Topic: Saag Aloo Dry Bhuna BIR style

[Chilli Prawn]

Saag Aloo (Spinach & Potatoes) ? Dry bhuna style.

You can substitute fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves or fresh Mustard Leaves (Palak) for the Spinach, but do not use dry Methi leaves unless you are confident about quantities.

Ingredients

1 kilo - approx   (5 ? 6 medium) Waxy potatoes, or the equivalent in small new potatoes
500gm   Frozen Leaf Spinach (1 bag will do) you can use fresh an work out the quantities needed
100gm   Coarsely chopped onion (1 inch pieces)
2 cloves   Fresh garlic, more can be used if you like Garlic
? tsp   Black mustard seeds
1 tsp   Garam Masala (any fresh home made is OK)
? tsp   Chilli powder (medium blend will do but you can add more)
1 large pinch   Asafoetida (Hing) powder
6 tblspn   Ghee or vegetable oil (also add a teaspoon of Mustard oil to enhance flavour)
   Salt to taste (quite a lot is required so be careful)
   
Method

1.   Peel and cut up the potatoes into 1 -1 ? inch (approx) pieces and add to salted boiling water.
2.   Boil until they are just undercooked, and put them immediately in to cold water to stop them cooking further.
3.   Defrost the Spinach at the same time, squeeze out the excess water, and leave to dry out a little.
4.   Heat the Ghee/Oil on a medium heat, and when hot add the Hing and immediately add the Mustard seeds and let them pop for 2 or 3 seconds
5.   Immediately add the Garlic and stir around for a few seconds.
6.   Add the chopped onions and turn up the heat to maximum.
7.   Fry the mixture until the Onions just start tom catch at the edges and turn brown.
8.   Add the Spinach and stir fry on a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.
9.   Add the potatoes and mix in
10.   Add at least 1 tsp of salt and stir in but don?t add more at this stage.
11.   Add a little more oil in the mix is too dry.
12.   Add the Chilli powder and stir in well.
13.   Add the Garam Masala and stir in.
14.   Check for salt.
15.   Cook until potatoes are cooked and serve immediately.

The dish should be quite dry, i.e. no free water, with a little oil in evidence not swimming in it.  Make sure you stir the mix regularly to stop it sticking.

By all means alter the amount of Garlic and Chilli to suit your taste, but I would not recommend changing the amounts of the Hing and Mustard unless you really know what you are doing.

You can substitute Paneer cubes for the potatoes, but add and fry the Paneer between steps 4 and 5 and fry it until it is golden brown, remove it and add it back later in the process instead of the Potatoes.

A Culinary note, Palak and Saag get interchanged throughout the Indian Sub-Continent.  Basically they both mean leaf greens.

I got the basics for this from the Asha (I think) in Bold St Liverpool yonks ago.  My wife is the vegetarian cook and gets accolades for this dish from our customers.

Happy cooking
CP

[chowie]

Old post I know, but no responses, I've tried this tonight and it's not bad, not the best I've had but pretty good. The potato would defiantly benefit from being boiled in spices etc before being added. Sag Aloo goes so well with a nice hot curry I'm surprised there are not more recipes for it.

[qprbob]

Hi Chilli Prawn.
Made your Saag Aloo today and it was very good. I halved all the ingredients. I think half a tsp of salt was a tad too much. I would also prefer more Spinach to Potato ratio, but that's a personal preference.Next time I will have a little tinker with it and post results.