Spiced Amaranth leaves dal / Sambhar

Red Amaranth leaves are green and purple colored leaves and are available in Asian grocery stores. The  leaves and the thinner stems are edible .The leaves are usually stir fried or cooked and used in dishes like soups, curries and dal. The leaves taste similar to spinach but have a deeper flavor. It can go well with rice, roti, quinoa etc.

Ingredients:

•  4-5 cups of chopped Amaranth leaves
• 1 tbsp Sambhar powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Jaggery powder/Sugar
• 1 tsp thick tamarind paste
• 1 cup of cooked dal
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 green chili
• 1 tbsp oil/ ghee
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds/ Rai
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida/ Hing
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

Method:

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan, add mustard seeds
2. When they splutter, add hung and garlic cloves. Sauté garlic until it turns slightly brown in color.

    3. Add amaranth leaves along with green chili and sauté until the leaves reduced in quantity. 

 

    4. Add cooked dal to the leaves and mix well.

    5. Add water, salt, tamarind paste, jaggery, sambhar powder and red chili powder. 

    6. Let it simmer for 5-7 mins on low- medium flame. Turn off the flame when the dal thickens.

    7. Serve Amaranth leaves dal with rice for main course meal along with Bitter gourd pickle. It can be served with naan or rotis as side dish.

Notes:

1. Wash the Amaranth leaves thoroughly under running water and separate the leaves from the stems. You can use the stems if they are tender.

2. I chopped the leaves and then measured the quantity in measuring cups.