AuthorSalmaCategoryMains, VegetarianDifficultyBeginnerSaag Aloo, also known as spinach and potato, is a tasty side dish or can be eaten as a light meal with rice or naan bread.
I used two of these packets, I washed them and finely chopped them.
I finely sliced two medium sized onions, cut the green chillies in half, finely chopped the coriander and peeled the potatoes then cut them in medium pieces.
When you chop the potatoes, soak them in cold water and rinse fully before adding them in the spices.
In a non stick pan add 4 tablespoons of oil (adjust if required) and add the ghee as well.
Once the oil is hot and the ghee melts, add the garlic, dry red chillies, cumin seeds and bayleaves.
Ghee adds a nice taste and fragrance to the dish. I forgot to add the ghee at the start so I added it with rest of the ingredients.
Put the gas up and mix it in.
Fry all the ingredients on high heat by stirring for 2-4 minutes. The garlic should be nice and golden like the picture and not burnt.
Add the onions, chillies and salt to taste.
As a guide I used about 1/2 a tablespoon of salt- it's best to add less salt at this stage as this can be adjusted later.
Mix this on high heat. Once you have mixed it in, put the gas down and cook under medium heat.
Cook until the onions are soft.
Make sure to stir at times and adjust the heat during this cooking stage if required.
Add all the spices, I use a normal teaspoon to measure the spices.
Tumeric powder 1/3 Tsp
Chilli powder 1 & 1/4 Tsp
Cumin powder 1 Tsp
Coriander powder 1 & 1/4 Tsp
Hot/Mild curry powder
I always use Bolst's hot curry powder but you can use any brand you prefer.
Put the gas up and mix this in.
Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, make sure to stir often. If the spices become too dry, then add a little amount of hot boiled water and mix it in to prevent it from burning.
Add in the potatoes.
Put the gas up and mix it in.
Cover and cook on under medium heat.
Make sure to stir at times and if the base becomes too dry then add a little amount of hot boiled water at any time and mix it in. You can cook this covered for about 5-6 minutes then the remaining time uncovered until the potatoes look done. Do not over cook the potatoes at this stage.
Once the potatoes are tender, add in half of the spinach as all of it will not fit at this stage.
Put the gas up and cover the pan.
Once the volume of the spinach comes down, give it a good mix and add the rest of the spinach.
Once you add the rest of the spinach, cover and put the gas up again till the volume of the spinach goes down from the steam.
Once the spinach softens and all the excess water comes out, uncover and give it a good stir.
Cook on high heat until all the excess water from the spinach dries up.
During this stage, you can lower the heat a bit if required. Carry on cooking until all the water dries up, make sure to stir quite often.
Cook until the water dries up and the dish looks like the picture.
You can also taste and adjust the salt if required during this stage.
If you add more salt make sure to give it a good mix and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
Finally garnish with fresh coriander and mix this in. Cook for a further 2-4 minutes and turn the gas off.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
I used two of these packets, I washed them and finely chopped them.
I finely sliced two medium sized onions, cut the green chillies in half, finely chopped the coriander and peeled the potatoes then cut them in medium pieces.
When you chop the potatoes, soak them in cold water and rinse fully before adding them in the spices.
In a non stick pan add 4 tablespoons of oil (adjust if required) and add the ghee as well.
Once the oil is hot and the ghee melts, add the garlic, dry red chillies, cumin seeds and bayleaves.
Ghee adds a nice taste and fragrance to the dish. I forgot to add the ghee at the start so I added it with rest of the ingredients.
Put the gas up and mix it in.
Fry all the ingredients on high heat by stirring for 2-4 minutes. The garlic should be nice and golden like the picture and not burnt.
Add the onions, chillies and salt to taste.
As a guide I used about 1/2 a tablespoon of salt- it's best to add less salt at this stage as this can be adjusted later.
Mix this on high heat. Once you have mixed it in, put the gas down and cook under medium heat.
Cook until the onions are soft.
Make sure to stir at times and adjust the heat during this cooking stage if required.
Add all the spices, I use a normal teaspoon to measure the spices.
Tumeric powder 1/3 Tsp
Chilli powder 1 & 1/4 Tsp
Cumin powder 1 Tsp
Coriander powder 1 & 1/4 Tsp
Hot/Mild curry powder
I always use Bolst's hot curry powder but you can use any brand you prefer.
Put the gas up and mix this in.
Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, make sure to stir often. If the spices become too dry, then add a little amount of hot boiled water and mix it in to prevent it from burning.
Add in the potatoes.
Put the gas up and mix it in.
Cover and cook on under medium heat.
Make sure to stir at times and if the base becomes too dry then add a little amount of hot boiled water at any time and mix it in. You can cook this covered for about 5-6 minutes then the remaining time uncovered until the potatoes look done. Do not over cook the potatoes at this stage.
Once the potatoes are tender, add in half of the spinach as all of it will not fit at this stage.
Put the gas up and cover the pan.
Once the volume of the spinach comes down, give it a good mix and add the rest of the spinach.
Once you add the rest of the spinach, cover and put the gas up again till the volume of the spinach goes down from the steam.
Once the spinach softens and all the excess water comes out, uncover and give it a good stir.
Cook on high heat until all the excess water from the spinach dries up.
During this stage, you can lower the heat a bit if required. Carry on cooking until all the water dries up, make sure to stir quite often.
Cook until the water dries up and the dish looks like the picture.
You can also taste and adjust the salt if required during this stage.
If you add more salt make sure to give it a good mix and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
Finally garnish with fresh coriander and mix this in. Cook for a further 2-4 minutes and turn the gas off.
Enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe Salma. We’ve made it a couple of times now and both times it’s turned out delicious. Thank you for such clear step by step instructions. Looking forward to making some more of your recipes!