VeganMoFo – Aloo methi and chana saag

Last time I went to Manchester I went to one of the big Indian supermarkets and picked up a big bunch of fenugreek (methi) and saag (greens. Unlabelled, but much tougher than spinach). I knew I’d seen a recipe for Aloo Methi in the Khazana cookbook. Sadly the Khazana restaurant has closed down and I think that was the only place you could get the book. If you find a copy anywhere you should grab it because the recipes in it are really tasty (although not very well written. He needs a decent recipe tester!). So I don’t feel too bad about sharing the recipe with you all, because it’s worth making. I served it all with some brown rice and (bought) garlic pickle – that’s the messy stuff on the top right of the plate!

Ingredients

2 large potatoes
1 bunch of fenugreek, roughly chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried fenugreek

Cut the potatoes into large chunks and steam for about 15 minutes or until only just tender. Add the oil to a pan and when hot add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and the asafoetida. When the seeds start to pop add the onion and fry until golden. Then add the tomato, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, salt and dried fenugreek. Cook for a few minutes then add the fresh fenugreek. Cook for a further 10 minutes and keep stirring. Add the potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.

With the aloo methi I made some chana saag. This was something I made up as I went along but turned out pretty succesfully.

1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
2 chopped green chillies
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
Very large bunch saag, chopped
Tin chickpeas, drained

Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Then add the onion and fry until golden. Then add the ginger, onion and chillies and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the garam masala, salt and chopped saag. Stir together and cook for a few minutes. Add a large splash of water, bring to the boil, cover and cook for a while. This will depend on how tough your saag is. Mine was pretty tough so I needed to add more water and keep cooking and stirring. Then finally add the chickpeas and cook through until they’re heated through.

Rajma, aubergine raita and rice

I wish shops would sell soya yoghurt in small pots, because whenever I need yoghurt for a recipe I have to buy a huge pot and always end up throwing the rest away. I’d got some left from courgette fritters I’d tested for Joni and Celine, and was determined to use it up before it went green. I also had half an aubergine which needed using and I had a vague idea that I could turn them both into some sort of Indian raita. Google was indeed my friend, and it turned up this excellent recipe. To serve with it I made a kidney bean and potato curry from the Khazana cookbook that I got for Christmas. It was a simple dish but went perfectly with the creamy raita and some brown pilau rice.