SPINACH / PALONG SHAAK : A BIG BOWL

CHOPPED TOMATO : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

SLICED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

HALVED DRY RED CHILLI : 2-3

BAYLEAF : 1

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

ASAFOETIDA : 1/4 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP

PANCHPHORON : 1/4 TSP [A MIX OF RADHUNI, MUSTARD SEED, CUMIN SEED, FENNEL SEED, FENUGREEK SEED, NIGELLA SEED]

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1 TSP [OPTIONAL]

OIL : 2 TBSP

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 1TBSP [OPTIONAL]

PROCEDURE :

We will take the washed lentils in a pressure cooker and add 2 coffee mugs of water, a little of salt & turmeric!

We will close the lid tight, pressure cook at minimal heat up to 1 whistle and wait for the lid to open normally!

We will heat the oil in a wok, add the asafoetida and temper it with the panchphoron, halved dry red chillies, bay leaf!

We will add the sliced, washed onions and fry them until brown!

We will add the chopped tomatoes and stir cook until they melt!

We will add the washed and roughly chopped spinach leaves & the slitted green chillies! We will stir cook for 2-3 minutes!

We will add some salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and stir for a minute.Take out on a plate!

We will add the boiled dal into the wok, add the dry mango powder & sugar [if using]. We will fold in well!

We will let it simmer for 3-4 minutes at low heat and   keep it in a bowl!

We will add all of the cooked spinach atop the lentil curry; take as much as pictures. We need not forget to mix well the entire thing before eating!

It goes well with puffed & flat breads; also with cumin and coconut rice!