Palak Chi Patalbhaji Recipe (Sweet And Sour Spinach Curry)
Palak chi patal bhaji is a very healthy and delicious Maharashtrian style curry made with spianch or palak. It can be made in two different ways- one by adding buttermilk, and second by adding tamarind pulp and jaggery. Here I share the latter. The sweet and sour taste of this patal bhaji give it a unique taste and make it extremely delicious.
Ingredients
- Spinach - 4 cups, tightly packed
- Split chick pea lentil (Chana Dal) - 1 tbsp
- Raw peanuts - 2 tbsp
- Oil - 3 tsp
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida (Hing) - A pinch or less than 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) - 1/4 tsp
- Curry leaves - 4-5
- Salt - To taste
- Red chili powder - To taste
- Thick Tamarind Pulp or dried tamarind - 1/2-1 tsp (if using the concentrated pulp) or 1 tbsp dried tamarind
- Jaggery (gud) - 2 tbsp
- Kala / Goda Masala - 2 tsp
- Gram flour (besan) - 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves and cut them into fine strands.
- Transfer the chana dal and peanuts to a pot that can go inside a pressure cooker.
- Add water just enough to soak the chana dal and the peanuts.
- To the same pot transfer all the cut spinach.
- Cook in the pressure cooker for 1 whistle. After 1 whistle, reduce the heat to low for 2-3 minutes and then turn off.
- Once the pressure is released, remove the spinach from the cooker.
- Pour out all the water carefully into another bowl and keep aside.
- Add the gram flour and whisk nicely with the back of a spoon to blend everything together.
- Add water to get the desired consistency (Use the water kept aside in step 7, and more if needed. Do not add too much water. This patalbhaji is supposed to be soup-style thick).
- Add salt, red chili powder, tamarind pulp, jaggery, and kala/goda masala. Mix and keep it aside for some time.
- In another pot, heat 3 tsp oil.
- Add mustard seeds. After they crackle, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves.
- Reduce heat to low and add the spinach mixture.
- Bring to boil on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Serve hot with roti/phulka/rice.
