Corn Palak ki Tikki

Saw this being made on a TV programme - NDTV - they also have it on their website.  And I had the palak and the corn. I had the paneer too, but I did not add that since VK does not like paneer!

Ingredients ( the amounts can vary)


Corn cob - 1 medium - remove kernels
Milk -  3 tbsp - just enough liquid to make sure the corn does not get scorched
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp

Spinach - 1 large bunch

Potato - 1 medium - boiled
Paneer - 100 gms (optional)

Chilie powder - to taste ( can omit if you use green chilies)
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilies - 1 ( optional) - finely chopped
Ginger - 1/4" finely chopped
Coriander leaves - chopped - optional - few
Cornflour - to bind - 1 tbsp
Oil - to shallow fry

Blanch the corn in milk.  What I did was to put the bowl with corn and milk in the MW for a minute. The corn was fresh and tender.
Chop fine or put in blender for a few seconds - do not make a paste. Add chaat masala and lime. This is to balance the sweet taste of corn

Blanch the spinach leaves.  Always drain the spinach so that the water is not retained. Otherwise you will need extra corn flour and it will make the tikki chewy

Chop this fine or add it along with the corn while blending

Mash potato and add the grated paneer
Add this to the corn - spinach mixture

Add the spice powders, ginger, cornstarch and make a tikki mixture
Make balls and flatten

Put on a tawa - preferably the non-stick pan - since you can cut out the oil usage.
Brown on both sides.
Enjoy!

Had here with some fresh veggie salad.  Linking to - the greens recipes of Tickling Palates

Borani Esfanaaj - A Persian Spinach Dip

Borani is a cold dish of vegetables. This is a recipe I found at The Spice Spoon. The dash of garlic in the dish enhances the taste.  I had just this one bunch of Spinach.  And I made a little.  And I wanted more. This could serve as a dip, as a side dish, or even an accompaniment to an Indian bread.  Try it.

(if you are wondering about the red streak of oil – I used chili infused olive oil

For serving 4 – double the quantity

Spinach – 1 bunch – (frozen spinach can also be used)

Garlic – 1 large clove – finely minced

Onion – ½ medium – finely chopped 

Thick Yoghurt  – 1 cup (you can vary the amount )

Dried Mint – Kasuri Methi – for garnish

Walnuts – I did not use this, but it would add a nice crunch – few

Ground Pepper – to taste

Salt to taste

Olive oil / Refined Oil– little

Essential that the yoghurt is fresh and thick, the garlic finely minced and the onion extra fine chopped. 

Blanch the spinach.

Squeeze out all the water

Chop coarsely

Take a pan, heat a little oil, add the minced garlic

Sauté

And the chopped onion, continue to sauté

Add the blanched, chopped garlic, sauté a little while longer

Remove from heat and cool thoroughly

Whisk the yoghurt lightly.  Add salt – mix well

Mix the spinach-garlic mixture

Blend.

Add ground pepper

Garnish with the dried mint and chopped walnut

Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top ( optional) 

Dal with Greens - another one!

A recipe with another type of pulse - split mung beans - and another type of greens that is called Thotakura in Telugu - Amaranth leaves.  It was a good dish - different from the usual spinach dal that I generally make

Moong Dal – ½ cup
Amaranth leaves (Thotakura) – 1 bunch
Onion, medium -1 diced
Ttomato – 1  chopped
Green chilies- diced finely
Ginger – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – to taste
Ghee/oil for seasoning
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Mustard and cumin seeds ¼ tsp each
Salt to taste

Cook Moong dal till just soft – I put it in the cooker and switched it off as soon as the whistle blew so that it did not get mushy

In a pan, take the oil ( ghee for a better taste), add the cumin and mustard.  Wait till mustard splutters

Add chopped greens, green chilies, ginger, and onions.   Simmer for a while till the onions get transparent.

Add the chopped tomatoes. Keep on simmer for another 5 minutes .

Add the chili powder, turmeric and salt to taste

Add the cooked dal. And some water to get it to the right consistency.  Simmer till it all gets well blended.  Bring to a boil. And remove off the heat.

Serve with roti or hot rice

Recipe from Mitho Limdo   

Thotakura Pulusu - Amaranth leaves in tangy tamarind sauce

Ingredients:

Amaranth leaves - 2 cups finely chopped

Onion - 1 large finely chopped
Green chillies - 3 slit length wise
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind paste - 3 tbsp

Jaggery - a small piece
Rice flour - 1 tbsp (optional)
salt to taste
Seasoning -
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 3
Garlic pods - 3-4 - crush
Curry leaves

Take wok in a wok

Add mustard seeds, let them crackle

Add cumin , methi, udad dal and channa dal and let them brown

Add garlic, red chillies, curry leaves, chopped onions and green chillies

Sauté till onions turn slightly translucent.

Add the amaranth leaves. Saute a while.

Add the turmeric and salt .

Cook for few minutes.

Add the tamarind extract and jaggery

Add water and simmer for 8-10 minutes till it thickens

If required, dissolve rice flour in a little water and add to the dish.

Cook till it thickens and the raw taste of rice is no longer present.

Serve with hot rice.