Photograph: Kind courtesy Monali.mishra/Wikimedia Commons
Winter is here and so it's time to incorporate greens in our diet after the monsoon hiatus.
Try this soothing cold weather meal of humble palak, which is paired with potatoes and flavoured with simple masalas and loads of garlic!
Have it with hot phulkas or parathas or dal-rice for a delicious dose of greens. It is also ideal as your quick tiffin fix.
Lasooni Aloo Palak
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch or 250 gm palak or spinach
- 2 large-sized aloo or potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into big cubes
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 1 medium-sized tomato, finely chopped
- 2-3 green chillies
- ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chilly powder
- 1 tsp dhania or coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 large tej patta or bay leaf
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 1 tsp kasuri methi, toasted and crushed
- 4 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste, about 2 tsp
For the tempering:
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- 5-6 large pods garlic, peeled, roughly chopped
- Pinch hing or asafoetida
- ½ tsp red chilly powder
Method
- Heat the oil in a kadhai over medium heat and shallow fry potato cubes till they turn light brown.
Keep aside. - Blanch the spinach and make a puree with little water.
Keep aside. - Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan or a kadhai over medium heat.
Add the bay leaves, cumin seeds.
Add the onion and fry till golden brown.
Add the garlic-ginger paste and the chillies and sauté for few seconds.
Add the tomato and sauté till it turns mushy.
Now add dry spices and give it a good mix.
Add spinach puree and mix well.
Add the potato cubes, salt and combine well with the gravy.
Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Now add crushed kasuri methi and the garam masala. - In the meantime, heat the ghee in a small frying pan for the tempering.
Add chopped garlic, hing and chilliy powder.
Once it starts spluttering, pour the tempering onto the sabji. - Serve hot with roti, paratha, puri or dal-rice.
