Indian Spinach Curry (Palak Palya)

This tasty, spicy curry makes a great vegan side dish to go along with rice or any Indian flatbread. This is a very authentic curry commonly made with amaranth leaves, found in almost every Madhwa Brahmin household. I regularly make it with spinach, which is easier to find in almost all the grocers near my place. The same curry could be made with any type of fresh green leaves available to you like, dill, mountain spinach leaves, fenugreek, or linseed.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 181 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 green chile peppers
• ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 3 ¼ cups water, divided
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 5 dried red chile peppers
• ¾ cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
• ½ teaspoon urad dal
• ½ teaspoon chana dal (split chickpeas)
• ¼ teaspoon hing powder (asafoetida)
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 1 tablespoon jaggery
• ½ cup freshly grated coconut

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place toor dal in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Drain toor dal and transfer to a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Add 3 cups water and close and lock the lid. Choose high pressure and set the timer for 7 minutes; allow 5 to 10 minutes for pressure to build.

Step 3

Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Set cooked toor dal aside.

Step 4

Heat a pan over medium heat and add oil. Add mustard seeds to hot oil and cook until sputtering, about 1 minute. Add cumin, urad dal, chana dal, fenugreek seeds, and hing. Cook and stir, making sure the seasonings do not burn. Add curry leaves, red chiles, and green chiles and fry for 1 minute. Mix in chopped spinach and saute about 1 minute. Sprinkle 1/4 cup water over spinach and cover pan partially with a lid. Cook until wilted, about 10 to 15 minutes more.

Step 5

Add cooked toor dal to the pan and mix well. Add coconut and jaggery and combine well. Season with salt and mix thoroughly.