LASOONI ALOO PALAK

 LASOONI ALOO PALAK

The great-for-health spinach is called Palak in Hindi. It is probably one the most popular ingredients in North Indian cooking. Of course, spinach is widely used in South India too. 

It is well-known that spinach, like many other greens, is really good for health. This article in Good Food lists various health benefits provided by spinach. I make it a point to use spinach in our meals from time to time.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with spinach/palak, such as:-

• Spinach & Green Peas Rice
• Methi Palak Paneer Subzi 
• Dal Palak
• Palak Paneer 

Today's recipe is for Lasooni Aloo Palak. As the name suggests this delicious side dish is made with Spinach and Potato ( Palak and Aloo) and has the flavour of Garlic (Lasoon in Hindi) . I have adapted this from the YouTube video in Marathi by Madhura's Recipes. 

You will particularly love this if, like us, you enjoy the flavour of garlic! I tried this out recently and it tasted great! 

INGREDIENTS:-

• Spinach (Palak), 1 big bunch
• Green Chillies, 2
• Oil, 2 tbsp 
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Onions, medium-sized, 2, 
• Garlic, 10 cloves
• Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Besan, 1 tsp
• Kasuri Methi, crushed, 1 tsp
• Boiled Potato, large-sized, 1
• Butter, 1 tsp 

For the Seasoning:- 

• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Garlic, sliced, 2 tsp
• Dried Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1
• Oil, 1 tsp

METHOD:-

Remove the spinach leaves from their stalks, wash thoroughly in several changes of water

Roughly chop the spinach and the tender stems 

Peel the boiled potato, cube this and rub in a little salt 

Peel and finely chop the onions

Peel 10 cloves of garlic and make a paste 

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, boil the spinach in one cup of water for 3-4 minutes

Then immediately transfer the spinach to a bowl of ice cold water. This helps in retaining the colour of the spinach

After 2-3 minutes, remove the spinach from the cold water and transfer to a mixer  jar 

Add green chillies and grind to make a puree. Keep aside

In the same kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the cumin seeds, when they sizzle add the finely chopped onion and saute till they become translucent

To this add the garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes

Next add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes

Move this to one side of the kadhai

Add besan to the kadhai and roast this for a couple of minutes then mix well with the onions

The besan helps thicken the gravy 

Now add the palak puree along with the water in which the spinach was boiled 

Add salt to taste, crushed kasuri methi and mix well

Next add the boiled potato cubes and butter and cook for 3-4 minutes

Heat oil in a seasoning pan and on medium heat add the cumin seeds

When they sizzle, add the sliced garlic and saute till it turns golden

Add the broken red chilli and saute

Pour this seasoning onto the Lasooni Aloo Palak

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve hot with rotis and chapatis