'Hariali Makai-Palak'
Vegan Corn-Spinach Curry

By Manasi Mulay

This super tasty and fragrant curry is vegan, rich in nutrients and contains ingredients with no added synthetic colours or chemicals. All the ingredients are easily available from your garden or can be bought from local market. This curry also offers a variety of serving suggestions!

Ingredients

Greens:

  • ½ kg fresh baby spinach

  • 2-3 tbsp of boiled sweet corn

  • ½ piece of cucumber

  • 1 salad tomato

  • 1 spring onion

  • 5-6 small fresh hot green chilli peppers

  • 1-2 tbsp cooking oil of your choice

Spices:

  • ½ tsp cumin seeds

  • 1 tsp garam masala

  • 1-2 tsp hot red chilli powder (adjust as you like)

  • 1 tsp of dried onion powder, ½ tsp dried garlic powder (this can be replaced by fresh ½ piece of spicy onion and 1-2 garlic cloves)

  • ½ tsp dried mango (aamchur) powder or pomegranate seed (anardana) powder for tanginess (or can add half tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice)

How to prepare

  1. Wash all veggies thoroughly with lukewarm water

  2. Grind the washed ½ kg spinach with 2-3 green chilli peppers by adding cold water as required and keep aside – this green paste can be stored in fridge for 2-3 days and can be used for cooking variety of recipes later

  3. Chop salad tomato, spring onion, 2-3 green chili peppers and cucumber in small pieces and keep aside

  4. Add cooking oil to hot pan and keep on medium flame.

  5. Add cumin seeds once the oil is heated and sauté

  6. Then add chopped veggies to the hot oil pan (in step 3) stepwise in this sequence: green chilli pepper, spring onion, tomato, cucumber (wait after adding each of these until it turns slightly brown) turn flame on high. At this point, add pinch of salt as you like.

  7. Once the vegies are cooked for 5 mins, add set quantity of spices (mentioned in ingredients) one by one and mix well. Let it cook for 5 more mins on high flame

  8. Now add the spinach-chilli paste (from step-2) to the pan on the top of the spiced veggies and mix well. Cover with lid and let it cook for around 5 mins on medium flame. Wait until the fresh green colour is changed to dark seaweed colour.

  9. Now add boiled sweet corns and cover the lid for 2 mins. Add salt to adjust the taste.

  10. Turn off the flame and transfer the “Hariali Makai-Palak” curry to serving bowl.

Serving suggestions

  • Can be garnished with shallow fried dry fruits & nuts and chopped coriander

  • Can also top it up with shallow fried tofu or boiled potato cubes

  • Can be served with chapati (or any flat-bread) or with basmati (long-grain aromatic) rice sautéed with cumin seeds or with boiled spirali pasta