Palak ki Kadhi

Kadhi is a curd based preparation generally made as an accompaniment for Rice dishes such as Pulao, Khichdi or even plain steamed rice. A Kadhi has two components namely the curd based gravy and the additional component which enhances the taste by imparting its own flavour. The famous Punjabi Kadhi has gramflour dumplings called Pakodi while down south it is called Mor Kolumbu and the Pakodi is replaced by a variety of vegetables such as White Pumpkin, Radish, Okra, Snake gourd etc.

The Kadhi that we prepare, can be considered as being the intermediate between the North and the South. While it does not have Pakodi in it, it is sometimes made with vegetables and sometimes had plain, without anything added to it and called Palade in kannada. The most common vegetable used is the Snake gourd.

Although it would seem that the taste of the curd will not change too much with the added component, in reality the taste changes drastically with each of these additions.

Here I am presenting a Palak (Spinach) based Kadhi, the recipe for which was tweaked from the Bawarchi website and was recommended by dear N!

Palak Ki Kadhi

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped spinach leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2-3 dry Red Chillies (or as per taste)
• 1-2 pinches of Asafoetida (Its 2 for me, I like the flavour a lot!)
• 1/2 tsp Haldi (Turmeric Powder)
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 cups curd
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tblsp Besan (Chickpea flour)
• Salt
• Oil

Method:

Whisk together the curd, water, salt and Besan to form a mixture without any lumps and keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep vessel and splutter the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the garlic, Asafoetida, dry red chillies, Haldi one by one and fry for a min or two.

Add the chopped spinach leaves and saute for about 3-4 min.

Add in the curd mixture and mix properly. Heat on medium.

Once the Kadhi starts to boil, stir and switch off the flame after 2-3 min. It has to be boiled only to let the Besan be cooked. If boiled for a longer time, the curd starts getting separated.

To enjoy it to the fullest serve hot with plain Rice and some roasted Papad!

This Kadhi is on its way to Tongue Ticklers for the FIC-Yellow event. Looks like there's really going to be a lot of sunshine this month!

Palak Paneer

One of the favourites on the restaurant menus, I have never really loved this one but we do have this occasionally i.e. whenever I feel that it has been a long time since we had Spinach. For me this is the best way to have Palak (Spinach).

Funnily enough, I have never really liked the taste of this dish in any of the restaurants. The home made version is the best! Specially so when most of the restaurants, here in London are Bangladeshi converts, where it appears in the guise of Sag Poneer alongside Motor Poneer! We were once 'compelled' to order this for home delivery and what we got was a container full of Spinach leaves blanched in salty water, with some Paneer (Cottage cheese) pieces thrown here & there. Thats it! No spices. Or may be there were some traces of Garam Masala. This episode hardened my resolve to

1) Avoiding getting Indian take away/home delivery unless we completely trusted the restaurant

2) Never order Palak Paneer even if we did get a Take away!

And how do I make it at home?

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 200 gm Spinach
• 2 cups Paneer cubes
• 1 Medium sized onion, grated
• 1 medium sized tomato, pureed
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsps Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Red Chili powder
• salt
• 1 tblsp Oil

Method:

Blanch the spinach and allow to cool. The spinach is not to be boiled but just immersed in boiling water for 2 minutes or so and then removed and set to cool. When it is cool enough to handle, make a puree and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds. Fry the grated onion until the raw smell goes away or rather until you stop shedding tears in the kitchen! Notice how grating the onion makes you cry even more, both while grating it & then while frying it. You may switch on the exhaust, open the windows, but you cant avoid the tears :)

The next step is to add the ginger & Garlic paste and fry for some more time (2-3 min). Then add the tomato puree and cook till the oil separates out.

Next, add the Garam Masala, Coriander powder & red chili powder and mix well. Add the Spinach puree, Paneer cubes & salt and mix.

If you want the spinach gravy to be thinner, add milk instead of water. This results in a creamy gravy without any water separating out of it. Cover and cook for 5-7 min.

Serve hot with Chapatis/ Phulka/ Naan/Rotis and forget the wannabe Punjabi food serving, so called Indian restaurants (atleast for this one item)!

This is my entry for FIC-Green event at Tongue Ticklers.

The Lone Spinach story...

I can not think of Palak(Spinach) individually except for maybe soups. If it is a curry it has to be paired with something - Paneer, Potato, Lentils, Corn, Chana and so on. That is why when my mother in law suggested that we make Palak bhaaji one afternoon, a few months back in India, my first question was Palak and....? I was surprised when she said nothing else, only palak, apart from the usual onions & Garlic.

I stood back and observed everything that she did, curious to the hilt as to how this Bhaji would turn out. Thinking to myself that if this is good (I still had doubts about using only palak!), I am going to make it a part of my kitchen when I go back to London. The problem I always had was to make sure I had the other ingredient (one of the above mentioned) if I wanted to make something out of spinach so this recipe was great for me!

Serves 2
Ingredients
200 gm Spinach, chopped
(I would have said 1 bunch but here I get packets of 'prepared' Spinach leaves )
1 medium sized Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
a pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
1/2 tsp Haldi (turmeric powder)
2 tsp Goda Masala or any other curry masala
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder (Increase the qty if the curry masala doesnt have chili in it)
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt

Method:
Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter add the hing and the crushed Garlic.

Stir in the chopped onions and saute till the onions are translucent. Now add the haldi. Toss in the chopped spinach and mix properly. Cook on slow flame till the Spinach starts leaving water & gets a little tender.

Now add the salt, goda masala and sugar. Stir and cook till the spinach is completely cooked, sprinkling some water in between, if needed. Add a dash of lime juice and serve hot with Chapati/Phulka.

Thats it! Nothing complicated or exotic but it was delicious. And imagine you can have a bhaaji ready in a jiffy with nothing else but Palak.

My mother in law likes my cooking and loves the fact that I am always trying out new dishes but I still have lots to learn from her!