Sunday, November 12, 2000		What's cooking?

REMEMBER the manner in which amazing feats performed by 'Popeye - the sailor' after getting a dose of' spinach, manages to awe little kids? One cannot help wondering whether these humble-looking leaves actually have that much power to make one so strong. In fact, this leafy wonder hardly needs cartoon character Popeye's promotion gimmicks to prove its worth. Spinach is the foremost among the chlorophyte group of vegetables. It is extremely rich in vitamin A and E, iron, potassium, sulphur and chlorine. It contributes the all-important roughage and is helpful in constipation. Chewing raw spinach cures pyorrhea. It is a low calorie filler for all those diet watchers.

No wonder then that palak is such an important part of Indian, especially North Indian, cuisine. Palak pakoras and paranthas liven up the cold wintry days and no one can deny the goodness of rich palak soup.

A spinach dish can be incorporated into Indian as well as continental menu. Here are some recipes to give variation to your menu. Try these and tempt all those Popeyes around you.

250 gm Spinach

250 gm sour curd

3 tbsp besan

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli

2-3 red chillies powder

2 tbsp refined oil

Salt to taste

Put sour curd, besan and 3 cups of water in a blender and blend till a smooth mixture is formed. Add 2 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder and put the mixture in a heavy bottomed pan. Stir continuously till it comes to a boil. Let the mixture simmer on low flame. Wash and clean spinach. Remove the stems and chop the leaves finely.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds cover the pan, you will hear the seeds crackle. Add grated ginger and stir for some time. Add garam masala powder and put chopped spinach in the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes till the leaves become tender.

Add this spinach to the simmering curd and besan mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes. Heat 2-3 red chillies in oil and pour this on top of khatta saag. Serve hot.

1 kg Spinach

2 tbsp onion paste

100 gm radish leaves

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

100 gm mushrooms

50 gm fresh paneer

2-3 tomatoes

2 tbsp refined oil

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp fresh cream

½ tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste.

Wash and chop the cleaned spinach and radish leaves. Put these in pressure cooker with 2-3 tbsp water and cook. Once cooked either mash the leaves with a ladle or put in a mixer to get a fine paste.

Heat oil in a karahi. Add onion paste and stir till it becomes transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and stir for some time more. Add chopped tomatoes and stir till oil surfaces. Add garam masala powder and spinach paste. Stir till extra water evaporates and add fresh cream to the spinach. Meanwhile, wash and dry mushrooms, take out the stems and saute mushrooms in 1tsp of butter. Crush paneer and add salt and green chilli sauce. Fill this mixture in the mushrooms. Just before serving, put the 1 stuffed mushrooms inverted on the spinach and cover the vessel. Keep on slow fire for five minutes.

1 kg spinach

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 2/3 cups semolina

1 tbsp salt

2 eggs

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp maida

oil for frying

½ cup grated cheese

Wash and boil spinach with a little water. Drain extra water. Put in a mixer and make a fine paste. Add semolina, beaten eggs and grated cheese to the paste and mix till a smooth ball of dough is formed. Some maida can be added if necessary to give the dough a dry but pliable consistency. Knead the soft dough for 4-6 minutes to make it elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and keep for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into four parts and roll each part with a rolling pin into a thin chappati. Sprinkle some flour on each chappati and let it stand for 15 minutes. Cut the chappatis into small rectangles using a sharp knife or a pastry cutting wheel.

Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry these chips. The oil should be very hot and don't over cook chips otherwise they will not be crisp.