Maka Palak - Corn in Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen spinach

1 fresh corn

1/8th cup uncooked peanuts

1/4th cup toor dal (cooked)

2 tbsp besan (gram flour)

1 serrano pepper or 2 small green chillies

1 small tomato, finely chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

Dash of asafoedita

1/4th tsp each of turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala powders

1 clove garlic

Salt and Sugar to taste

Tempering on the top: 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and garlic

Method:

In a pressure cooker, boil the spinach, cut corn (as shown in the picture), peanuts, and a pinch of turmeric powder, and salt in some water. It took about 8 whistles for my pressure cooker. If you are unsure about yours, do 6 whistles, check for doneness, and redo if needed.  Take out the corn and set aside.  Reserve the liquid from the cooker for cooking. You can also cook the toor dal at the same time. If you cook it together with the spinach, make sure the dal is cooked all the way as it should completely disintegrate in the spinach.

In a pan, heat oil, when hot add mustard seeds, when they crackle, add couple squirts of asafoedita followed by the greeen chilli.   Once you smell the aroma of the asafoedita (few seconds), add the spinach and peanuts mixture.  Add the toor dal.  Sautee the mixture real well. Using a spatula, stir the spinach for couple minutes so it disintgrates. Now, add all the spices - turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes allowing the spices to cook. Add some of the reserved liquid if necessary (not too much because the consistency of this curry is supposed to be thick not watery). Now, sprinkle the besan in the pan. Stir the mixture for another 3 to 4 minutes in order for the besan to cook. Now add the corn (which you previously cooked in the pressure cooker) and stir.

In a tempering pot, heat oil, add cumin seeds, and garlic (finely chopped) (add 2 if you like). Pour over the spinach mixture and stir. Add some sugar and more salt if necessary.

- The toor dal and besan serve as thickners - so adjust the quantity as per your taste.

- I have been adding lesser heat (chillies or chilli powder) than usual because my toddler eats the same meals. Feel free to increase the heat as per your taste.

- I did not add the entire cut corn becuase then you would be overcrowding the spinach. But, I went ahead and cooked it because I like to eat by dipping it in the curry. I added about 4 or 5 pieces only.