Potatoes were like a banned item in our house while growing up.My dad was an extremely health conscious person and would only allow potato dishes on special occasions.That feeling somehow continued with me post marriage in that I don’t cook potatoes that often except for special occasions at home, not for any reason but just a habit I developed I guess.
There is a dish called saag wali aloo in India thats very famous and is a creamy spinach gravy combined with roasted baby potatoes.Saag is usually a name given to a curry or sauce made out of greens , usually spinach or mustard greens.This one is usually eaten with rice or roti,I have seen a variation of this dish served at a restaurant back in India when I took my mom out for her birthday meal and it was called Podina aloo, which was a dish made with baby potatoes and tempered spices with mint leaves. When I tasted it , it reminded me of home fries but with Indian spices and mint leaves.Thus sparked my idea to make this dish which is a composition of spinach gravy cooked down to coat the baby potatoes and with a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds and other spices.
Very delectable and perfect for the spring season which warrants consumption of more greens.
| Preparation time | 25 minutes |
| Serves | 10 portions |
| Serving Size | 5 potatoes |
| Calories Per Serving | Approximately 332 per serving |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Ingredients
50 pieces baby potatoes boiled in salt water till fork tender and peeled
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup Fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups cilantro
4 green chili
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon chat powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 onion diced finely
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons ghee or cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon aamchur powder
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
Procedure:
1.In a pan take 2 teaspoons of oil and saute half the onions with some turmeric until soft.
2.Add ginger garlic paste and saute for about 1 minute till its cooked.
3.Add the spinach , mint and cilantro leaves and saute lightly until they wilt.
4.Transfer the ingredients to a blender and puree them.Only add water as required for blending.
5.In a wide pan, take the remaining oil and add mustard seeds and let them crackle and then add the cumin seeds and saute for half minute.
6.Now add the remaining onions and saute till soft, add the spices and salt and mix well.
7.Now add the boiled potatoes and saute for about 5 minutes on high heat until they are coated with spice and the exterior is nicely roasted.
8.Now add the spinach puree and toss the potatoes until the puree thickens up to coat the potatoes well and adjust salt and turn of the heat.
Enjoy as an accompaniment to your main dish, or as breakfast home fries, with rice or roti or as an appetizer with a dollop of dahi(yogurt) on top.
Tips:
If you do not eat a lot of spice, do reduce the amount of green chili and red chili powder you use.
Instead of boiling and pan roasting, you can roast them in the oven directly and then mix into the spinach gravy.
If you want a curried version of this, just add water or broth for a gravy consistency.
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Prathima Koneru 
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