Palak Curry

This dish is one of our favorites.

Ingredients:
Spinach/Palak 1 bunch
Cashew or Paneer or Channa (quantity as desired and optional)
garlic 3 - 4 large pods (good to use garlic in winter)
green chilies 3 (adjustable as required)
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon 2" stick
clove 2
cardamom 2
Garam Masala 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
oil 2 - 3 tbsp

Cut the root end of the bunch and clean the spinach completely. Mash or cut garlic into small pieces. No need to cut spinach into small pieces, just enough to fit it into blender. Now blend the spinach into paste. Heat a pan on medium and pour the 2 tbsp of oil. Once the pan is hot enough, put in jeera, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. After a minute put in garlic and green chilies. Add more or less green chilies based on your spice level. After 2 minutes, add the spinach paste and stir. Cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes. Open the cover add 1/4 tsp of garam masala and salt as required. Cook the spinach until there is no raw smell. Now add water to get the desired consistency. Now add channa/paneer/cashew/potato. If you are using potato, cut into medium size pieces and boil. If you are using paneer you may cut it into pieces or shred it. If you are using channa make sure they are soaked over night and/or boiled. Don't over boil the potatoes/channa as they could be mashed. You also add the combination of any, like cashew and paneer or channa and cashew. Cover cook for a few more minutes. Palak curry is ready.
You can use it with chapati/naan or rice. Most curries when served hot taste the best. Enjoy!

Tasty Inspirations

Hello One and All

Welcome to my new online cook book!! Like all new cooks out there I too would like to make a few comments on where my culinary inspirations come from. A lot of my childhood years were spent in Kerala, the land of rich vegetation and spices. I love using lots of Spices and fresh ingredients in my food. Food for me is satisfying, soothing and something that awakens your senses. I want to prepare food that conquers attention. When I think of Kerala - the first thing that comes to my mind is Greenery. I would love to have a kitchen garden someday and be able to grow my own vegetables. From garden to the dinner plate - would be my motto!
Also I learnt a lot from my mother, who is a working women with busy schedules but she is someone who loves making creative and  tasty food. My sister and I were more than a handful, so as kids to encourage us to eat and eat healthy, mother would spread sugar and ghee on bread and cut it into small squares and topped it with a mixture of dry fruits or fresh fruits. Yummm.. I still crave for that.. So from her, I learnt that making quick and healthy dishes with a dash of creativity would keep it interesting. My cooking style is greatly inspired by my mother.
My Grandmother was a great cook. I must say that her's was the tastiest food I've ever had. She made it really hot and spicy with lots of Veggies and Ghee, of course! So, in my kitchen, you would see something from all the above in most of my dishes.

I will try and post a recipe a day.. and hope to hear from you readers. So, here goes... Wish me good luck!!