Makkai Palak / Corn and Palak gravy

Spinach is a very healthy leafy vegetable.. Most of us know that and that is the first food that comes to mind when discussing healthy stuff.. I love (and sincerely try) to include Spinach in our diet at least once a week. Twice a week would be awesome. So when I was looking for recipes that can be had as a side for roti or pulao, I remembered this very pretty looking gravy. This looks so tempting and appealing with yellow corn kernels popping out in a green silky smooth palak gravy..

Ingredients

Corn Kernels - 1 cup
Spinach - 3 cups
Onion - 2
Garlic - 5
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chili - 4 (adjust to taste)
Lemon Juice - few drops
Sugar - 1/2 tea spoon
Bay Leaf - 1
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch piece
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander Powder - 1 table spoon
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tea spoon
Kasoori Methi - 1 table spoon
Salt - 1 1/4 tea spoon
Cream - 2 table spoons (optional)
Butter - 1 table spoon + 1 inch square for garnish

Method

Boil 1 cup of water and add the spinach and sugar and blanch for a minute. Immediately transfer the spinach to cold water. Do not throw the water in which the spinach was boiled, please use it in the gravy
Once the spinach has cooled, grind it with green chili to a paste. Keep the jar open to avoid it becoming black. I learnt it the hard way in another recipe.. Never keep the spinach closed after grinding.
Grind together onion, ginger and garlic and set aside
Boil the corn kernels for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Strain and set aside
Heat butter and add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds splutter, add the onion mixture and cook until a nice aroma comes and the raw flavor is gone. Add a pinch of salt to make cooking faster
Once the onions are well done and transclucent, add the dry powders and mix well
Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and add it to the gravy
Add the spinach, corn and salt and mix well
Also add the spinach water and cook for a few more minutes
Add cream and remove from the stove
Garnish with butter and serve hot!!!

Points to note

1. Try to retain the green color of the spinach. Adding a pinch of sugar while blanching the spinach helps.
2. Do not keep the blender covered AFTER grinding as it will turn the spinach to almost black color
3. Add lemon juice to the spinach while grinding helps to retain its color
4. If you are using frozen corn kernels, thaw it and then cook it until it is soft
5. You can milk in place of cream
6. Make sure to crush the kasoori methi before adding to get its full flavor

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35