Aloo Palak
Aloo Palak is a classic North Indian curry made with potatoes (aloo) and spinach (palak) cooked in a mildly spiced onion-tomato gravy. Nutritious and flavorful, this dish combines the earthiness of spinach with the comforting texture of potatoes. It pairs well with roti, paratha, or rice, making it a wholesome everyday meal option.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Oil or Ghee
- 3–4 nos Dry Red Chilies
- ½ tsp Heeng (Asafoetida)
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
- ¾ cup Onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger, chopped
- 1 no Green Chilli, chopped
- 2 cups Potato (Small, Boiled & Peeled)
- ¾ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Chilli Powder
- 1½ tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 cup Tomato, chopped
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp Kasoori Methi Powder
- 3 bunches Spinach Leaves (Keep whole)
Instructions
- Heat a pan and add oil. Break the dry chillies into 2 and add it ot hot oil. Sprinkle Heeng and add cumin. Stir for few seconds and add garlic. Cook garlic on high heat till it just starts to get brown and at this stage add in the onions. Give a quick stir and add ginger & green chillies. Cook till onions are half cooked, we do not have to brown them.
- Add turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder and give a quick stir. Add in tomatoes with some salt and cook them for 2-3mins on high heat. Now add potato cubes and toss them together. Sprinkle dried Kasoori Methi and cook for 3-4 mins and then sprinkle a little water and lower the heat and cook till potatoes are soft and completely cooked.
- In the meantime, wish the spinach leaves and discard any thick stems or wilted leaves. Hold the leaves gently and cut them into shreds. Add shredded spinach over the potatoes and toss them. Remember that spinach will lose its volume once it gets cooked so what may seem to the too much spinach ultimately will be perfect for.Basic ratio is that 10cups of freshly cut spinach after cooking will become 1 cup of cooked spinach.Cook till all of the water from the palak evaporates. Check for salt and adjust. Remove and serve it hot with a laccha paratha or Phulka.
Notes
Tips & Tricks on How to Buy, store & wash spinach.
- Things to see before buying spinach
– If the spinach is of deep green and crisp colour then it is of good quality.
– Avoid the bunches with too many yellow or wilted leaves.
– Check the stems and roots of a bunch. If it is, mushy or going bad then it indicates that the spinach is old.
– If you try to fold a spinach leaf and it does snap and folds easily then it means that the spinach is not fresh.
– Always try to buy a bunch with medium and small leaves as the bigger leaves may have a bitter aftertaste.
– To wash the spinach, open the bunch and soak it in cold water. Move it around with your hands and then let it sit in the cold water for about 5 minutes. This will allow dirt and other sediments to settle down while the spinach leave will float over the water. Now repeat this process at least 2 more times and will have clean spinach.
– To store the spinach, you may spread it onto a surface and wipe off excess water. Then place it in a porous container. Never store spinach in a sealed container.
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