Spinach Gooseberry dal / palakura usiriga pappu

Preparation - 20mins
Serves - 4
Ingredients:
Gooseberry/ Usiriga - 10 (medium)
1 medium onion ( finely chopped)
500gms fresh spinach/palak
1 cup toor dal
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole jeera
2 pinches hing / asfoetida
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chillypowder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
4-5 dry red chillies
7-8 curry leaves
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
Method:

• Wash and pressure cook toor dal adding 2 cups of water and blend to a smooth paste.Keep aside.
• In a sauce pan warm oil,add mustard seeds.Once they splutter add turmeric,hing,jeera,curryleaves,dry red chillies.Fry for a minute.
• Meanwhile wash spinach well and blanch it in a cup of hot water for a minute or two.
• Chop each gooseberry into 4pieces and remove the seed from inside.Add these gooseberry pieces to the warm water and spinach.Keep aside.
• Saute finely chopped onions in the same pan till transparent.
• Drain water from spinach and save for later.
• Chop the seperated spinach and add it to onions along with gooseberry pieces.Fry it on low flame for a minute.
• Now add the warm water which were saved from blanching to the pan,mix well and close the lid for 2-3mintues.
• Sprinkle salt,chillypowder.Add the smooth dal paste to it and mix well evenly.
• Switch off the flame and serve hot with roti or rice.
• Simple and unique from the routene(tomato/tamarind) palak dal as gooseberry gives a very mild tangy taste and a different flavour.
• Try this recipe when you pick some gooseberries in the season which are very rich in vitamin C and also nutritious for healthy hair!