Palakachi Patal Bhaji

Palak Bhaji

Maharashtrian Style Spinach Curry

Ingredients:
1 Bunch of Fresh Spinach
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup Chana Dal
2-3 tbsp broken Cashew nuts (Optional)
For Tempering: 3-4 tbsp vegetable Oil, 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp Asafoetida, 1 tsp Turmeric Powder,
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Optional)
2 tbsp Chickpea Flour
2-3 Green Chilies
2 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
1 to 1 & half tbsp Goda Masala
2 tbsp Grated Jaggery
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak peanuts and chana dal in the water for 7-8 hours. After that pressure cook peanuts and chana dal to 2-3 whistles. Add 1 and half tsp salt while pressure cooking.
2) Remove the stems from spinach and rinse the leaves well under running water. Drain. Chop the spinach leaves finely.
3) Take a frying pan. Heat 3 tbsp oil. Temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, then add chopped chilies, fenugreek seeds. Fry for 5-10 seconds. Turn the heat on medium and add chopped spinach. After couple of minutes, add chickpea flour and mash together with masher. Remove all lumps. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
4) Once spinach gets mashed properly add pressure cooked peanuts and chana dal. If you like, add some cashew nuts. Add Goda masala, little water, tamarind pulp, Jaggery and salt to taste. Give a nice stir and bring to boil.
Usually this Curry is little thick so add water only if needed.

Note:
1) You can put 2-3 garlic flakes while tempering to give a nice flavor of garlic.

Label:
Spinach curry, Indian spinach recipe, palak bhaji, palak recipe, healthy recipe

Palak Paneer

Palak paneer in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: 40 minutes


Ingredients:
Ingredients:
400 gram Spinach (after picking stems)
150 gram Fresh Paneer
1/2 cup finely chopped Onion
1 small Tomato
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
3 Green chilies, paste
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp Kasoori Methi
Whole Garam Masala (1 Cardamom, 1 small stick cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 small bay leaf) If whole garam masala ingredients are unavailable use 1 tbsp readymade garam masala powder
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Rinse spinach under running water. Boil 2-3 litres water in a deep pan and add spinach leaves in it and keep boiling for 2-3 minutes without covering the skillet. After 2-3 minutes drain all the water and add cold water to cool in down. Let the spinach cool down for 5-10 minutes. Drain and put boiled spinach in grinder and make a fine paste without adding water.
3) In a not stick skillet,heat 3 tbsp oil. Add whole garam masala and fry for 30 seconds. Then add cumin seeds, add finely chopped onion. Fry onion till it become translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds. Add Tomato puree and cook until smell of tomato disappears.
4) Cook it over medium heat. Then add cumin powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi. Stir well.
5) Once all ingredients are mingled together,add spinach puree. Bring it to boil add paneer pieces. Stir very gently as paneer pieces are very delicate. Turn off the heat.
serve hot with naan or roti.

Note:
1) You can add 1/3 cup of cream to palak paneer if you like creamy taste. Once palak paneer is completely done keep that skillet on low heat, add cream and make palak paneer little hot after adding cream.
2) If Paneer is not fresh, fry it before adding.

Labels:
Palak Paneer recipe, recipe for palak paneer, spicy palak paneer, paneer recipe, Punjabi palak paneer, paneer palak, spinach recipe

Palak Puri -Spinach crunchy snack

Palak puri in Marathi

Servings: 30 to 35 Puris


Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped Spinach
1 1/2 cup whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 or 2 Pinch Kasoori Methi
4-5 Green Chilies, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil = 1 tbsp + Deep Frying

Method:
1) Put the wheat flour in a mixing bowl. Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a small saucepan. Oil should be very hot. Pour this Oil over wheat flour. After 3-4 minutes mix well.
2) Add chopped Spinach, Green Chilies, Kasoori methi, salt, Turmeric powder and Cumin seeds. Mix all the ingredient very well. Knead to a tight dough by adding little water.
3) Cover and rest the dough for few minutes. Then make marble sized balls out of this dough. Roll them to small puries. Prickle 5 to 6 times with fork to avoid puffing. Heat Oil by the time. Deep fry puris over medium heat. Do not fry them over high heat, it will fry puris in shorter time, but puri will not become crispy. So, deep fry them over medium heat and let it become golden in color.
4) strain and transfer fried puris on Kitchen paper towel to remove excessive oil. Let puris cool down for 20 minutes. Store them in airtight container at room temperature.

Labels:
Spinach Puri, Masala Puri, Palak Puri

Spinach Buttermilk Curry

Spinach Buttermilk Curry in Marathi

Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Spinach 1 medium bunch
2 cups thick and sour Buttermilk (beat yogurt and mix with little water)
¼ cup cooked Peanuts (soak peanuts for 5-6 hours and pressure cook)
For tempering: 1 tsp Ghee, ¼ tsp Mustard seeds, ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds, ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
3-4 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Ginger Paste
3 green Chilies, Finely Chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Wash spinach and pluck the leaves. Finely chop Spinach leaves.
2) In a wok, heat 1 tsp Ghee. Add mustard seeds, Cumin Seeds, Turmeric Powder, Ginger paste, chopped green Chilies, curry leaves. Then add boiled Peanuts and sauté.
3) Stir peanuts for about 30 seconds. Then add finely chopped spinach and let it cook on medium heat. Do not cover the wok while cooking spinach.
4) Once Spinach is done, lower the heat and add buttermilk to it.Keep stirring until curry starts boiling. If you stop stirring, you will not get the desired smooth curry like texture. At the end, add required amount of salt.
Serve hot with chapatti or white Rice.

Note:
1) If buttermilk has less sourness, add little tamarind pulp in the curry.