Aloo Palak Dhaba Style 'Gravy' Recipe
Aloo Palak Dhaba Style
'Gravy' Spiced Spinach and Potatoes
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (Aloo) - cut into ¾ inch 'cubes' (can peel if desired)
1 lb (2 Bunches) Fresh Spinach (Palak Saag) - washed, stems removed, and rough chopped
1 Medium Red Onion (Pyaz) - small chopped
1 Roma Tomato (Tamatar) - seeded and diced
1-2 Fresh Green Chiles (Hari Mirch) - stems removed, sliced in half lengthwise, and seeded
3 cloves Fresh Garlic (Leh-sun) - minced
½ inch piece Fresh Ginger (Adrak) - minced
¼ Cup Heavy Cream (Malai)
2 Tbs Chickpea Flour (Besan)
2 Tbs Oil - can use ghee, olive, vegetable, canola, grape seed, or avocado oil
1 small Indian Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
3 Whole Cloves (Luang)
½ tsp
Garam Masala
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
⅛ tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
Kosher Salt (Namak) to taste
-OPTIONAL-
½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
Preparation:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over medium heat - Once water is boiling, add the cubed potatoes and salt to taste (apx 2 tsp) and cook until fork tender (apx 7-10 minutes) - Remove from heat and thoroughly drain - Set aside until needed
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot - Add 1 Tbs of salt - Remove from heat and immediately add the spinach giving it a good stir to 'submerge' the spinach - Cover and allow to blanch for 4 minutes (stirring occasionally to wilt all of the leaves) - Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes
- Drain well and transfer the blanched spinach to the work bowl of a food processor or blender along with the green chile(s) - Purée into a smooth paste - Set aside until needed
- Whisk together the chickpea flour and heavy cream in a small bowl until flour is fully 'dissolved' - Set aside until needed
- Heat oil in a large pan, wok, or kadahi over medium-high heat until shimmering - Once oil is hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves - Fry until fragrant (apx 30-45 seconds)
- Add the onion and sauté until just browned on the edges (apx 3-5 minutes) - Add garlic and ginger - Continue to sauté until raw smell is gone (apx 3 minutes) - Add tomato and continue to sauté until tomatoes break down and the oil begins to separate from the mix (can be seen 'pooling' around the edges) - Add turmeric and asafoetida and thoroughly combine
- Add the spinach purée to the pan and thoroughly combine - Whisk in the cream/flour mixture along with ¾ cup water - Bring to a simmer (adjust heat as needed) - Allow to simmer until gravy begins to thicken (apx 3 minutes) - Add the cooked potatoes and continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes or until potatoes are warmed through (adjust gravy consistency as needed with additional water or heavy cream)
- Add garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves (if using) and thoroughly combine - Adjust seasoning
- Serve hot with basmati rice, paratha, your favorite Indian flatbread, or as part of any Indian meal
