ALOO PALAK DHABA STYLE
Aloo palak is a quick and easy North Indian style dish combining the ever popular (and delicious) combination of potato and spinach seasoned with Indian spices to make a wonderful vegan friendly dish. Incredibly healthy, aromatic, and flavorful, this dish is a perfect light meal paired with rice, paratha, pooris, or your favorite Indian flat bread. It also makes a great side dish to accompany any Indian meal.
There are basically two versions of aloo palak: 'Gravy style' and 'dry style'. The 'gravy style' of aloo palak
is made by puréeing the spinach and other vegetables into a thick gravy or
sauce sometimes with some cream or yogurt added while the 'dry style' of aloo
palak leaves the spinach and other ingredients 'whole' giving the dish a
'chunky', rustic, 'homey', quality - known as 'dry' because of the lack of
'gravy'.
The recipe that I am sharing today is a 'dry' version that can be found in a number a dhabas along the roadways of India which is why I have dubbed it
'Dhaba Style' as opposed to any other description. As with any recipe (and especially Indian recipes) there is no one recipe for aloo palak. In fact, there are probably as many recipes for it as there are cooks in the world with the only unifying factor is that they all contain potatoes (aloo) and spinach (palak).
Dhabas are roadside restaurants or cafes featuring Punjabi cuisine found along highways and on the outskirts of cities, towns, and villages throughout India and Pakistan. They are commonly located next to petrol stations and open 24 hours so they commonly serve as truck stops.
It should be no surprise that in the not-so-distant past dhabas were only frequented by truck drivers. In more recent times, dhabas have become 'trendy' to eat atand are being added into the urban landscape, popping up in city centers throughout India.Another trend stems from the fact that many Indian truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music has become very popular throughout India. These factors have led to the word dhaba
becoming a generic term to describe almost any restaurant that serves Punjabi food (especially the heavily spiced and fried Punjabi dishes that are favored by many truck drivers).
From their rural beginnings to their expanding urban presence, dhabas are now an indelible part of the culture of the Punjabi people.
Spinach and potato just seem
to be made for each other which is why aloo palak in all of its forms and
differing recipes is a staple at many Indian tables, including mine... If not
already a staple at your table, give it a try for yourself - it may just become
a mainstay of your Indian meals!
Download the recipe, print it, make it, share it, and - ENJOY!
And don't forget to comment and let me and others know how you liked it!
Oatmeal Cookies
Crunchy around the edges, softer in the center, these oatmeal cookies feature the nutty taste and nubbly texture of oats.
Yeild:
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cider or white vinegar*
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup golden raisins, optional
Preparation
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cider or white vinegar*
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup golden raisins, optional
