A Car Explosion and Food: Recipe for Aloo Palak (Potatoes in Spinach Gravy)

It was a quiet night. End of the week wind-down quiet. Lying on the couch watching TV quiet.

What I saw first was the sky light up with a bright orange red flash, then a resounding “boom” that scared the life out of me. I crept outside onto the balcony to see whether it was an explosion or maybe an accident involving a truck or even an electrical substation that had blown up. It was a bit scary. People were emerging from houses onto the street, but I could not see anything from where I was.

Checking the back of my place, I saw a fire, close, raging, furious. Sirens sounded and we watched for about 10 minutes. I made  a phone call to a friend to make sure that she was safe. Later I wandered down with my neighbour to see what had happened.

It was a car – burnt out – petrol tank exploded – bonnet of car had flown over the office block next door to land in the street. Glass was strewn over the nearby street which was another office block away from the explosion. Windows of both offices had been blown out and the glass of some had melted and twisted in the heat.

It certainly woke us up on a quiet Friday night. Strangely, I cannot find any reports of it in the news. A stolen car no doubt, torched or petrol bombed to destroy evidence.

I have just finished reading The Cellist of Sarajevo. Imagine a life lived with daily bombings and sniper attacks, every day for 4 years. Where walking down the street is a lottery of life. The courage that it takes to live that life.

Here, in a life that it peaceful expect for the occasional petrol tank explosion, Spring is unmistakably weaving her Spring wardrobe of pinks and purples and crimsons. Days are lighter, longer, inviting. Not warm yet but no longer cold. Birds are gloriously ever-present.

With a couple of successes under my belt with green gravy Indian dishes (Mint Paneer and Makhana Palak), and with a spinach obsession currently, it was time to try Aloo Palak. And it was great. What surprises me so much is that such a simple spinach gravy, so few ingredients, how very wonderful it is. That speaks to very good matching of ingredients – the matching of spices to the vegetable.

You can use this Palak recipe or use the one from Makhana Palak.

Aloo Palak

Source : inspired by Navratra Special
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 4 – 6 people, depending how you use it

ingredients
a large bunch of spinach, about 500g, chopped or shredded into small pieces
2 big potatoes, diced
2 green chillies, chopped
2 cm ginger, chopped or grated
salt to taste
0.25 tspn chilli powder
1 Tblspn ghee + 0.5 Tblspn ghee

method
In the small amount of ghee or use oil, fry the potatoes until they are browned and cooked.

Heat the ghee in a pan and add the green chillies , ginger, salt, chilli powder and chopped spinach. Cook until soft and any water exuded by the spinach is absorbed. If you wish you can blend the spinach for a smoother sauce.

Add the fried potatoes and gently heat for 2 – 3 minutes more.

Great with rotis!

People are Saying:

• Adventures of a Food Slut includes this Aloo Palak in her weekly menu:

Wednesday – Aloo Palak, naan

The Spinach Series

• Narasihman’s Sweet Potato, Eggplant and Spinach Madras Curry
• Makhana Palak - Lotus Seeds in Spinach Gravy

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