Palak Saag

Materials:

- Spinach
- Milk
- Water
- Salt
- Onions
- Oil
- Dry red chili pepper

- Optional: Cornstarch (dissolved in water, about 1 tsp per 250gm of                         spinach)

Preparation:

Put spinach in a heavy bottom pan. Add water and milk (about equal proportions) to cover the spinach and about 2-3 inches more. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat until spinach is cooked (about 15 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent the spinach from sticking to the pan bottom. It is ready when most of the liquid is reduced. Before all the liquid is gone, add more salt according to taste and the cornstarch if desired.

While the spinach is cooking, prepare the onion garnish. Chop onions fine. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and salt to taste. Stir and cook until onions are nicely browned... sprinkle water as needed during the process. When nearly ready, add red chili peppers and cook until they are crisp.

Finish the dish by stirring the onion garnish into the cooked spinach.

Kadhi

Materials:

- 1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
- 1 cup dahi (plain yogurt)
- 1 cup water
- Small piece ginger, crushed
- 1/2 tsp jeera (cumin)
- 1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric)
- 1 tsp oil
- pinch heeng (asafoetida)
- salt to taste
- Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Add water to the besan and slowly mix until smooth. Add turmeric and mix well. Whip yogurt and combine with this mixture.

Heat oil in a saucepan or kadhai/wok. Add cumin and heeng. Lower heat when you can smell the cumin/heeng roasting. Add ginger and then pour in the besan mixture. Stir and heat until mixture comes to a boil, adding more water if it sticks to the base of the pan. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring every 5 mins or so. If the sauce gets too thin - add more besan... if too thick, add more water.

This can be eaten as a main dish with any bhaji (basic Indian vegetable dish).

One option to make it a more substantial dish is to add pakoras - a recipe for which can be found here.

Garnish with red chili peppers fried in ghee and or with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).