Aloo Palak is a vegan dry curry dish from North India and is made as a side dish.
When Indian meals are eaten traditionally they tend to serve several dishes together with a dal, pickles, chutney and rice or chapatti, all in little bowls on a metal tray so you can mix the components together yourself using your chapatti bread.
As well as a side dish Aloo Palak is great as a quick lunchtime meal as it’s really quick to make (approx 20mins) just like a spicy vegetable hash and packed full of Indian spices, I also add mushrooms into mine or can use any other leftover vegetables from the fridge as it really adds another texture to the dish.
Serves 2 as a lunchtime meal or a side dish for a family
Ingredients:
2 cups of potatoes chopped into small cubes
1 onion finely chopped
2 cups of spinach chopped
1 cups of mushrooms finely sliced
1 clove of garlic or 1sp of garlic past
2 tsp of ginger grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp of ginger paste
2 green chillies or red if you like
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp garam masala
2-3 tsp of oil (gee or coconut oil works best)
1 tsp salt
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Coriander leaves for serving
Method:
Start by heating up your oil in a large frying pan making sure your pan has a lid that fits.
Add your cumin seeds until they start to pop then turn the heat down to medium to add your garlic, ginger and chillies as you don’t want your garlic to burn and get bitter.
Give it a good mix and allow to cook for a minute before adding the onions to cook until they have softened and start to become translucent approximately 3 mins.
Then add the chopped potatoes I have used small salad potato with their skins left on here as I like the taste but you can use any potatoes that you like, just make sure the potatoes are cut small so that they cook quickly.
Give everything a good mix so the potatoes are all coated before turning the heat to low and putting on the lid.
After 5 mins add 2 tablespoons of water to stop the potatoes from sticking. Stir and return the lid this helps to steam the potatoes.
After 10 mins or when the potato is just cooked through but still firm make sure you keep checking the pan as you don’t want the potatoes to burn. Add your mushrooms, salt, turmeric and garam masala and sauté on high for 2 mins.
Then turn the heat off and add your spinach and pop the lid back on for the heat to wilt the greens. Instead of spinach, you could also use chard, coriander, watercress, spring greens and I have even used carrot tops.
Serve in a bowl topped with fresh coriander leaves and a cup of your favourite Chai.
Recipe and Photography credit to Lara Jane Thorpe