Palak Dal/Spinach Dal/Palong Shak diye Dal

Dal Palak or Spinach Dal is called as Palong shak diye dal in Bengali.  This is a bowl full of healthy dal (lentil). It has vitamins and iron rich spinach cooked to perfection tempering simply with cumin seeds, ginger and garlic paste, dry red chili and then simmered with boiled mushy yellow moong dal (sona muger dal). 

Today I am sharing the Bengali recipe of Palong shak diye Moong Dal which is a bit different from the conventional Palak Dal that is so popular all over North Western India.

This is a side dish and you can have this cooked dal or lentil with both rice, roti, parathas etc.

There are many ways of making Dal Palak or Palong Shak diye dal or lentils. 

In this recipe, I have not used onion, I added only 1 teaspoon of ginger and garlic paste. 

This is a very common dal recipe I often make at my home in winter season when Palong Shak or Spinach are available in plenty. I generally prepare this Palong Shak diye dal with Moong Dal or Lentils only. But this Palong Dal can be made with a mix of 1 portion toor Dal or Tuvar dal (arhar dal) and an equal portion of chholar dal or chana dal. While cooking Palak Dal or Palong Dal, it is best to pressure cook your choice of pulses or lentils as Palong Shak diye  Dal tastes best when the dal is fully cooked and mushy and not grainy.

To cook with Chana Dal or Tuvar (Arhar Dal), you should soak the Dal or Lentils in water for at least half an hour.

Palak Dal/ Spinach Dal/Palong Shak diye Dal *

              

RECIPE for Palong Shak diye Moong Dal or Dal Palak or Spinach Dal 

Author : Ruby Mukherjee 

Servings

4

Preparation Time : 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time : 20 minutes 

Total Time : 35 minutes 

Course

Main Course

Diet

Vegetarian

Cuisine

Indian         

Palak moong lentils (spinach and yellow lentil dal) is a nutrient-dense, high-fiber, and moderate-protein dish, providing approximately 130–135 calories, 7–8g of protein, and 3-4g of fiber per serving. 

It is naturally low in cholesterol and fat, while offering significant iron, potassium, and magnesium, making it an ideal choice for heart health, weight management, and diabetic-friendly diets. 

Key Nutritional Breakdown (per serving, approx. 140-150g) :

Calories: ~132-133 kcal

Protein: ~7.2 g

Carbohydrates: ~17-19 g

Fiber: ~2.9-3.8 g

Fat: ~3 g 

Health Benefits of Palak Moong Dal:

High Protein & Fiber: The combination of moong dal and spinach provides sustained energy and satiety.

Heart Health: Low in fat and cholesterol, it is rich in potassium and magnesium, which help regulate blood pressure.

Nutrient-Dense: Spinach provides iron, while moong dal offers zinc and essential vitamins.

Easy to Digest:

Moong dal is considered light on the stomach, often recommended for gut health. 

Preparation Notes:

Using minimal oil/ghee during preparation keeps the dish light. It is a versatile dish, often prepared as a soup or thick curry, suitable for all ages.

*Source Google 

List of Ingredients: 

1.  Yellow Moong Dal without skins

(1 cup)

2.  Spinach or Palong Shak Leaves (2 cups)

3. Ginger ½" piece

3.  Garlic (2-3 cloves)

4.  Asafoetida or Hing (¼ teaspoon) (Optional)

5. Whole Jeera or Cumin Seeds (½ teaspoon)

6. Dry Red Chili (1 or 2 whole)

7. Turmeric Powder (⅓ teaspoon)

8. Green chili 1 to 2 small size according to your taste 

9. Bay leaf 1

10. Sugar ½ or 1 teaspoon (Optional)

11. Salt (to taste)

12. Oil. I prefer Mastard Oil 

HOW TO MAKE PALAK DAL/SPINACH DAL/PALONG SHAK DIYE DAL

Properly clean the spinach leaves and then thoroughly wash with plenty of water. 

Drain all the water and set it aside.

After draining out the water, chop the rinsed spinach finely. 

This is the most important step.

Dry roast the dal on low heat for few seconds. Then remove and wash with water and soak the Moong Dal in water for 10 minutes.

Then put a pan or pressure cooker in the oven. Add 2 cups of water, let the water boil. Then add the yellow moong dal. Add the turmeric powder and salt. If you are cooking in a pan, let it boil unless it becomes soft. If you are pressure cooking the yellow Moong Dal, then put the lid on the pressure cooker. Let the pressure cooker whistle 1 or 2.

Open the lid only when the pressure settles naturally and check the cooked lentils. Mash lightly with a spoon, if needed.

In a pan or kadai, heat 1 or 2 tablespoon oil or ghee. I used 1 tablespoon Mastard Oil. Fry the cumin seeds on low heat until they splutter.

When the cumin seeds are spluttering, add the ginger and garlic paste and and 1 or 2 small green chilies. 

Fry for some seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger garlic paste go away.

Add the 2 cups of finely chopped spinach and mix it with the rest of the fried ingredients.

Add the bay leaf. 

Sauté the spinach for 4 to 5 minutes on low heat, stirring in between, till the spinach leaves soften.

Now,  add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) (Optional). Mix these spices with the spinach and sauté for a minute.

Skip asafoetida, if you don’t have it or like it. 

 

Now, add the mashed lentils.

Add 1 cup water to the spinach dal. Mix thoroughly.

The quantity of water will depend on how much thick or thin consistency you want. 

For a thicker consistency skip adding water or add ½ cup water. If you want a slightly thinner dal, add more water.

Taste the dal, you can add more salt if needed. While pressure cooking the Moong Dal, I added salt and turmeric powder. You can add 1 or ½ teaspoon sugar if you want. I added sugar in small quantity to enhance the taste of my Palong Shak diye Moong Dal recipe.

Cook the dal for 5 to 6 minutes in low heat. Stir often, so that the lentils do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Turn off the heat and serve Dal Palak hot with rice or roti and a side vegetable dish.

You can have this tasty Palong Shak diye Dal with Begun Bhaja or fried brinjals, alu bhaja or fried potatoes at the time of eating this with the boiled rice.

Please do not forget to let me know your feedback on my Dal Palak/ Spinach Dal/Palong Shak diye Moong Dal.

*Photograph taken by myself