Palak Moong Dal Sabji Indian Recipe (Cheera Cherupayar Parippu Thoran, Palak Moong Dal Dry Fry)

I have been trying to find out some recipes for Spinach, and one of my friends, made this curry, and it was very nice and different. In Kerala, we have very few recipes with Cheera (it is not the traditional purple Cheera, that I used in this. It is not available in the place I stay, and hence had to satisfy myself with the English Spinach!)

Spinach as any other leafy vegetable is a source of vitamins and minerals. I found the combination very good, and tasty, made this way.

Spinach – 2 big bunches (chopped coarsely)

Moong Dal – ½ cup (soaked for ½ an hour)

Onion – 1 medium (chopped finely)

Garlic – 4-5 cloves

Green Chillies – 3-4

Cummin – ¼ tsp

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Chilli Powder – as needed

Curry Leaves – 2 sprigs

Water – ¼ cup

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

1) In a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and green chillies, coarsely, and keep aside.

2) In a hot tawa, add the oil, and put cumin and curry leaves in it.

3) Once the cumin starts spluttering, add the garlic, chilli paste, and sauté for sometime till the raw smell goes.

4) Now add the chopped onion, and sauté for some time. Add a pinch of salt here, to accelerate the process of frying the onion.

5) Once the Onion is fried, add Moong Dal, and ¼ cup of water. Check salt and cook it in simmer for some time

6) Once the Moong Dal is cooked enough (it shouldn’t be over cooked, should be just right, as you see in the picture), add the spinach.

7) Mix the ingredients well, and add chilli powder and turmeric. Cook in simmer for sometime without covering the lid, and tossing the mix once in a while.

8) Once the spinach is cooked well, switch off the stove.

9) Palak Moong Dal sabzi is ready. It is best served with Chapathis, roti or rice. Hope you try it at home!