Cooking with Shail

Hello!! Aloo palak is a very delicious, rich in flavor and creamy curry. When we were kids we had this cartoon named Popeye who was famous for his spinach eating habits. He would eat spinach and become strong. We often used to wonder if that was really possible and it is. Spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals, low in calories and versatile in cooking. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E and vitamin C. Most of kids hate to eat spinach but make this recipe and they will love it. So lets get cooking….

Ingredients:

Boiled potatoes – 4 medium sized

Ginger – 1 inch

Garlic – 7-9 cloves

Green Chilly – 3 ( if using the spicy dark green chilly then only 2)

Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tbsp

Garam Masala – 2 tbsp

Lemon Juice – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp

Clarified Butter/Ghee – 1 tbsp

Jeera/Cumin – 1 tsp

Asafoetida/Hing – 1 tsp

Green Capsicum (finely chopped) – 1/4 cup

Onion puree/paste – 1/2 cup

Tomato puree/paste – 1/2 cup

Palak/Spinach – 250 grams

Malai/Cream – 2 tbsp

Cheese (grated) – 1 cube

Salt as per taste

Milk -1/2 cup

Kasori Methi – 1 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves – 1/4 cup

Water for boiling

Method:

1) Boil the palak/spinach in an open vessel in water. Once done puree the boiled palak, fresh coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, green chilly and the cream/malai together. Keep aside.

2) Chop the boiled potatoes and keep aside.

3) In a deep wok take the oil, ghee and add the asafoetida and jeera/cumin in it and let it splutter. Once done add the capsicum and saute for 2 minutes. Now add the onion puree and let it cook for 5 minutes. Then add the tomato puree and let them cook till it starts leaving oil (approximately 5-10 minutes).

4) Now add the spinach/palak pure as prepared above in step (1) and add the cumin-coriander powder, garam masala, sugar and salt and let it cook for 5 minutes till it thickens.

5) At this stage add the milk and mix well. Add the kasori methi (slightly crush with palm) and lemon juice. Grate the cheese cube into the gravy directly and mix it. Finally add the chopped potatoes and cover the wok and let it cook for  minute.

6) Switch of the gas and serve hot with paratha/naan/kulcha.