Rajma Palak

Spinach is one of my favorite greens which one can find it on my table atleast once a week.I make palak paneer,alu palak,palak kofta curry occasionally just to avoid using paneer and alu at regular basis. One can use their imagination to create many healthier options using those lovely greens other than using them in regular dal's and stir fries as they are very versatile to mingle with any ingredient.I add sometimes soya chunks or fried tofu instead of paneer to make a healthier option.Adding Rajma/other beans to the gravy makes a complete protein packed food in one single dish.You can even substitute rajma with other beans like garbanzo beans,whole green moong and one can even add mashed paneer to make the gravy still tastier.
This again goes to Divya's 'Show me your Curry' event.

Ingredients:
1 bunch spinach,washed and chopped
1 cup rajma,soaked overnight
1 big onion,sliced
1 cup milk or 1/3 cup cream
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
5-6 green chillies
1 tsp amchur powder
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/2" cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of hing
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:

• Soak Rajma in enough water overnight and change the water once.
• Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon and 1 slit green chilli and fry for a
• minute.
• Add soaked rajma to it and add enough water and salt to it and pressure cook for 2 whistles and simmer for 10-12 mins until the rajma beans are soft and not mushy.
• In a pot bring water to a boil and add cleaned and chopped spinach,green chillies and sliced onions and cook for a couple of minutes.Remove it immediately from it and run the spinach mixture through tap water to retain the color of the spinach while cooking.
• Grind spinach,onions and green chillies to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai and crackle cumin seeds and add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
• Add coriander and jeera powder's to it and fry well.Add spinach and onion puree and fry until the oil separates from the pan.
• Add cooked rajma(removing extra water) and add milk(or cream) and mix well.Check for the consistency and add enough water(use drained water from rajma) if required.Simmer it for 8-10mins.
• Add salt to taste(remember we added salt while cooking rajma),garam masala and amchur powder and mix well.
• Remove it from the stove and garnish with fresh cream and serve hot.

Serve it hot with phulka/chapathy/Naan/Kulcha/pulao's.

Note:

• I always avoid mixing tomato and palak in the same dish,instead I add either lemon juice or amchur powder to give sourness to the dish.It is your personal choice to include what ever you want and adjust the sourness by adding more amchur powder or use lemon juice.
• In order to make the dish still richer and tastier add nicely mashed(1/2 cup paneer) to the gravy while rajma to the spinach mixture.
• For a Vegan version avoid cream and milk in the recipe.