Aloo Palak (Dry)

Set a broad, heavy-walled pan over a medium flame and heat the designated cooking oil. If employing mustard oil, push it to an aggressive smoking point, then drop the flame to temper the harsh raw notes before proceeding.

Flick the cumin seeds into the stabilized fat and allow them to jump and splutter. Immediately follow with the minced garlic, the grated ginger, and the green chillies. Sauté the aromatics fiercely until the garlic toasted into a light, nutty golden brown.

If using, tumble the finely chopped onions into the skillet. Pan-fry them patiently until they break down entirely, adopting a soft, translucent appearance.

Add the raw potato cubes to the pan and dust them all over with the turmeric powder. Toss them well, put a tight lid on the pan, and cook the potatoes over low heat for 7-8 minutes, until they are about four-fifths done. Shake the pan now and then so they do not stick.

7–8 min

Once the potatoes yield slightly to a fork but retain a rigid core, dump the mountain of chopped spinach leaves directly on top. From this exact second forward, absolutely refuse to cover the pan; the open air is critical to retaining the spinach's brilliant, vibrant green chlorophyll.

Work the spinach in with your spatula, folding it through the hot potatoes. The large volume of leaves wilts and shrinks down at once, releasing a lot of water into the pan.

Season the flooded pan with the red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt. Apply the salt with extreme prejudice; as the spinach reduces down to a fraction of its raw size, normal salting will ruinously over-season the final dish.

Spike the stove to medium-high heat. Perform an aggressive, continuous toss for 4-5 minutes, force-evaporating every drop of the expelled spinach water until the pan runs totally dry and the seasoned oil visibly beads and glistens along the edges of the sabzi.

4–5 min

Turn off the heat and serve it hot.