Simple Daal and Spinach (with egg optional)

This week I had two bunches of organic spinach delivered in my organics produce basket.  An appealing way to serve spinach is by adding it to other mains that your family enjoys.  I decided on a spinach and daal meal, with an addition of eggs.  Vegans can simply omit the egg and still have a protein rich curry.   I like to keep the daal very simple, and not overwhelm the daal with too many spices.  These simple ingredients were what my mother used and I tend to cook my daal with the same simplicity.

Lentils are rich in protein, nutrients and fiber and cook fairly quickly. In addition they are very heart friendly.  All good reasons to add lentils to your diet, even if one is not a vegetarian.

Ingredients

2 cups of red daal
2 bunches of spinach ( about 3-4 cups chopped)
3 teaspoons chopped garlic
3 teaspoons chopped ginger
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 green chilly ( or more to taste)
1 large onion, chopped
2 ripe tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
( 10 eggs optional)

Method

Put the daal in a large bowl.  Add water to cover and swish around with your hands. The water will turn milky. Throw out the water and repeat process until the water remains clear when swished.

Leave in clear water to soak for at least 15 minutes.  I usually do this step first so that the daal soaks while I chop and get things ready for cooking.

Tip:  Lay newspaper under your cutting board for easy clean-up.  After cooking, wrap up all organic waste in the newspaper and put into a compost bin.  Your counter remains clean and only needs a quick wipe.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan.  When hot add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilly.

When the onion is translucent and soft, add the tomatoes.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and cook on medium to low heat until the tomatoes are soft.

Strain the daal, and add the lentils to the pan.  Stir gently, and add 1 teaspoon turmeric, another teaspoon salt and 4 cups of water.  Let this boil on medium heat in an uncovered pan until the lentils are soft when squeezed between 2 fingers.  Add more water if needed during the cooking process.

When the lentils are done add the spinach to the hot pot.  Adding the spinach to a boiling pot retains its nice green color.  Stir and let cook till the spinach is cooked.  This will only take a few minutes.  Do not overcook the spinach.  Take out a piece and taste so confirm cooking preference.

This part is optional, and can be omitted for a vegan diet.  However we love eggs in our family and this adds a great nutritional punch, especially for low-carb dieters.

Crack eggs gently over the daal.  Cover and let cook until eggs are done.

Nutritional value per portion based on 10 portions (without eggs):
calories 43.4/ total fat 1.6 g/ carbohydrates 6.0 g/ dietary fiber 1.5 g/ protein 2 g/

Nutritional value with the 10 eggs , per serving for 10 servings
calories 133.4, Fat 7.6 g/ carbohydrates 7 g/ dietary fiber 1.5 g /protein 10 g