Spinach Chutney /Thokku

I have been including spinach in my diet a lot lately due to health reasons. I have been adding them to stir fries, eggs, rotis, or I usually make a simple dhal. I saw this recipe in a foodie group in Facebook recently and wanted to try this ever since. I modified the recipe a little to my taste and it was very good.  We had it with brown rice and a simple carrot stir-fry. This is a good recipe, if you are looking for a different flavorful dish with spinach.

Ingredients:
1. Spinach, 1 big bunch.
2. Small onions, peeled, 1/2 cup.
3. Garlic, 2 pods.
4. Urad dhal, 1 tablespoon.
5. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Dried red chilies, 3-4.
7. Tamarind, a small goose-berry size ball.
8. Salt, as per taste.

Preparation:
Wash the spinach and keep them aside.  There is no need to chop the spinach since we are going to grind everything.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the urad dhal and fry for a few seconds and then add the cumin seeds and red chilies and fry for a few more seconds and remove everything from the stove and keep aside. In the same pan, add one more tablespoon of oil and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Then add the spinach and keep sauteing until the spinach leaves are wilted and then switch the stove off and let it cool down. Once this mixture is cooled down, grind it into a smooth  and thick paste with a little water along with the urad dhal mixture, tamarind, and salt. Adjust the spices and salt according to taste and serve with rice or chapathis.  If preferred,  we can also add some tadka (seasoning of mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the chutney in the end).