Aloo palak (or Aloo masala)

This recipe uses mostly traditional Indian ingredients, but not too much of them.

If like me, you are not a fan of spicy food at the traditional Indian level, this recipe is for you, too.

Usually I use peas, but here I used canned butter beans.

Frozen peas or canned brown lentils are also a good choice.

How to make this aloo palak

Ingredients for 3 side dish portion.

(A) 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

(A) 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

15ml oil (olive oil)

30g shallot (chopped)

5g garlic

5g ginger

10g tomato paste

300g potatoes (Not waxy ones) diced into olive size

5g salt

(B)1/2 chili flakes or less

(B)1/2 tsp garam masala

(B)1/2 tsp turmeric powder

(B)1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 cup =125ml of water

100g cooked beans or peas of your choice (Butter beans peas)

100g spinach (If you dont' like spinach use tomatoes)

(C) 1tbsp brewer's yeast (optional)

(C) 15g fresh coriander leaves (optional)

(C)1tsp dried fenugreek leaves = kasuri methi (optional)

Preparation .

Soak potatoes in a bowl of water to remove the starch.

Rinse canned beans with water and drain water.

Rinse spinach leaves.

STEP1

Roast seeds ( cumin seeds/coriander seeds ) and tomato paste with oil over a low heat until fragrant.

If you don't have whole seeds you can use ground spices but if that is the case add later at the step 4 with other spices.

STEP2

Fry chopped shallot for a few minutes until shallot becomes translucent.

STEP 3

Fry chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant.

STEP 4

Add (B) spices.

Just stir it a couple of times.

STEP 5

Drain potatoes.

Add all the diced potatoes with salt.

Add 125ml water.

(Don't forget to add salt here, it helps the cooking process )

STEP 6

Cover the frying pan and let the potatoes cook for 8-10 minutes over high heat.

(If your potatoes chunk is as small as an olive it takes only 8minutes.)

STEP 7

Carefully open the lid and add cooked beans.

Cook them with the potatoes for just a couple of minutes because

these beans are already so tender.

STEP 8

Add all the spinach.

Sprinkle some brewer's yeast optionally.

Steam spinach for a few minutes.

The spinach volume will be reduced very quickly.

STEP 9

Finally sprinkle some coriander leaves and dried fenugreek leaves.

At an event I made this dish without spinach and with tomatoes.

Aloo masala