This is such a healthy curry, and so versatile. I made it tonight with some leftover chicken from a Sunday roast, but I've made it with cubed chicken, cubed lamb. cubed potatoes, or just 'plain' spinach. I also make it with homegrown chard or kale.
250g spinach (chard, or kale), washed
500g cubed lamb, chicken, cooked cubed potato, 2 cans of chickpeas
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
2cm fresh ginger
1 green chilli, or 1/2 tsp very hot chilli flakes
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
4 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
4 whole cardamon seeds
2 bay leaves
1tsp turmeric
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp plain yoghurt (or vegan alternative)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
If using meat, brown the lamb or chicken in a large saucepan in the sunflower oil. Then remove from the pan and leave to one side until the sauce is made. If using cooked meat or potato, cook the sauce first.
Liquidise the onion, garlic, ginger, and fresh chilli with a little water to make a loose paste.
Fry the dry spices in the oil left in the pan after removing the meat. If you have not fried any meat, dry roast the spices in a large saucepan, then add the sunflower oil once the smell of warm spices gets strong. After a couple of minutes of frying or dry roasting/frying add the liquidised onion paste and fry gently until the water evaporates and it is at risk of sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once this happens, liquidise the chopped tomatoes and add to the pan.
At this stage you have a choice over the texture of the spinach. I have always poured boiling water over the spinach in a bowl and liquidised the wilted spinach. But I am now thinking that I could just finely shred the spinach or chard, particularly if not adding any meat or potato. Kale, though, can be tough and may benefit from wilting and being chopped in a food processor. My kids, despite being 15, 12, & 10 are still wary of obvious greenery.
Texture decision made, add the yoghurt and stir in before adding the spinach to the tomato and onion paste, adding a can of the wilting water if used or recently boiled water. Add any remaining whole spices, salt, and garam masala. Return any browned lamb or chicken to the pan if using, topping with a little hot water if the sauce is too thick, and bring to a gentle boil then simmer with a lid on for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. If using cooked meat or cooked potatoes, bring the sauce to the boil first then simmer with the cooked meat or potatoes (and again topping up with hot water to make a looser consistency if required) with a lid on for 10 minutes, just enough to warm the previously cooked ingredients through.
Both dishes are ready after their alloted cooking time, but all curries benefit from being left to stand to allow the flavours to develop. This could be overnight in the fridge, or an hour or so pushed to the back of the hob.
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