A savoury dal powered with toor dal and spinach and aromatics like garlic, onion and chillies. It's comfort in a bowl, best served with hot rice and a spoon of ghee.
Rinse the Toor Dal thoroughly and wash it in water about 2-3 times. Drain the water.
In a pressure cooker, add the soaked Toor Dal, water, and turmeric powder. Pressure cook for about 20 minutes or until the dal is soft and cooked (around 4 whistles). Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Once the pressure has released from the cooker, open it and add the crushed garlic, spinach, chopped onion, tomato, green chillies, and salt to the cooked dal. Mix well.
Pressure cook for 1 more whistle or cook for about 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Open the cooker and mash the dal using a spoon or a masher until desired consistency is achieved.
For the Tempering:
In a separate frying pan, heat ghee and oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Add hing, whole garlic cloves, curry leaves and dry red chillies to the pan. Fry until the garlic turns golden brown.
Pour the tempering into the cooked dal and mix well.
Bring the dal to a simmer. Add water to adjust the consistency if needed. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld together. Serve hot Palak Pappu with steamed rice or roti.