Taakat la Palak

Spinach and lentils in a chickpea flour buttermilk gravy

(originally from Rohita Kajale)

This is truly an excellent comfort food. The gingery kadhi with the crispy garlic flavour and the spicy kick (my chillies were really hot). I devoured this with rice.

Ingredients

500ml buttermilk (preferably not sour)
1 small bunch spinach (approx 1 cup)
2 tbsps heaped chana daal+2 tbsps raw peanuts (soaked for about 2 hours)
1tbsp besan (if u want thick kadhi adjust this measurement)
1 tsp Ginger and green chill paste

A handfull of methi leaves
Sugar (optional) according to the sourness of the buttermilk
Salt as per taste.

 For the tempering

  3 tbsps oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp hing
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
4 roughly broken red chillies
A pinch of haldi powder

 Method

In a cooker cook together spinach,soaked peanuts and chana daal. Once cooked mash well. Add this to the buttermilk. Make a paste of besan with little water and add to the buttermilk spinach mix. Add the ginger chilly paste, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook till well blended.
Just before serving temper by heating oil and adding mustard, coriander and fenugreek seeds, garlic, hing, haldi, and red chillies.
Serve hot with rice or phulkas and a dry sabzi.