Aloo Palak - Potatoes in creamy spinach sauce

This classic Aloo Palak contains fork tender potatoes in a smooth, lightly spiced creamy spinach sauce. It's a savory spinach curry that's ready to eat in less than half an hour and goes great with any Indian bread or rice. The word "palak" means "spinach" in Hindi and the word "aloo" refers to potatoes. This Aloo Palak is similar to Palak Paneer, which is made from cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese).

Aloo Palak is a spicy vegan dish made from readily available ingredients and is a popular gravy curry throughout India. Especially in the street food restaurants, also called dhabas, in North Indian cities where mainly Punjabi dishes are served, Aloo Palak is also one of them.

This Aloo Palak is one of my personal favorites. My mother often made it in winter when we got really good fresh spinach in the market. In fact, potatoes with any greens were a staple on our table in the winter. In a way, this recipe reflects how I grew up with food. Such simple "sabzi" (vegetarian dish in Hindi) as this aloo palak, dal and roti used to be my lunch and dinner every day.

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid, as well as a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B2. While potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, fiber and antioxidants.

After you peel the cooked potatoes and mash the blanched spinach, this dish is a breeze to prepare, as it simply uses readily available spices and everyday ingredients. As simple as it sounds, the right combination of ingredients leads to a real tongue tickler! Enjoy it hot with your favorite Indian bread.

Ingredients for 4 Portions

• 500 g Baby Spinach

• 2 medium Potatoes

• 1 large red onion, finely chopped

• 1 large tomato, finely chopped

• 1 green chili, finely chopped

• 1 ½ tsp garlic paste

• 1 ½ tsp ginger paste

• 1 tbsp oil or Ghee

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• ½ tsp red Kashmiri chili powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• ½ tsp Garam Masala

• 1 tsp salt

• ¼ cup water

For the Tadka (seasoned aromatic oil / ghee).

• 1 tbsp oil or Ghee

• ½ tsp cumin seeds

• 1 pinch of asafetida

• ½ tsp red Kashmiri chili powder

Instructions

Boil the potatoes for about 20 to 25 minutes in a liter of water and ½ tsp salt until cooked. Peel the cooked potatoes while warm or cold and cut into about 2 cm cubes. Set aside, covered.

Rinse the spinach leaves a few times in water and then drain the water well. Be sure to clean the leaves and stems thoroughly. You can add the stems when they are soft.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat and briefly toast the cumin seeds in it. Once the seeds start to pop, add in onions, chopped green chilies, ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are golden brown.

Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, coriander and red kashmiri chili powder. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes become soft and mushy. The oil should begin to separate from the sides of the mixture.

Add the spinach leaves and water and stir. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are pulled together.

Using a hand blender, puree the spinach mixture until smooth to create a creamy paste. Next, add the cooked potato cubes and Garam Masala and stir gently. Be careful not to break the potatoes apart.

For the Tadka (Tempering of spices)

Heat the oil or ghee in a small pan. Add the cumin seeds and asafetida and toast briefly. Once the seeds begin to pop, remove pan from heat and add the chili powder and sauté briefly.

Before serving, drizzle the tadka over the Aloo Palak with a teaspoon.

Then serve with Chapatis, Parathas or Basmati rice.

Tips

• Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh spinach. Allow frozen spinach to thaw at room temperature and squeeze out all the water before blending. Add a little water as needed during blending. Frozen spinach does not need to be blanched.

• Do not use fibrous stalks.

• You can use 8 to 10 baby potatoes instead of regular potatoes.

• If you're not a potato fan, you can also substitute potatoes with vegetables like green peas, carrots, cauliflower or corn. Make sure these vegetables are precooked.

I look forward to hearing from you...

...if you like my blog, my recipes inspire you and your curiosity for Indian cuisine has been piqued.

Feel free to give me feedback if you would like to share your cooking accomplishments or have a suggestion for improvement. I appreciate any kind feedback. Whether via the comment function, email, Facebook or Instagram (best tagged with #heutemalindisch and @heutemalindisch, then your cooking success can also inspire others).