Indian Punjabi Palak Kadhi Spinach Curry With Yogurt Sauce Recipes

PALAK KADHI RECIPE | SPINACH KADHI

Steps:

• Take 1 cup curd (yogurt) in a bowl along with 4-5 cups of water and whisk it.
• Add besan (gram flour) to the bowl. Mix well so that there are no lumps in the besan.
• Heat the oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan and add rai (mustard seeds) and let it crackle. Then add jeera (cumin seeds), methi aana (fenugreek seeds) and heeng (asafoetida). Fry for a few seconds
• Add red chilli powder & turmeric powder and cook for few seconds. I have not added garlic at this stage as I had made this dish for Govardhan Pooja and wanted to keep a portion of palak kadhi without garlic for the prasad. I have added these ingredients in the tadka at the end, but you can add at this stage as well.
• Add chopped spinach leaves (palak) to the pan
• Cook for 2-3 minutes till the leaves wilt and become soft. Then add salt to the pan.
• Add the besan-curd mixture to the pan.
• Stir continuously till the kadhi mixture comes to a boil. After it boils, switch to low heat and cook for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• For the tempering, heat desi ghee (Indian clarified butter) in a pan over medium flame. Add rai (mustard seeds) and let it crackle. Then add jeera (cumin seeds) and hing (asafoetida) and cook for a few seconds on low heat.
• Add crushed garlic (lahsun) and dried whole red chili to the pan and fry for a few seconds.
• Add red chilli powder and allow it to simmer for few seconds. Pour this tadka over the Palak kadhi and mix it well.
• Delicious Palak Kadhi is ready. Serve it hot with rice or chapati.

INDIAN PUNJABI PALAK KADHI - SPINACH CURRY WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, 4 cups water, gram flour, 2 tablespoons coriander, turmeric, and salt (do this in 2 batches because of the volume); set aside.
• Make sure yogurt is thoroughly blended, or it will curdle during the cooking process.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large wok or a saucepan over moderately high heat and cook, stirring, until the peppers sizzle, about 30-45 seconds (they may get white spots on them) (also, stand back in case peppers burst and may fly into your eyes).
• Add the onion, ginger, and garlic, cooking until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes.
• Very slowly add the yogurt mixture, stirring constantly, and bring it to a boil, cooking about 4-5 minutes.
• Make sure you stir the yogurt or it will curdle.
• Reduce wok heat if ingredients start to boil over.
• Once liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth and silky, and oil becomes visible, about 45-50 minutes.
• Adjust thickness of sauce with the exta cup of water, if needed (cook further if it is too thin).
• Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
• Stir in the fenugreek, then add spinach, and simmer about 5 minutes more.
• Check consistency of sauce, and thin if necessary.
• Heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and briefly heat dried peppers (about 30 seconds), shaking pan; stir in coriander and remove from heat (alternatively, for an oil-free method, dry roast peppers and coriander briefly in pan, but do not toast the paprika).
• Add paprika and IMMEDIATELY pour mixture over the curry; do not delay or the paprika will burn.
• Serve at once with steamed basmati rice.