Guest Recipe: Chetna Makan's Spinach Lentils Palak Dal

You’ll be amazed at how easy it can be to make a delicious meal without a grocery list of ingredients or hours in the kitchen. Chetna Makan’s Spinach Lentil Palak Dal from her latest cookbook, 5 Ingredient Indian, is the perfect example.

In her warm, unfussy style, Chetna transforms just a handful of everyday ingredients into a deeply comforting dish. Earthy lentils and vibrant spinach are brought to life with fragrant spices that fill the whole kitchen with the most incredible aroma. It’s amazing how much flavour can come from so little.

I crave this kind of food on warm summer evenings. Serve the dal over rice, scoop it up with warm roti, or enjoy it just as it is. It’s nourishing, comforting, and lets the ingredients do all the talking.

✨ Find other easy recipes on Chetna’s Instagram.

Summer cooking should be every bit as colourful as it is effortless, which is why my Chopped Beet & Bean Salad feels like such a natural companion. Sweet beetroot, mixed beans, fresh herbs, and a bright dressing come together in minutes. Apart from boiling the beets (or cheating a little with pre-cooked ones!), there's hardly any cooking involved.

This salad is the perfect cool counterpoint to the dal’s warmth. Together, they make a meal that celebrates simple ingredients, bold flavours, and leaves you with plenty of time to enjoy the evening.

Check out my full recipe video:

{v, pb, gf, nf, df}

SERVES 4

300g (10½oz) split red lentils (masoor dal)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

200g (7oz) spinach leaves, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

6–8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1. Put the lentils in a saucepan and add 1.2 litres (2 pints) water, 1 teaspoon salt and the ground turmeric. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes until the lentils are soft and starting to break apart.

2. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes over a low heat until wilted.

3. Heat 4 tablespoons of ghee or oil of your choice in a separate small pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the garlic and cook over a low heat for 1 minute until it starts to change colour. Add 1 teaspoon chilli powder, then pour the mixture over the cooked dal. Mix well and serve.
   

Abbreviations:

v- Vegetarian, pb - Plant based, gf - Gluten Free, nf - Nut free, df - Dairy free.

Extracted from 5 Ingredient Indian by Chetna Makan, Hamlyn, £26. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.

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