Daal Palak Ka Shorba /Spinach and Lentil Soup

                              Whenever I come across Palak/Spinach, I can't restrict my mind flashing about the great cartoon character POPEYE- The Sailor Man. Unlike the kids today aware of more cartoon characters, I just remember few cartoon characters in my earlier days. Popeye is the one who lives from my childhood days. As yet, no other cartoon character is so impressive as of popeye (for myself). As of Chotta bheem's laddu, Palak/Spinach was the energy booster for popeye. Popeye will have raw spinach for his ultimate superman energy, for knocking down the mighty Bluto. 

                        Spinach has bunch of health benefits in it,in addition to the Popeyes instant energy. Travelling away from India, I could find mere greens available. Spinach (except cilantro n mint) is the one easily available. So my greens is strictly restricted to Spinach. Trying out different recipes with spinach and yielded to this healthy dal and greens combo- Spinach and lentil soup.

   

                                            My husband always stays away from the greens, that too him having a soup with only spinach will not happen in my dream too. So tried adding moong dal with spinach. Moong dal when added to any recipe it will surely give an enhanced taste, either payasam, sambar, even rice which turns to ven pongal. Yes and finally my Daal Palak Shorba/ Spinach lentil soup was made.

Prep time 10 mins

Cooking time 15 mins

Ingredients 

1 cup Spinach (tightly packed)
1/2 cup Moong Dal
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

as per taste Pepper powder  

as per taste Salt

                     
To make Spinach Puree

1 cup Spinach (tightly packed)

1/2 tbsp Onion finely chopped

1/2 tbsp Garlic finely chopped

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

To garnish
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds

Procedure

1. First cook the moong dal for 4-5 whistles in pressure cooker, with turmeric added to it.
2. Meanwhile clean and chop the spinach. 
3. In medium flame, we have to cook the spinach. In a pan put the cumin seeds, chopped onion and garlic, followed by spinach. Saute it for few minutes and then allow it to cook. The water in the spinach will itself be enough. If water is needed just sprinkle some water. Spinach will be cooked in 5-6 minutes.
4. When the spinach is cooked, cool it and make puree out of it. 
5. Add the spinach puree with the cooked moong dal and salt, mix it well. Cook it for 4-5 minutes in low flame.
6. Switch off and transfer the spinach dal mixture to a bowl.
7. In a frying pan, in low fame, add ghee. After it gets heated add the mustard seeds. Wait it to splutter and add cumin seeds. 
8. Pour the above on the soup. Hence we are done with the soup.
9. Add pepper as per your taste. The soup was tasty when plain even without pepper. 

                  

                     Note:

• While making puree, you can also avoid onion and garlic. So this soup can be made by people who avoids onion and garlic.
• Instead of moong dal, toor dal, masoor dal can also be added.
• For onions,  I prefer shallots or sambar onion.

                            Simple, healthy, stomach friendly, diet friendly spinach lentil soup is made ready.