Aloo Palak, or potato and spinach curry, is a typical Indian dish that is very easy to prepare and perfect for a vegetarian or vegan dinner. Preparing this recipe is very simple. There are different ways to prepare potato and spinach curry: with or without onions, with or without tomatoes, or with tomato puree. In my version, I used frozen spinach, but you can also use fresh ones. I preferred to steam the vegetables in a pressure cooker and then assemble everything with the Tikka Masala sauce.
A very tasty vegetarian and vegan main dish rich in spices, the typical ones used for Indian recipes: curry, paprika, ginger, and turmeric. Usually accompanied by Paratha bread, but you can also pair it with some pressure-cooked pilaf rice. Curious to find out how to prepare it? Then read the recipe, because Aloo Palak will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Indian recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Indian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 149.94 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.70 (g) of which sugars 3.71 (g)
- Proteins 6.33 (g)
- Fat 2.85 (g) of which saturated 0.42 (g)of which unsaturated 0.34 (g)
- Fibers 5.42 (g)
- Sodium 86.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 53 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 16 oz spinach, frozen
- 3 potatoes (medium)
- 7 oz tomato puree
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- paprika (to taste)
- chili powder (or fresh to taste)
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Pressure Cooker electric
- Steamer Basket
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Steps
First, cook the spinach and potatoes in a pressure cooker. I used an electric one, but you can also use a traditional pressure cooker. Wash the potatoes very well under water to remove any dirt. Then pour water into the pot and insert the stainless steel steaming basket at the bottom of the pot.
Place the potatoes in the basket, close the pot, and move the release lever to “sealing”. Set the pot on “Pressure Cook” (High) for 15 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, the pot will beep. Wait for 5 minutes and then start the quick release by moving the lever to “venting”. Open the pot and check the cooking by inserting a fork into the potatoes. If they need a few more minutes, you can repeat the process setting the necessary minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel and cut them into chunks. For more details on cooking potatoes in a pressure cooker, I recommend reading here.
Remove the potatoes from the basket, rinse it well, and cook the spinach. I used frozen spinach, but you can also use fresh ones. Keep in mind that frozen ones will take an extra minute to cook. Transfer the cleaned basket back into the pot and add the spinach. You can leave the water you used to cook the potatoes in the pot.
Close the pot, move the release lever to “sealing” and set the “Steam” cooking for 2 minutes. Once the cooking time is over, move the valve to Venting and perform a quick release. Once all the steam has escaped, open the pot. For more details on cooking spinach in an Instant Pot, read here.
Now it’s time to prepare the tikka masala for the potato and spinach curry. Clean the onion and chop half of it. Then peel the garlic clove and chop it. Put some oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic with chili. Then add the spices: turmeric, paprika, coriander, and cumin, and let them toast for a moment over low heat.
Pour in the tomato puree and brown sugar and stir. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes with the lid on. After cooking, add the potatoes and spinach. Many people finely chop the spinach for this recipe. I didn’t need to because the leaves were already small enough.
Let it cook for a few moments, stirring so that all the ingredients blend together, and serve.
Variations and Tips for Aloo Palak
The potato and spinach curry can be stored in the refrigerator in a container with a lid for one or two days.
FAQs for Aloo Palak
Can I freeze potato and spinach curry?
No, it’s better consumed fresh or stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.
