Saag

Ingredients:

1lb. spinach

1lb. mustard greens

1lb. turnip greens

1lb. broccoli or cauliflower

1/2 cup kusoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - optional

1 1/2 tsp. salt 

5-10 green chillies (depending on how spicy you want it)

1 big onion

3 serving spoons of corn flour

Butter - optional 

Directions: 

Wash and roughly chop the greens. If you want to use methi, then soak the methi in water and drain several times to makes sure the dirt is out. Put the greens (except the methi), salt, green chillies, and 2-3 cups of water in a pot and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add methi 30 minutes into cooking the greens. Then add the corn meal and cook ~10 minutes. 

Let cool a bit, then blend the saag with an immersion blender. 

Next chop onion into thin slices and lightly fry them until they are a translucent pink color. Add the fried onions to the saag and cook 5-10 minutes. 

Top with butter or margarine or nothing. 

Kaddu Daal

I always thought kaddu was squash, but my mom said it's not squash, it's loki...which is also known as bottle gourd or chinese melon or long melon.

Ingredients:

1 cup channa daal

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pound kaddu

2-3 tablespoons oil

2-3 green chilies, chopped

Small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped up

Directions:

1. Wash daal and if you have time, soak it in water for a couple hours, otherwise no worries move on to the next step.

2. Put daal, 2 cups of water, salt, spices, and garlic in a pot and boil on high heat. 

3. Once the water starts boiling, turn heat to medium low and let simmer until the daal is tender (~20 minutes if you didn't soak it and ~10 minutes if you did soak it beforehand).

4. Meanwhile, wash and peel the kaddu. Then chop it into 1/2 inch cubes. 

5. When the daal is almost done, add the kaddu and green chilies to the daal and let cook until the kaddu is cooked through and most of the water has evaporated (~5 minutes, maybe a bit more)

6. Once kaddu is tender, add the cilantro, cover the daal, and turn off the heat.

7. Stir before serving. 

Kaddu

Channa daal

Aloo Methi

It's an acquired taste. Some love it, others think it tastes like mehndi.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), coarsely ground
~6 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 can tomato sauce
~2 tablespoons oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste (or copped garlic)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 cup fried onions (previously fried, different from the 1/2 onion listed above)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 stick butter (optional)

Directions:
Soak methi for 1/2 an hour in ~1 cup water. Clean methi will rise to top so remove top portion and sift through bottom carefully discarding soil or dirt.

Peel and cut potatoes in 1 inch pieces. Rub 1/2 teaspoon salt over potatoes and let sit for 5 minutes. Then soak potatoes in water for 10 minutes.

Strain methi and put in a pot. Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, and 1 cup water. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook for another 10 minutes. (Stirring occasionally)

In another pot, fry chopped onion in oil until transparent. Add potatoes, garlic, and turmeric powder and fry for a couple minutes. Add crushed red pepper if you want. Then add methi mixture and 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Then add the cup of fried onions. Cook until potatoes are done and water is gone.

Optional step:
Add 1/2 stick of butter and cook for 5 more minutes. I suggest you don't do this because it is unnecessary added fat, but if you want to impress Pakistani aunties with your cooking skills, then yeah do it.

This is the box it comes in. 

Palak Chicken & Palak Paneer Deconstructed

This is what I would make if I were on Top Chef.

Ingredients:

1/2 of a whole chicken

1 lb. spinach

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 onion 

1/3-1/2 can tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 

1/4 cup oil

~1 cup water

Directions:

Put all the ingredients except for the chicken in a pot. Cook on high until the water boils, then turn the heat to medium. Cook for about 20 minutes, checking the water level occasionally, and adding water if needed. Then add the chicken and cook for another 20 minutes. 

Like most South Asian dishes, serve with rice or bread. 

Makes 8-10 servings. 

Dessert: