This spinach curry has its origins in Karnataka. However, it is loved and adopted by nearby regions, like in Maharashtra. This spinach curry is very special for me, as it is linked to some childhood memories. Those days, this curry was served as one of the curries in the wedding ceremonies. It tasted so delicious, with full of flavors like tangy, spicy, sweet, little bitter all at once. How amazing! Even today, I start drooling when I remember the taste. This is a must try recipe. I am so sure, people who hate spinach will start enjoying it.
About Main Ingredients-
Spinach – gives salty taste to this curry, so please be careful while using
Tamarind – gives tanginess to curry, so please adjust according to your taste
Jaggery – gives sweetness to this curry, so please adjusted to liking
Methi seeds – gives that bitterness to this curry. Please do not skip. Other option is to use crushed or powdered methi seeds
Green chillies – gives spiciness to this curry. Please do not skip. You can add at-least one green chili in ginger garlic paste, and/or add at-least one green chili slit lengthwise in seasoning
Step by Step Instructions for making Spinach curry (Mudda Bhaji)
Pease check below mentioned step by step process of sweet spicy and tangy Spinach Curry. I hope you like it.
- Wash gram dal and soak for an hour. Soaking is optional step.
- Add gram dal, peanuts in pot along with 1/2 cup water and pressure cook it for 1 whistle hight flame, next 2 whistles on medium flame. If using instant pot, cook for 15-20 minutes on steam mode.
- Wash spinach, and chop roughly if leaves are big. Here I have used baby spinach, so I have not chopped.
- Soak tamarind in warm water, soak for about 20 minutes
- Make ginger, garlic and green chillies (if using) paste
- Add besan/gram flour to 1/4 cup water, and mix till it becomes smooth, lump free
- Squeeze tamarind, and keep tamarind extract with water
- In a pot add 2.5 cups of water, bring it to boil, add 1tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar
- Now add chopped spinach to it, boil it for 2-3 minutes
- Turn flame to medium, add cooked chana dal and peanuts into spinach, mix everything evenly
- Slowly add besan/gram flour paste into spinach, keep stirring to avoid lumps
- Once besan/gram flour is cooked, add ginger garlic green chili paste. Now add tamarind jaggery extract and salt, and give it a good mix
- Add coriander and cumin powder, mix again.
- Adjust water according to consistency you want, I have added 1/2 cup water. This curry is not runny, not very thick, medium consistency is the best. Besan/gram flour is going to make your curry little thick as you cook, so adjust water accordingly
Seasoning for Spinach Curry
- Now let’s make seasoning. In a small pan, add 2 tbsp, once it is hot, turn flame to medium, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds, asafoetida, green chillies (if using) ,2-3 cloves of garlic, curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder. Mix everything together, turn off the flame.
- Add this seasoning over the cooked spinach dal, give everything a good mix.
- Check for salt, adjust accordingly.
- Add chopped coriander leaves, mix again. Delicious Spinach curry is ready.
- It can be enjoyed with roti and/or rice.
- It stays good in refrigerator for couple of days, and enhances its flavor over the time.
Notes-
-
- Adding green chillies is optional but recommended. Use at least one chili in Ginger, garlic paste or you can add slit chili in seasoning. It gives a nice taste to curry
- Oil quantity given is recommended for good taste, you can reduce if needed
- Spinach tastes little salty, plz add less salt, or there is good chance to turn any spinach dish salty
Spinach Curry (Mudda Bhaji)
A Sweet Spicy tangy curry made of green tender spinach leaves
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 400 grams (1 lb) spinach
- 1/4 cup chana dal yellow gram lentils
- 2 tbsp besan gram flour
- 1 tsp Jaggary
- handful of whole peanuts
- 1 lemon size Tamarind
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 2 inch piece of ginger
- 2 green chillies optional
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1/4 tsp methi seeds
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder or as required
- 1 string of curry leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- Water
Instructions
- Wash gram dal and soak overnight. Soaking is optional step.
- Add gram dal, peanuts in pot along with 1/2 cup water and pressure cook it for 1 whistle hight flame, next 2 whistles on medium flame. If using instant pot, cook for 15-20 minutes on steam mode.
- Wash spinach, and chop roughly
- Soak tamarind in warm water
- Make ginger, garlic and green chillies (if using) paste
- Add besan to 1/4 cup water, and mix till it beacomes smooth, lump free
- Squeeze tamarind, and keep tamarind extract with water
- In a pot add 2 cups of water, bring it to boil, add chopped spinach to it, boil it for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn flame to medium, add cooked chana dal and peanuts into the spinch, slowly add besan paste into spinach, keep stirring to avoid lumps of besan
- Once besan is cooked, add ginger garlic green chillie paste
- Add tamrind extract and a piece of jaggery, give it a good mix
- Add salt, coriander and cumin powder, mix again. Be careful while adding salt, as spinach has already salty taste to it. Plz add less salt, you can adjust later.
- Adjust water according to consistancy you want, this curry is not runny, not very thick, medium consistancy is the best.
- Now let's make seasoning. In a small pan, add 2 tbsp, once it is hot, turn flame to medium, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds, asafoetida, green chillies (if using) ,2-3 cloves of garlic, curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chilli powder. Mix everything together, turn off the flame.
- Add this seasoning over the cooked spinach dal, give everything a good mix.
- Check for salt, adjust accordingly.
- Add chopped coriander leaves, mix again. Delicious Spinach curry is ready.
- It can be enjoyed with roti and/or rice.
Notes
Notes-
- Adding green chillies is optional but recommended. Use at least one chilli in Ginger, garlic paste or you can add slit chili in seasoning. It gives a nice taste to curry
- Oil quantity given is recommended for good taste, you can reduce if needed
- Spinach tastes little salty, plz add less salt, or there is good chance to turn any spinach dish salty
