Aalan Ka Saag
Nutrition
Calories: 149.53 kcalCarbohydrates: 19.04 gProtein: 8.39 gFat: 5.42 gSaturated Fat: 0.91 gCholesterol: 1.7 mgSodium: 698.17 mgFiber: 5.74 gVitamin A: 200.5365 IUCalcium: 163.48 mgIron: 3.96 mg
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup sour yogurt
- 2 tbsp mung dal picked over, washed, and drained (optional)
- 1-1/2 lbs fresh spinach washed, drained, and chopped
- 2-1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- A generous pinch of ground asafetida
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 2 whole dried hot red peppers
Instructions
- Sift the chickpea flour and turmeric into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, a little bit at a time, and keep stirring until you have a smooth paste.
- Put the yogurt into a second bowl and beat it lightly with a whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Add 5 cups of water to the yogurt, beating lightly.
- Add the yogurt mixture slowly to the chickpea-flour mixture, beating gently as you mix the two. Now empty this combination into a heavy 4-quart pot and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the mung dal, spinach, salt, lemon juice, and cayenne. Bring to a simmer again. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer very gently for 1-1/2 hours. Stir every 10 minutes or so. If the aalan ka saag gets too thick, thin it out with a little hot water. It should have the consistency of a pea soup. Check the salt and add some freshly ground black pepper. Turn off the heat but leave the pot covered.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet or a very small pot over a medium flame. When very hot, add the asafetida, then, a second later, the cumin seeds, and 2 seconds later, the red peppers. As soon as the peppers turn dark on one side, turn them over. As soon as the second side darkens, pour the oil and all the spices in it over the aalan ka saag. Cover the aalan ka saag again immediately and let it stay covered until the sizzling noises stop. You may now stir the contents of the pot.