The unique combo of corn, spinach and cream makes this dish a real hit. Straight from the kitchens of Gujarat, palak malai makkai is a traditional gourmet dish meant to give the family more than taste – nutrition in one dish. The ingredients are simple and the taste is simply yummy!
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh spinach chopped fine
1/4 cup of green (shelled) moong dal
1/2 cup of baby corn (chopped fine) or regular corn off the cob (boiled)
2 green chilies either pasted or chopped fine
1/4 tsp of finely grated or ground ginger
1 small onion chopped fine
1/4 cup fresh (whipped) cream
1/4 tsp each of mixed spice powder
Turmeric powder
Red chili powder
Dry mango powder
Clove powder and cinnamon powder
1 tblsp of clarified butter
Salt to taste and cooking medium as per personal preference
Popular Accompaniments:
Palak malai makkai has all the goodness of fiber, protein and vitamins. The creamy taste can be experimented with rice or roti. Thickened and wrapped in a roti you create your own take-away. You can also replace palak with methi!
Preparation:
In a pressure cooker add the moong dal (washed and drained) and the spinach (washed and drained).
Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook the two ingredients together.
Once the dal and the spinach have softened, add the turmeric powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder, chilies, onion and ginger.
You need to stir the ingredients till they are very well mixed and the spinach is mashed well along with the dal.
You could either use a ladle for this or you could wait for the mixture to cool down and then blend it in a mixer.
Main Cooking:
In a heavy bottom vessel, heat the cooking medium. Stir fry the spinach mix, corn dry mango powder, mixed spice or garam masala powder and the required quantity of salt.
Allow the gravy to simmer till you get gravy of the consistency that is a hit for the family.
Slowly, after 10 minutes, add the fresh cream or malai and continue to stir the lentil magic till the all the cream blends well within.
Add create a seasoning by heating a little clarified butter in a seasoning vessel and frying the chili powder in it for just a second or two.
Presentation:
Pour this color rich concoction over the lentil preparation and watch your guests marvel at the colorful spread.
