Saag Aloo
I made this last night for friends to go with a beef curry and it was divine. I have just tried to replicate it today low fat style and its nice but not a patch on last nights. So if you are going to have it go for the full fat but maybe restrict yourself to once every couple of months or so. Give it a go you wont be sorry. I cannot tell you where I found it, just one of those odd recipes that pop up on the net. Update: I work with an Indian lady and she suggested tinned spinach works well. Havent tried it yet but will give it ago next time I make it.
I made this last night for friends to go with a beef curry and it was divine. I have just tried to replicate it today low fat style and its nice but not a patch on last nights. So if you are going to have it go for the full fat but maybe restrict yourself to once every couple of months or so. Give it a go you wont be sorry. I cannot tell you where I found it, just one of those odd recipes that pop up on the net. Update: I work with an Indian lady and she suggested tinned spinach works well. Havent tried it yet but will give it ago next time I make it.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 onions sliced on the half moon
- 2 chopped green chilies (i used red)
- 60 g butter
- 4 garlic cloves chopped (i used lazy garlic, chopped not pureed)
- 4 inches stick ginger grated (i used cheats ginger, chopped not pureed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (to stop butter burning)
- splash water
- 500 g spinach rinsed and chopped
- 200 g potatoes peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
- Carbohydrate 19.7457301040081 g
- Cholesterol 32.25 mg
- Fat 12.8966195833188 g
- Fiber 4.92708239800547 g
- Protein 5.63784531243326 g
- Saturated Fat 7.83206458333298 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (249g)
- Sodium 192.073395832691 mg
- Sugar 14.8186477060026 g
- Trans Fat 1.09323108332693 g
- Calories 204 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat butter and oil in pan and add onions, garlic, ginger and chillis, stir fry on medium heat for two mins, stirring frequently.
- Add potatoes and stir fry for 5 mins, then add tumeric, salt , coriander, cumin. Cook for 15 mins or until potatoes are tender, I put the lid on at this stage and checked it every 5 mins or so and stirred.
- Sometime during this process I added a little water to stop sticking. When potatoes were cooked I added 2 bags of spinach which I had chopped and then replaced the lid to allow spinach to wilt slightly.
- When spinach has wilted stir into the potatoes and spices.
- Serve as a side dish with curry!
Unlike a standard potato curry that relies on a thin, water-based gravy, saag aaloo centers on a dense, clinging matrix of greens that requires careful moisture control. Preparing this dish efficiently means understanding how every component behaves under heat, particularly when adjusting quantities up or down to feed a crowd or cook for one. Doubling the recipe requires a wide 12-inch skillet rather than a standard saucepan; overcrowding the base prevents the onions from browning properly within the initial two-minute window and traps steam instead of allowing excess water to evaporate.
- Cut potato pieces to a uniform one-inch cube so they soften consistently during the fifteen-minute covered simmer without turning to mush before the starches cook through.
- Add water strictly one tablespoon at a time if the bottom begins to scorch, preventing the spices from burning and turning bitter.
- Introduce the chopped spinach only after testing a potato piece with the tip of a paring knife to ensure complete tenderness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to three days, reheating gently with a splash of water to revive the wilted greens.
Balancing multiple dishes on burners requires timing the potato simmer so it finishes alongside heavier mains like lentil dals or meat curries. Keeping the lid firmly on during the middle stage traps steam effectively, cutting down active supervision time while the roots soften.
