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Easy Palak Alu (Spinach and Potatoes)

What you need: 

4-5 medium potatoes, 1-2" cubes
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
dash cayenne
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 cup water

What you do: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place potatoes in 2 quart casserole dish. Add oil and spices and mix together.
2. Add spinach to potatoes. Mix.
3. Add water, cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (until potatoes are tender).
The amount of salt in this recipe may seem like alot, but don't cut back the amount as it is crucial to the flavor.

Preparation Time: 
15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 
Servings: 
6-8

SO HOW'D IT GO?

This was pretty good, but I made it with about half the amount of salt and I think it still came out to salty. I'm going to cut down to about half a tablespoon next time. The salt does help to bring out the flavor, but it was too much and overpowered the dish. Other than that, I'd make it again.

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This is one of my favorite recipes to make!! My omni parents request it, and it keeps well in the fridge. I always cut back on the salt. Thank you for sharing this recipe, it's been on a regular rotation for a while now!

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Update on this recipe: I've made this recipe quite a few times now, and I'm always playing with it. I have used different greens beside spinach, and chard and collard seem to hold their shape a bit more than spinach, so if you don't like how much spinach wilts down I would suggest one of those. I also have made these when I'm out of chili powder, and I just sprinkled on some smoked Hungarian paprika and black pepper. I still don't own garlic powder, so I add many cloves of chopped garlic to this. I also don't like to use this much water--1/2 cup at most. Awesome recipe, and beside chana masala, probably the recipe I've made the most from vegweb!

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This is so yummy!  I always make it when I make chana masala. I do, however, cut down on most of the seasonings. I don't have garlic powder, so I just mince 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, use 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon curry powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt (I think this is plenty). I haven't used frozen spinach, though. I use fresh, and I have to add a handful, put it in the oven and let it wilt and get small, stir this in, repeat, until I have enough spinach in. I usually can get 5 or so handfuls in. The first time I made it I put in the full 3/4 cup of water, and I thought it was too much. The potatoes never really roasted, and they kind of boiled (this way have been the point). However, I like it when the potato can get a crispy crust on the outside, so I just added about 1/4 cup of water, just enough to keep the spinach from sticking to the pan. This is a great vegetable to make with dal or chana masala!  ;)b

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I might have added a dash too much cayenne and I used canned spinach but I really enjoyed it! Really good, totally recommend with flavored rice! Delish!

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Loved this! Tastes just like it came from an Indian restaurant. They were right about cutting down on the amount of salt, but I wouldn't change anything else. :) Put some white rice under it, and it's a great meal.

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A good way to use up a bunch of spinach. The flavor's not perfect, but good, simple.

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This was oh so amazing, I'd been wanting it for a long time and finally made it today. Whoever said it was better than a restaurant *Agree* it reminds me of home, where there ARE actually indian restaurants at all. Oh I didn't use as much salt, but I did use black salt so that helped too.
How can something be this addictive and filling too? Tis heaven.  :)>>>

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I just knocked up my second batch of this and it is brilliant!

Learning from my first effort, I modified it slightly fit my own tastes. Here are my tweaks:

1/2T salt
1T    Mexican chili powder (pouches from Fresh Market)
1T    Curry powder (Badia from Mex grocery)
1T Garam Masala (Deep Foods sold in Indian grocery)
1T Garlic powder (Trader Joes)
1 small spoonfull of fresh crushed garlic (from a jar-Trader Joes)
2T Canola oil (per original recipe)

No additional pepper for heat needed, it's in the Garam Masala.
6 white potatoes ( medium to small w/ skin on) and two packages of frozen spinach (the cheap store brand) thawed and drained
3/4 C water

It really helps to know your spices going into this. My chili powder and garam masala include salt in the list of ingredients. Next time I will even use half as much salt. I wanted the dish to take on a more Indian vibe, so I cut the mex chili powder in half- Perfect! (the first time I thought 2T of my chili powder made it go bitter) The fresh garlic was an improvement so I will go with two spoons of that next time. I actually forgot I had it until I had already added the powdered stuff.

Thanks to everyone for sharing.  ;)b

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Absolutely Fantastic. I added two minced garlic cloves, and it turned out great. The high amount of salt does really bring the flavors out, but it's still good with a lower amount.

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