Topic: Alternatives to spinach for Sag Aloo ?

[Peripatetic Phil]

As is fairly commonly known these days (it was far less well known when I started eating curries almost fifty years ago), "Sag Aloo" doesn't necessarily contain spinach : the name of the spinach-specific variant is "Aloo Palak".  Well, despite the fact that it doesn't /necessarily/ contain spinach, that is the only green vegetable that I have ever used to make it, basically because I hate most green vegetables [1] with a vengeance -- a hatred that others might reserve for fox hunters or paedophiles ...  Anyhow.  Today, while out cycling, I passed a fruit-and-vegetable stall on the outskirts of Marden and stopped to see what was on display.  There were some small and delicious-looking tomatoes, so I decided to go back later in the car while shopping for cat food.  I went back this afternoon, and as well as the tomatoes bought some beets (for my wife : she likes Borscht) and some Rainbow Chard for myself.  Now I have never eaten Rainbow Chard in my life, so I have not yet acquired an inbuilt hatred for it, and I thought it /might/ go well in Sag Aloo.  And it did.  It was /excellent/, at least as good as spinach and perhaps even better.  So my question is : what other green vegetables have you tried in Sag Aloo, and what are your recommendations and favourites ?

** Phil.
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[1] With the notable exceptions of some Chinese green things : Pak Choi, Choi Sam (for crispy Chinese "seaweed"), Ung Choi and Chinese leaf.

[Ramirez]

That's a lot of hate you have there Phil. 

Can't really add much to this, as I've never used anything in place of spinach. Never felt the need as it works so well. Also, I've never come across one that doesn't contain spinach. Do you actually like it with spinach?

I am intrigued by the use of chard though, although I can't see it working as well as spinach. If I remember I'll pick some up and give it a whirl.

[Peripatetic Phil]

That's a lot of hate you have there Phil. 

Well, all right, I exaggerated : I don't hate paedophiles quite as much as I hate school greens !

Do you actually like it with spinach?

Yes, I love it : in fact, my normal choice of side dish to accompany a curry is either Bombay Aloo, Aloo Sag or Mushroom Bhaji -- rarely go outside those three.

I am intrigued by the use of chard though, although I can't see it working as well as spinach. If I remember I'll pick some up and give it a whirl.

Do, I recommend it.  It will need more cooking than young leaf spinach, you will need to remove the stem before you start, and once it's cooked through I recommend transferring it to a chopping board and reducing it to approximately 1/2" square pieces before mixing it in with the potatoes, but it has an excellent texture and flavour and seems to really go well in this dish.

** Phil.

[Razor]

Hi Phil,

I also hate greens and therefore I never knowingly order anything that contains the stuff.  With that said, I can see shredded savoy cabbage working quite well and would suggest sweating it down in a little butter or ghee first, season well then add it minutes before the end of the dish?

Ray

[Peripatetic Phil]

Savoy cabbage, eh ?  OK, I'll give it a go ('erself will always eat up any that I don't use).  But not yet, because I have used only two chard leaves so far, and there were at least eight in total, all for just one pound !  I have to say, it was so good I have eaten no meat at all today -- just frozen paratha and sag aloo for lunch, then cold sag aloo for dinner.  Yum yum !

** Phil.

[chewytikka]

As is fairly commonly known these days (it was far less well known when I started eating curries almost fifty years ago), "Sag Aloo" doesn't necessarily contain spinach : the name of the spinach-specific variant is "Aloo Palak".  Well, despite the fact that it doesn't /necessarily/ contain spinach, that is the only green vegetable that I have ever used to make it

Hi Phil
This is a bit confusing. can you explain...
I think if I ordered a simple Saag Aloo and it arrived without any Saag,
it would be winging its way straight back to the kitchen.

Saag dishes contain Spinach, if ordered in Bangladeshi run BIR's
Palak dishes contain Spinach, if ordered in Pakistani/Indian run BIR's

My latest veg fad is Cauliflower Stalks, cooked AL dente in a Handi Beef Curry or a Bhuna Chilli Beef . I even use the stalks in my curry base now,
instead of my usual white cabbage.

And to think, I always used to bin it - dumb!!!
cheers Chewy

[noble ox]

Hi All
Beetroot tops are a good source of spinach like greens, Chard is good but a touch bitter all from the same family
What now happens is the use of Leaf beet aka Perpetual spinach ( with the thick white stem ) very good and cheap as its a cut and come again, years ago it was the annual spinach ( what popeye use to eat) The best
There are some Oak leaf lettuces which are great but you will have to grow them The best way as with most veg
Hope this is of some use

[spiceyokooko]

Heya Phil

I would think most green leaf vegetables would work quite well in place of spinach if cooked and treated in a similar way - blanched/boiled till tender, drained/moisture squeezed out and chopped/shredded and 'bunged in'! I've always had a hankering for mustard greens cooked in place of spinach but I've never really found a convenient source for them although I haven't really looked that hard. I may even try growing some myself just to try.

Regarding side dishes, do try 'Aloo Methi' (potatoes with fresh fenugreek)* if you ever come across it on a restaurant menu or if you know the restaurant/waiters reasonably well ask them to make one for you, most will happily oblige. I've only ever had one waiter look at me in an odd way when I've asked them to make me one and that restaurant wasn't up to much anyway!

It's quite delicious and became my favourite side dish after trying it, I now usually split one of those and a Saag bhaji with my partner if and when we eat out.

But to answer your question, I've never tried anything in place of spinach, which I usually cook from fresh leaves rather than tinned.

*The fact that most restaurants will make that for you with fresh fenugreek leaves on hand makes you wonder what else they use fresh fenugreek for huh?

Good Karma!

[DalPuri]

Green Leafy Vegetables
I love to cook green leafy vegetables in any form. Who wouldn't??? I keep adding spinach, methi, amaranth, etc. in my cooking regularly once a week. Spinach has a rich source of Iron. Of course, all greens contains Iron in different proportions. We very well know that iron content in our body will give strength and prevents from anemia/weakness. It helps keep your body brisk all day.

I remember a greens seller in my hometown who sells fresh green leafy vegetables everyday on our streets. She had many different varieties of greens. Of which i remember only few of these,
Thandukeerai(Keerai in tamil means Greens),
Araikeerai(Amaranth contains vitamin A),
Mulakeerai,
Vendayakeerai(Methi/Fenugreek leaves),
Vallaraikeerai(said to be good for memory power),
Mudakathankeerai(cures arthritis),
Sirukeerai(small leafy greens),
Murungaikeerai(leaves of drumstick tree),
Thooduvalaikeerai(removes congestion due to cold),
Manathakkalikeerai(good for stomach & mouth ulcers),
Ponnangannikeerai(improves eyesight),
Kezhanellikeerai(cures jaundice)
Pasalaikeerai(Palak or spinach),
Pulichakeerai(Gongura).

quote from here
http://aahaar.blogspot.com/2007/04/methi-dal-jfi-wbb-green-leafy.html

[Peripatetic Phil]

Sorry, I accidentally overlooked this when it was first posted, and just spotted it today when others started replying.

This is a bit confusing. can you explain...
I think if I ordered a simple Saag Aloo and it arrived without any Saag,
it would be winging its way straight back to the kitchen.

Of course !

Saag dishes contain Spinach, if ordered in Bangladeshi run BIR's
Palak dishes contain Spinach, if ordered in Pakistani/Indian run BIR's

There I respectfully beg to disagree : "saag" simply refers to a generic green leafed vegetable; "palak" is the specific word for spinach (both are Hindi).

** Phil.