I love Indian food! However I now find Indian restaurant food SO FATTY! Making curries at home is a great alternative. This version of Saag Aloo is based on a recipe I learned during an Indian cooking class, but I have modified the method to allow it to be cooked without ghee or oil.
I was taught to steam the spinach, then chop it before adding it to the dish. My method of blending the spinach with some plant milk is quick and easy, and results in a creamy, evenly chopped sauce. If you don't have a blender, you could steam and hand chop the spinach, and add to the dish along with the plant milk. It will still taste great!! The reason for steaming the spinach is to reduce it's volume, and make it more manageable. Chopping a huge bag of fresh spinach is like herding cats....!
This curry can be made to whatever heat level you like. Personally, I like spicy food, so I tend to leave the seeds in the fresh chillis. But if you like your food milder, remove the seeds. Also, taste a tiny section of your fresh chillies. Each one will have a different heat level, and it is wise to check. Even off the same plant, chillies can come in different heats. I also suggest using a combo of fresh chilli and chilli powder. The two have quite different tastes, and using them both does a good job of rounding out the taste of your curry.
I like to serve this dish with Saffron Rice, especially if I am serving it to guests. The yellow colour of the rice looks really pretty alongside the green curry. However, it tastes just as good with plain brown basmati rice, so do what suits your mood!
Enjoy!!
Measure the Ground Spices into a small dish. Set aside.
Prepare the ginger, garlic and chillies, adding them to a small dish. Set aside.
Wash the spinach. Add the plant milk and lemon juice to a blender. Add as much spinach as will fit. Blend until liquid. Keep adding the spinach in batches until all the spinach is used up, and is well blended into the milk. Set aside.
Prepare the potatoes by scrubbing them clean, then cutting into an even dice, about 1.5cm square. Set aside.
NOTE: If you are doing this preparation ahead of cooking the curry, you will need to cover the diced potatoes with water to prevent them from discolouring.
Set a large pan onto the stove, and turn the heat on high. Dice the onion, and add it to the pan along with about 1/2 cup of water. Saute the onion until cooked. Try not to let it brown. Turn the heat down, as required. If the pan becomes too dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time.
Once the onions are cooked, move them to one side of the pan, and add the cumin seeds to the unused area of the pan. Allow them to cook until they become aromatic. Gently move them around to prevent them from burning.
Once the cumin seeds become aromatic, add the garlic, ginger and chilli mixture. Continue cooking, while stirring everything together, for another minute.
Add the Ground Spices, and cook for another minute or so. The spices will stick to the pan. This is normal. Just be careful that the spices do not burn.
Once you are happy that the spices are cooked (they will be pleasantly aromatic), add the spinach/milk mix. Stir thoroughly to combine the spices with the sauce. Make sure the spices that were stuck to the bottom of the pan have been stirred into the sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the blender jug and swirl it around to pick up any of the remaining spinach mix. Add this, along with the potatoes and stir again to combine.
Cover the pan, and turn up the heat until the sauce starts boiling. Then turn the heat down, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked. Stir every few minutes, to make sure the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If the sauce becomes too thick, add extra milk or water.
Once the potatoes are cooked, taste, and add salt or lemon, if desired.
Serve immediately with Saffron Rice, or brown basmati rice.
This curry stores well in the fridge for up to a week, or it can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Serves 4-6 people.
Ingredients
Directions
Measure the Ground Spices into a small dish. Set aside.
Prepare the ginger, garlic and chillies, adding them to a small dish. Set aside.
Wash the spinach. Add the plant milk and lemon juice to a blender. Add as much spinach as will fit. Blend until liquid. Keep adding the spinach in batches until all the spinach is used up, and is well blended into the milk. Set aside.
Prepare the potatoes by scrubbing them clean, then cutting into an even dice, about 1.5cm square. Set aside.
NOTE: If you are doing this preparation ahead of cooking the curry, you will need to cover the diced potatoes with water to prevent them from discolouring.
Set a large pan onto the stove, and turn the heat on high. Dice the onion, and add it to the pan along with about 1/2 cup of water. Saute the onion until cooked. Try not to let it brown. Turn the heat down, as required. If the pan becomes too dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time.
Once the onions are cooked, move them to one side of the pan, and add the cumin seeds to the unused area of the pan. Allow them to cook until they become aromatic. Gently move them around to prevent them from burning.
Once the cumin seeds become aromatic, add the garlic, ginger and chilli mixture. Continue cooking, while stirring everything together, for another minute.
Add the Ground Spices, and cook for another minute or so. The spices will stick to the pan. This is normal. Just be careful that the spices do not burn.
Once you are happy that the spices are cooked (they will be pleasantly aromatic), add the spinach/milk mix. Stir thoroughly to combine the spices with the sauce. Make sure the spices that were stuck to the bottom of the pan have been stirred into the sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the blender jug and swirl it around to pick up any of the remaining spinach mix. Add this, along with the potatoes and stir again to combine.
Cover the pan, and turn up the heat until the sauce starts boiling. Then turn the heat down, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked. Stir every few minutes, to make sure the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If the sauce becomes too thick, add extra milk or water.
Once the potatoes are cooked, taste, and add salt or lemon, if desired.
Serve immediately with Saffron Rice, or brown basmati rice.
This curry stores well in the fridge for up to a week, or it can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Serves 4-6 people.
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