Cheats Spiced Spinach Turmeric Potato Pilaf Food

CHEAT'S SPICED SPINACH, TURMERIC & POTATO PILAF

Steps:

• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 6-7 mins. Drain and leave to steam-dry.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry over a low-medium heat for 15-20 mins or until golden and caramelised. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and curry powder, and cook for 1 min. Add the spinach, a handful at a time and stir until wilted. Stir through the rice and potatoes, and cook until warmed though. Season to taste, then stir through the mint and coriander.
• Serve the pilaf in bowls, scattered with the chilli, and the chutney and coconut yogurt on the side.

SPICED SPINACH & POTATO PASTY PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan that has a lid or in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the cumin seeds in the oil for a few seconds until they start to crackle, then stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute more. Mix in the curry powder and cook for another minute. Stir through the potatoes until completely coated in the spice mix and cook for 4 mins.
• Pour about 75ml water over the potatoes and season with salt. Put the lid on and cook over a medium-high heat for 6-8 mins, until the potatoes are just cooked and most of the water has been absorbed. Add the spinach, cover the pan and cook for a minute. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 mins until the spinach is completely wilted and there's no liquid in the pan. Turn off the heat and season with the garam masala. Leave to cool. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• To assemble the pies, mix the egg with the turmeric and a pinch of salt in a bowl and set aside. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin and cut out four circles about 12cm wide, arranging them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put a quarter of the potato mixture into the middle of each pastry circle, leaving a border. Re-roll the pastry offcuts, then cut out four more circles, about 8cm wide. Brush the borders of the larger pastry circles with the spiced egg, then drape the smaller circles over the potato filling. Pinch the borders to seal. Brush the pies with more of the spiced egg and scatter over a pinch of cumin seeds. Will keep frozen for up to two months. Defrost fully before baking.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake the pies for 30-35 mins until deep golden. Leave to cool a little, then enjoy warm or leave to cool completely and eat like a pasty with mango chutney or lime pickle. Will keep chilled for two days in an airtight container.

INDIAN SPICED SPINACH WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat. When it's hot, add in the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add in the cumin seeds, then the chile/red pepper flakes. Stir for a few seconds. ( I sometimes have trouble with getting my mustard seeds to pop. I always suspect that it has to do with their age, but I'm only guessing there. If they don't pop in a reasonable amount of time, I just proceed. It's never affected the flavor of the finished dish).
• Add the onion, garlic and green chile if you're using one. Stir fry these for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat down partway through the fry time.
• Add the potatoes and increase the heat a little. Stir fry for 5 minutes, then cover, turn the heat back down a bit, and cook for 4 minutes. I lift the lid and give them a quick stir halfway through this time. The potatoes and onion will be starting to brown at this point.
• Stir in the salt and spices. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Give a quick stir after the first 5 minutes.
• Add the spinach and increase the heat. Stir in the spinach as it wilts, then cover pan again, reduce heat again and let cook for another 7 minutes.
• Remove the lid and test one of the potatoes, they should be cooked through at this point. (if not, recover and cook a bit longer) Reduce the heat a little and continue cooking to evaporate any remaining juices from the spinach. Stir frequently during this time to avoid sticking.

SAAG ALOO

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan, add 1 finely chopped onion, 2 sliced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp chopped ginger, and fry for about 3 mins.
• Stir in 500g potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks, 1 halved, deseeded and finely sliced red chilli, ½ tsp black mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp salt and continue cooking and stirring for 5 mins more.
• Add a splash of water, cover, and cook for 8-10 mins.
• Check the potatoes are ready by spearing with the point of a knife, and if they are, add 250g spinach leaves and let it wilt into the pan. Take off the heat and serve.