Loading...Dhaba style Dal Palak has superb fragrance because of double tadka. The cooking style is typically like the roadside Dhaba. In addition, there are a variety of spices & masala powders in it.
Having them all in this recipe elevates the overall taste & texture. But, first, what is precisely dal palak & why is it necessary to make it in the traditional Dhaba style?
What is Dal Palak?
Dal & palak are two focus words here. Dal means lentils & palak is spinach. Wait! That’s not the whole story. The double tadka (temper) is the USP of this recipe. Another critical point is the blanched spinach.
Yes, they are only blanched, not thoroughly boiled.
Given these points, all together makes mouth-watering & tempting double tadka dal palak.
Why Dal Palak?
It is not at all mandatory to make dal palak in Dhaba style. Nope, not at all.
But what if we make it the way we eat at a roadside Dhaba? That’s what the whole recipe is all about. It will load you with distinct flavours. Every bite will make you fall in love with it. On the contrary, what if you don’t make it Dhaba style?
Then your dish will be watery. Some ingredients will overpower the rest of the items. All in all, your “not Dhaba style dal palak” will be boring & tasteless. Therefore, follow each & every detail here in this recipe.
Tempering in the aluminium bowl
This recipe involves tempering two times, and this is the second time. All items are available or already in your kitchen closets. We need cumin, dry red chilli, Kasuri methi, asafoetida & melted butter. If you prefer ghee instead of butter, then go for it.
Our double tadka Dhaba style dal palak ingredients are complete. It’s now time to make it. Let’s do it.
Making Dal Palak with Double Tadka
Similar to the item list, I have bifurcated the cooking process into four divisions. Doing this will make your job easy. However, the recipe is a bit lengthy & requires attention. Meanwhile, don’t use WhatsApp or Instagram.
The first step is to blanch the spinach for only a minute. Then, remove spinach from the hot water & keep it aside in a separate container or dish. Coldwater is the best preservative to conclude the natural taste & texture of blanched spinach.
Now boil lentils with other ingredients. It is the second step. Suppose time permits soak lentils before boiling. Mash boiled lentils & keep them aside.
Tempering is our third step. Heat oil & saute the ingredients. Add boiled lentils & blanched spinach along with spinach water. Mix well & your dal palak is almost ready. The last & most crucial step is ghee wala tadka. Yes, this is the point beyond which the recipe will not only look but also taste yummy.
Sure Shot Tips
- Do not boil water to extreme temperatures. The water must be hot enough to dip your fingers & still not hurt.
- Add spinach only after the water is boiled to the desired level. If not, then the spinach will shatter in hot water.
- Preserve the water in which the spinach is blanched. We will need it. Do not through it away.
- Use the tender stems of spinach. If they are not tender and are dense then only use the leaves.
- You can use frozen spinach for this as well if you do not have fresh ones available.
- Old lentils will take too much time to cook. Hence use the one under shelf life.
- Add more water to lentils if they are undercooked.
- The taste can be changed by adjusting the spices as per your taste. Similarly, the consistency of the dal can also be adjusted by adding/subtracting the water.
- Dip blanched spinach in cold water to preserve the texture & taste. It works. Try it.
- Soak lentils overnight in normal water or 4-6 hours in hot water before boiling.
- Resist the temptation to skip an ingredient even if it is smaller in size or quantity.
- Preserve the water in which spinach was blanched to use later.
- Once you pour the tadka a second time, immediately cover the lid & allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
- Follow the above point religiously to make your dal palak enticing. Yeah, could you do it?
Hence, that was it with the double tadka Dhaba style dal palak recipe today.
