Aloo Palak (Potato + Spinach Curry)

March 1, 2012 by Leanne Vogel August 16, 2014

Aloo palak is a curry dish popular in North India and made up of tomatoes and potatoes smothered in a spinach based sauce. It’s best served with rice, naan, or chapati. There are many other aloo dishes. Some with cheese (palak paneer), lentils (palak daal), or mixed vegetables (palak bahar). Generally it’s loaded with dairy, but I’ve made a dairy-free aloo palak that everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 small potato, quartered
• 1/2 tomato, quartered

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan rock salt
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance or ghee – see note
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, diced

• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chat masala
• 2 tablespoon cashew paste – see note
• 1/2 cup water

• 2 cups cooked rice

Instructions

1. Steam the potato for 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender. When complete, set aside with fresh tomato.
2. Add vegetable oil, onion, and salt to a preheated frying pan on medium-high heat and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat and blend with water until smooth. Set aside.
3. Place earth balance, cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic in a pre-heated frying pan on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add spinach puree and remaining masalas, coriander, cumin, cashew paste and water.
4. Add tomato and potato and cook until just heated.
5. Serve on a bed of rice.

Notes

If ghee is used, recipe is no longer vegan

To make cashew paste, grind 1 tablespoon raw cashews in a coffee grinder. Drop into a bowl and add 1 tablespoon water.

Nutrition Information Per Serving