Saag Aloo

Saag aloo and my mom’s namak mirch ki puri (Marwaris call parathas as puris).

The fresh seasonal spinach is cooked in ghee, onion tomato gravy, seasoned with aromatic spices and finished off with the crunch garlic tadka on top. Oh my! I am still in food hibernation…this paired with my mom’s recipe of namak mirchi ki puri is a delight to savour. Of course, not to miss along was the teekha Marwari garlic chutney and dry mango pickle made by my mom.

Some of you suggested I share the recipe here in the Insta post too along with the blog so here you go –

Ingredients –

500 gms baby potatoes

4 cups chopped spinach

3 medium sized onions

1/3 cup tomato paste

3 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp cold pressed groundnut oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds & fine mustard seeds

1/2 inch ginger & 5-6 garlic cloves-crushed (I used mortar and pestle)

1.5 tsp garlic & red chilli paste

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp curd whisked with 3 tbsp water

For tempering –

2 tsp ghee

6-7 cloves crushed garlic

1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

Method –

Pressure cook the baby potatoes to one whistle. Let the steam release naturally. Peel the potatoes.

In a stainless steel kadhai , heat 2 tsp ghee and mix in a pinch of Kashmiri red chilli powder, a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix in the potatoes and sauté them until a brown coat appears. Keep aside.

In the same kadhai, heat the remaining ghee and oil and let the cumin seeds and mustard seeds sizzle.

Add in the garlic and ginger and sauté for about a min. Mix in the onions and let it cook until the onions turn soft.

Add the garlic red chilli paste, tomato paste and salt and let it cook for 8-9 mins in medium low flame or until the sides release oil.

Mix in whisked curd and stir until it comes to a boil. Let it cook on medium low flame until again the oil is released. Mix the curry powder, turmeric and black pepper.

Add in the spinach and water, cover and let it simmer on low flame for 6-7 mins.

Add the potatoes, mix well, cover and let it simmer on low flame for around 8-10 mins.

Taste to adjust the tang and add sugar as desired. Adjust salt and seasonings. Let it cook for another min or so.

For tempering – heat ghee in a tempering pan, and add crushed garlic. Sauté until the garlic turns light brown. Mix the red chilli powder and switch off the flame. Pour this on top of saag aloo.

Enjoy with puris or phulkas!

If you like this recipe of saag aloo, do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.