BABY POTATOES IN SPINACH CHUTNEY

Monday morning!!

Somehow monday mornings seem to be so busy. And that too after having organised everything the previous evening to handle the morning rush. I think everybody just tends to stay in bed a few precious seconds more that turn to minutes. And then suddenly, the morning scene is one from a cartoon film that has been fast-forwarded. Every week saturday and sunday chase the discipline out of our lives.

But now I have found a way to combat that laziness I feel on monday mornings.

I have my Spinach Chutney cubed up in my freezer ready for use.

Today I am going to share this spinach chutney in combination with baby potatoes.
I pack this in the lunch boxes that my two children and husband carry along.

Any leftovers can be put in between bread slices and grilled or made into Toasties or mashed into flour to make a dough, or made into a healthy Wrap.

Though usually there are no left-overs.

BABY POTATOES IN SPINACH CHUTNEY

Serves 4 if eaten as an accompaniment to naan, chapatis or rice.
Ingredients:
.Baby potatoes............................25 (approx. 325 gm.)
.Cherry tomato............................12(approx. 85 gm.)
.Spinach chutney.........................1 and 1/2 cup

.Green chili.................................1 and 1/2 tsp

.Ginger........................................1/2 tsp, grated

.Coriander leaves........................1 tsp, finely chopped

.Cumin seeds...............................1 and 1/2 tsp

.Salt.............................................to taste
.Olive oil....................................1Tbsp(3 tsp)
.Bay leaf......................................1
.Nutmeg powder..........................a pinch
.Cinnamon stick...........................1/2 stick

.Water..........................................1/4th cup



baby potatoes served on a bed of spinach chutney



Method:

.Wash the potatoes and poke them with a fork.

.Boil them in salted water till just done.

.Drain and cut them into halves. Set aside.

.Heat 2tsp. oil in a flat pan(preferably non-stick).

.Add cumin seeds and when they splutter add the potatoes. 

.Put the potatoes face down i.e. the cut side down in the pan. Add salt.

.Let it brown crisp on medium heat.

.Turn to brown from the other side.

.Cut the tomatoes in halves and put them face down in the same pan with the potatoes.

.Cook till tomatoes are caramalised approx. 1 minute.

.Remove from pan and set aside.

.In the same pan add the green chili, ginger, bay leaf,cinnamon stick and saute for 1 minute in the
 remaining oil.

.Add the thawed spinach chutney*, a pinch of nutmeg, 1/4th cup water and cook for 2 minutes or till it

 comes to a boil.

.Add the potatoes and mix well.

.Add the tomatoes and coriander leaves and mix gently.

.Serve hot with naan or chapati or hot steaming rice or pulav. 



baby potatoes in spinach chutney



*note:

.If in cube form it thaws quickly. But if you have

 been feeling lazy or don't have an empty ice tray for

 the cubing of the chutney and  have a chunk instead,

 don't fret just defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.

 

SPINACH CHUTNEY

Hi friends,

Yesterday I had some friends over for dinner. I decided to make some easy dishes packed with nutrients.
My most popular one uses spinach.
I make cubes of this spinach chutney and always have it in the freezer. It remains equally fresh. Though, of course freshly ground chutney is always, well, FRESH.
This chutney is very versatile. I use it in various dishes as it adds the green colour along with the nutrients when I need a gravied dish, or add it to the rice to get green rice or add it to some classic dish just to give it that twist and adds flavour and punch to the recipe, or add it to the bread dough or chapati dough, make savoury pancakes, pizza sauce and much more.

And kids love it.

Ingredients:
.Spinach leaves.........................3 cups tightly packed, finely chopped
.Coriander leaves......................1 cup tightly packed, finely chopped
.Green chili................................3 large ones, finely chopped
.Ginger.......................................half inch piece, finely chopped
.Garlic.......................................1 large clove (optional), finely chopped
.Cumin seeds.............................1 and half tsp
.Lemon juice..............................1Tbsp
.Salt...........................................to taste(approx 1 tsp)
.Water........................................1/4th cup

Method:
.Discard the spinach stems and wash the leaves thoroughly.*
.Chop finely.
.Discard the roots and use the leaves along with the tender stems. Wash thoroughly and chop finely.
.Add all the ingredients together in a blender and grind into a fine paste.
.Gives 1 and 1/2 cup of the chutney.

spinach chutney

*note:

.Always wash and then cut leafy vegetables.

.Do not cut and wash them as they lose all the water soluble vitamins.

.At this point it can be stored in the freezer in the form of cubes or in a bottle in the refrigerator.

.If storing in the freezer, make 1Tbsp cubes in an ice tray. 1 cup =14 cubes.

 This makes it easy to thaw them for further cooking and  you can use as much as required. 

.When hardened they can be removed and stored in a freezer bag.

.Use within 2 days if storing in the refrigerator, to use all the nutrients effectively.

Spinach is extremely rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin E, vitamin K, folic acid, minerals, dietary fiber and iron.