Aloo Palak (Spinach with Potatoes)

This simple dish tastes great with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread) or Parathas (pan-fried Indian flatbread).

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped spinach leaves
• 1 large potato peeled and diced
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1 green chili chopped
• 1tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder (lal mirch)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• salt to taste
• ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 pinch asafetida (hing)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp butter
• 3 tbsp cooking oil/ghee

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and fry potatoes till light brown. Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
• In the same hot oil add the cumin seeds. When cumin seeds stop spluttering, add the onions and fry till light brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
• Add red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt and fry till oil separates.
• Add spinach and fried potatoes. Cook on medium flame till potatoes are tender. Add lemon juice.
• Just before serving heat butter in a small saucepan and add the asafetida. Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
• Serve hot as a side dish with Poori or Roti or Paratha.

Do You Know?

Spinach is low in calories, but high in oxalates. Therefore it shouldn't be eaten more than twice a week.