Aloo Palak

1. clean the potatoes well, dice in to medium-sized pieces, and pressure cook until half-boiled.

Note: you may keep the potato skins intact; they are extremely nutritious and alleviate any gas that potato starch is likely to cause.

1. In a pot, bring water to a rolling boil, place spinach leaves, cover with a lid and blanch the leaves for 5 minutes.
2. Drain and immediately place blanched spinach in cold water for 3-4 minutes.
3. Strain the spinach again, transfer to a blending jar, add green chilies, and blend smooth.

1. Heat ghee/oil/butter in a wok, and sauté bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon till they become aromatic.
2. Add the chopped onion and sauté till translucent.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir till the raw smell goes away.
4. Add chopped tomato and stir till the tomato pieces become soft and mushy.

Note: At this point, the oil should start releasing from the mixture.

1. Add the turmeric powder and asafetida and stir for 5-10 seconds.
2. Add the spinach puree and mix well.
3. Add gram flour/maize flour and whisk until no lumps are visible. The mixture starts to thicken. Add water if necessary.

Note: you can also dissolve flour in 3-4 tbsp of water prior to mixing it with the spinach mixture.

1. Simmer the gravy till the spinach is completely cooked.
2. Add the cooked potatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the garam masala powder & crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and give the dish a quick stir.
4. Serve aloo palak hot with rotis, chapatis, parathas, or rice.

Trivia

Spinach originated in Persian (present-day Iran) and introduced into Europe in the 15th century.

Florence in Italy was the home town of Catherine de Medici, a lover of spinach, who married the King of France in the 16th century. And that’s why dishes that feature spinach are called Florentine in Italian cuisine!