Spinach & Potato Curry
- Louise Luiggi
- May 11
- 2 min read
This is one of my favourites, Aloo Palak, a spicy Pakistani dish that I adapt to have lots of spinach, with a smaller amount of potato. I love spinach, particularly wild, old spinach that you can find in Asian stores. Avoid baby spinach and any pre-washed, trimmed & wrapped in plastic. It may take longer to wilt the older spinach, but the flavour is richer and so delicious.
Another key ingredient in this dish is the addition of fenugreek. Again, fresh methi leaves are best, and can be found in good Asian stores, but you can use dried fenugreek as an alternative.
Lets take a closer look at spinach:
It's a really good source of vitamins A,C and K, as well as iron, folate and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which are particularly beneficial for eye health & good vision.
More benefits include:
Supporting energy levels
Heart health
Healthy bones
a strong source of fibre
protective antioxidant properties
Ayurvedic considerations:
Vata Dosha:
Vata types (who are prone to dryness and irregularity) benefit from cooked spinach and tender varieties.
Kapha Dosha:
Kapha types (who are prone to heaviness and sluggishness) should also consider cooked spinach and avoid raw spinach, especially in the Kapha season (spring and summer).
Pitta Dosha:
While not as widely discussed, Pitta types (who are prone to heat and inflammation) can also benefit from spinach in moderation, especially when paired with cooling ingredients.
Ingredients
1/2 small red onions, finely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
3 tomatoes (skinned and finely chopped)
2 bunches of spinach
2 tablespoons chopped fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) - from Asian stores
1 medium potato, diced
1 green chilli (optional)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Handful of coriander leaves
Instructions
Wash the spinach thoroughly. Remove the spinach leaves from the stalks and steam until soft and wilted.
Make the masala curry sauce by heating some oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds begin to pop and splutter add the chopped onions. Add a little salt, reduce the heat so they don't burn. The key is to be patient, give the onions time to gently change colour. A slight crispiness adds to the flavour of the sauce.
Stir in the crushed garlic and ginger and saute for about 30 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala, fenugreek, and chilli if using. I cut the chili lengthways and add whole.
Add salt if needed, & some ground pepper.
Turn to a medium heat to begin the cooking process. You may need to add some water if it looks too dry.
Once bubbling, stir and reduce the heat, cover and simmer until oil rises around the edge of the dish. The more patient you can be and allow the sauce to soften and cook, the more intense the flavour will be.
While the sauce is cooking, drain the steamed spinach and chop.
Add the spinach & diced potatoes into the masala sauce and cook until the potatoes become soft.
Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.
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