Say Hello to my Saag Aloo

An ode to Babur take-away

Today I’m sharing a special recipe. One I make on repeat, and will continue to throughout my entire life. This dish never fails to please, and costs little to put together, once you’ve got the spices (and I’m sure you already do comrades). Ladies and gents, this is the closest I’ve ever got to Babur’s Saag Aloo at home. Kasoori methi at the ready.

What is Babur, you ask? Growing up, Babur To-Go, an Indian takeaway in Crofton Park, had a very special place in my heart. I fell in love with curry through Babur takeaways. I appreciate Babur, the restaurant, for its fancier spiced concoctions, and that time I filled out a survey there as a kid and called myself ‘Dr’ only to receive birthday cards to ‘Dr Everett’ in the post for the next decade.

But it is Babur To-Go, the takeaway, specialising in Northern Indian classics driven to your door, that truly has my heart. We ordered Babur as often as once a fortnight when I was growing up. We ordered a mammoth Babur (below) when my parents got married at Lewisham Registry Office in 2010. And we ordered Babur the day I moved back to London from Melbourne in 2014, and ate it as a picnic out on the green one mild August.

It stands to reason then, that I have been trying to recreate my favourite Babur dishes since kingdom come. And this here rendition of Saag Aloo is the closest I’ve got in the confines of my own kitchen - after literally years of working at it. If you too, like me, count your life in momentous curries - this goes out to you.

Saag (Aloo/Paneer)

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
1 bunch coriander, stalks included
2 tomatoes, chopped or puréed
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder (or less if you don’t want it spicy)
1 tsp coriander powder
300g frozen spinach, or 2 bags of fresh spinach, washed and well chopped
Optional: Fresh fenugreek if you can find it
1 tsp brown sugar/jaggery/palm sugar
1 lemon
½ cup yoghurt
1 tsp gram/corn flour
1 tsp amchoor
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crumbled between your fingers or bashed in a pestle and mortar
Optional: paneer/potatoes

1. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large pot, and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, 2 chopped onions and salt. Fry for 8 minutes until the onions turn translucent, then add the garlic and ginger.

2. Add 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander stalks and the tomatoes. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder, then cook until the raw aroma disappears and all starts to turn golden. It should be a lovely appealing golden/red colour now.

3. Add 300g frozen spinach (or the chopped fresh spinach) to the pot, along with fresh fenugreek if you have it and ¼ cup water. Stir well. Add the brown sugar, and the juice of half the lemon. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, stir 1 tbsp gram/corn flour into ½ cup yoghurt, so that it is fully incorporated - this stops the yoghurt from curdling in the sauce when it comes into contact with the heat and acidity of the tomatoes. Add the yoghurt mix to the sauce, stirring gently. To finish, add more water if the saag has become dry, followed by 1 the amchoor and garam masala.

5. Add 1 tbsp kasoori methi at this point (plus more if you like, and didn't use it fresh at the earlier stage). Taste for seasoning and add more salt/sugar/lemon if needed. Garnish with some fresh coriander.

   You can stir cooked potatoes or softened paneer through this for a Saag Aloo / Saag Paneer (see tips). It is even better if you eat it the next day.
   
   Potato Tip: If you don’t want to boil then steam off your spuds (to release excess water) you can pierce them, then microwave for 6-8 minutes (or until tender), turning once. Peel post microwave. They’ll be less wet this way.
   Paneer Tip: Cube then soften your paneer in boiling, salted water for 20 minutes before you add it to the sauce for a much improved texture. You can then fry it or add it directly to the curry, depending if you want it golden or soft.

If you want breads with your Saag, I highly recommend the GOAT Manjula’s Kitchen whose recipes for Tawa Naan or Paratha will not fail you.

I hope you enjoy eating this curry as much as me. God bless Babur and the Indian subcontinent.