Aloo palak (Potato Spinach)

Ingredients

Cooking oil
Bay leaves
Pinch of cumin seeds
2 dried red chili broken
Turmeric powder, salt to taste
Crushed garlic
Cubed potatoes, microwaved or boiled, add a little salt
Fresh spinach, blanched or microwaved for 10 minutes, add a little salt
Bhaja masala-dry roasted cumin, coriander and dry red chilis

Method:

1. Blend the blanched spinach into a smooth paste.(You may also use finely chopped or frozen spinach)
2. Add the bay leaves, cumin seed, red chilis and let it splutter.
3. Add  potatoes. Sprinkle salt, turmeric, bhaja masala and fry till golden. Add chopped spinach. Simmer for a few minutes. Sprinkle some water if it gets too dry.

You can make aloo methi (potatoes with fenugreek leaves) by using chopped methi instead of spinach. Or add cubed eggplant to aloo palak to make a delicious aloo-palak-baingan. You just need to temper mustard oil with nigella seeds and dry red chilies for a quick side dish.

You may add cottage cheese (paneer) instead of potatoes for palak paneer recipe. Green chillis and onions  may also be aided as a variation. It also help to soften the cottage cheese in salt water if you can't get fresh paneer.

*Yet another way of cooking paneer is to rub salt, turmeric, red chili powder and amchur on the paneer cubes and shallow fry them first, before incorporating in the gravy.