Slow-Cooker Palak (Spinach Curry)

Name: Slow-Cooker Palak (Spinach Curry) Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 315 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb. (500 g) Fresh Spinach (frozen is okay too but not as good); 1 large yellow or white onion peeled and rough chopped; 2 med. fresh tomatoes quartered; A 2 piece of peeled fresh ginger root chopped roughly (do not use dry ginger--you will be disappointed); 5 cloves of garlic peeled. (You can go as high as 10 here); 1 Tbs. Sriracha chili sauce (or you can use a few fresh chiles); 2 Tbs. ground cumin seed (toasted and ground fresh is best); 1.5 tsp. red chile powder; 2 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 Tbs good butter salted or unsalted makes no difference.

Minutes to Prepare: 15
Minutes to Cook: 300

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb. (500 g) Fresh Spinach (frozen is okay too, but not as good)1 large yellow or white onion, peeled and rough chopped2 med. fresh tomatoes, quarteredA 2" piece of peeled fresh ginger root, chopped roughly (do not use dry ginger--you will be disappointed)5 cloves of garlic, peeled. (You can go as high as 10 here)1 Tbs. Sriracha chili sauce (or you can use a few fresh chiles)2 Tbs. ground cumin seed (toasted and ground fresh is best)1.5 tsp. red chile powder2 tsp garam masala1 tsp ground turmeric1.5 tsp kosher salt1 Tbs good butter salted or unsalted, makes no difference.

Directions

Put all ingredients except salt and butter into a 3-5 qt slow cooker. Add 1/2 c. of water (or skim milk for a creamier result--be sure to recalc the nutritional info if you use milk). Cook on slow cooker's "high" setting for 3 hours. Don't worry if the slow cooker looks crowded at first. The spinach will cook down to a manageable volume pretty quickly. About once an hour, give the mixture a stir (if possible).

After 3 hours, stir the mixture well and then puree it with a stick/immersion blender. If you don't have one you can remove the mixture to a stand blender or food processor and buzz it there, but it's a LOT easier with a stick blender. Add the salt and butter and cook on the slow cooker's LOW setting for another 2 hours. This second simmer is important. Don't skip it, even though the stuff looks ready after you blend it.

Cooked chicken, lamb, chickpeas, or cubed fresh cheese can be added to make one of the numerous "Spinach and ***" curries which are so delicious.

Serving Size: Makes 4 ~1 1/4c. servings

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user GEWALKER.

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving