Garlic Croutons with Dal Palak Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow lentils (moong dal)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 4-5 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- a bunch of spinach
- 2-3 green chilies
- 2 teaspoons butter
- cumin seeds
- 5-6 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 small piece of finely chopped ginger
- crushed black pepper
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons oil
- bread slices
- fresh cream for garnish
Preparation
Soak the moong dal in water for 2 hours before cooking
In a pressure cooker, add the soaked moong dal, turmeric powder, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and salt, then pressure cook for 2 whistles
Blanch the spinach by adding it to hot water for 5 seconds and immediately transfer to ice water to cool
Blend the blanched spinach with green chilies to make a smooth puree
Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the cooked dal and blend the dal until smooth
Heat 1 teaspoon butter in a pan and add cumin seeds, 3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves, finely chopped ginger, and crushed black pepper, then sauté until the garlic is slightly cooked
Add the blended dal to the pan, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low
Stir in the spinach puree, and if the mixture is too thick, add water to adjust consistency
Add salt to taste, then turn off the heat and mix in the lemon juice
For the garlic croutons, heat a pan with the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons oil
Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, salt, and crushed black pepper, then mix well
Cut the bread slices into small cubes and coat them with the butter mixture
Roast the bread cubes in the pan until they are golden brown and crunchy, setting aside any fried garlic for garnish
Serve the soup in a bowl, topped with fresh cream, garlic croutons, and fried garlic
Notes
This soup is healthy, high in protein, and packed with nutrients
It pairs well with the garlic croutons for added flavor and texture
