Easy and delicious recipe to make saag aloo, Indian potatoes with leafy greens. Serve this with whole grain roti, chapati, bhakri or steamed rice or quinoa.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 · 2 to 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 250 grams (½ lb) potatoes ((2 medium aloo, peel, dice to 1 * ¾ inch))
  • 150 grams (5 ounces) baby spinach ((4 cups, or a mix of spinach with microgreens or baby kale/ fenugreek/mustard greens))
  • ½ cup (1 small) onion ((fine chopped))
  • ⅓ cup (1 medium) tomatoes ((deseeded & fine chopped or pureed))
  • 1 to 2 green chilies ((chopped or slit, Thai/ Indian or Serrano Peppers, omit for kids))
  • 1 teaspoon (½ inch) ginger ((peeled and minced))
  • 1 teaspoon (2) medium garlic (cloves minced)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ((or black pepper, adjust to taste))
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon Garam masala ((adjust to taste))
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ⅓ to ½ teaspoon sea salt ((adjust to taste))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ((optional))
  • 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • ½ tablespoon kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves, optional))
  • ½ cup water ((more if required))
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves or microgreens (chopped)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon lemon juice ((to serve))

Method

  1. Use only the leaves and avoid stems of the leafy greens. If using kale, destem them as well.
  2. Rinse your greens in plenty of water and drain them to a colander. Shake off to drain the water completely. Keep aside to use later. Prepare the other ingredients.

How to Make Saag Aloo

  1. Heat oil/ghee in a wide pan. Add cumin seeds. When the seeds begin to sizzle add onions and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add potatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute for another 1 minute. Stir in salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala.
  3. Pour water and cook covered until the potatoes are al dente, not fully cooked or mushy. If required add more water as they cook. Taste test and add more salt or spices to taste. While the potatoes cook, chop the greens roughly & keep them ready.
  4. Add tomatoes and cook on a medium high heat until they lose the raw flavor. Avoid over stirring here.
  5. Optional - Add chopped fenugreek leaves/kale/mustard greens if using and stir fry until they wilt completely.
  6. Add spinach in batches and saute until wilted. Add crushed kasuri methi, microgreens if using and turn off. Mix well to wilt the microgreens.
  7. Let cool down a bit and squeeze in lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves/ microgreens if you want.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.