Saag Bhaji - Spiced Spinach
A quick. easy and versatile leafy green vegetable curry. Mix, match or swap spinach with any tender green leafy vegetable such mustard greens, chard or cabbage greens for equally stunning results
Ingredients
- 500 g frozen spinach, chopped or whole or 2 large bunches of fresh, leaves roughly chopped. stalks thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic finely sliced
- 1-4 fresh green or red chillies, slit in 2 lenghtways or 1/2-1 tsp red chilli powder
- salt to taste
tempering
- 2 large pinches whole cumin seeds
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- 1 blade mace or a pinch of grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp your favourite oil
Powdered Spices
- 7-8 black peppercorns coarsely ground
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 generous ladleful of pre-prepared curry gravy you can also substitute the curry gravy with a large finely chopped or grated tomato. In this case, a good teaspoon of coriander powder added with the other powdered spices won't go amiss
Instructions
- heat the oil in a karai or frying pan on medium heat to below the smoking point
- drop in a couple of cumin seeds. If they sizzle immediately add the rest together with the blade of mace
- let the spices release their aroma for 15-20 seconds taking care they don't burn
- add in the fresh chillies. Toss for 10 seconds
- finally add the hing, let it sizzle for just a few seconds and immediately add in the onions to stop the spices from browning
- when the onions are translucent add the garlic, cook for a minute
- now add the powdered spices, mixing them in with the onions and oil, and finally add the curry gravy (or tomato) and salt to your taste
- if you're using nutmeg rather than mace add it now
- simmer until the spinach is fully defrosted and cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated, adding a splash of water as needed to prevent sticking
- serve with a small dollop of yoghurt