This restaurant style Saag Aloo, or potato spinach curry, is made to an authentic recipe and is commonly found on British Indian Restaurant menus as a classic vegetable side dish.

Potato and spinach curry served in a kadai. - 1

It was such a treat when my parents said we would be getting to eat an Indian takeaway! I always had the same order – cauliflower bhaji, sometimes aloo gobi, chana masala and saag aloo!

Everyone makes saag aloo their own way but since I was little, I have always been partial to the restaurant-style, and in particular, saag aloo made by our local Indian takeaway.

This version of saag aloo tastes just like the one found in takeaways and restaurants.

Ingredients Notes

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Spinach – Saag means spinach, use fresh spinach or baby spinach. I do not recommend using frozen here.

Potato – I prefer to use basic all rounder potatoes rather than waxy as waxy are firmer and not the correct texture for saag aloo.

Aromatics – Onion, garlic cloves, ginger and green chilies – all ground to a paste to form the base for the curry.

Crushed tinned tomatoes and fresh tomato – crushed tinned tomatoes are cooked with the onion paste and the fresh tomato is cut and added near to the end of the cooking process.

Panch Poran, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and green cardamom – Panch poran adds restaurant style flavours – it is a pre-prepared spice mix made with five different whole spices. The whole spices add extra depth of flavour.

Blend of spices – red chili powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin & ground coriander powder, garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves

Lemon juice and sugar

Serving Suggestions

For the authentic Indian restaurant experience, serve alongside other vegetarian dishes such as bhindi bhaji or brinjal bhaji .

Saag aloo pairs well with tarka dal and Indian cumin rice or pilau rice .

Flatbreads such as garlic coriander naan , chapati or paratha are great to scoop the curry with.

Add sundries like poppadoms and Indian onion salad .

Storage

Store saag aloo in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.

I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the potatoes will loose texture upon defrosting.

Female hand is holding a spoon to serve the curry. - 2

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!

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Potato and spinach curry served in a kadai. - 3

Restaurant Style Saag Aloo

Equipment

  • pan

Ingredients

  • 500 grams fresh spinach
  • 300 grams potatoes
  • 5 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon panch phoran
  • 1 tablespoon whole spices green cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic puree combined
  • 1 teaspoon green chilli crushed
  • 1 tablespoon kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 5 tablespoon tinned tomatoes* crushed
  • 2 fresh tomato roughly chopped into big chunks
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

  • In a large pot add water, salt, and little turmeric powder.
  • Add potatoes and cook it till 70% done.
  • Remove it and let it cool a little, peel the skin and leave it aside.
  • Discard the water, rinse the pan and add more water to it.
  • Add a pinch of sugar and bring it to boil, add spinach.
  • Blanch the spinach for a couple of minutes.
  • Remove the spinach and add it to the ice-cold water.
  • Squeeze out all the water and roughly chop the spinach, set it aside for later.
  • In a saute pan, heat oil on medium heat.
  • Add whole spices and panch phoran.
  • Once they crackle add chopped onion.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilli and cook until mixture turns light pink.
  • Now add kasoori methi, and ground masala (turmeric, red chilli powder and garam masala) along with salt.
  • If masala sticks to the pan, add a couple of table spoon water.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and cook the masala further.
  • Turn the heat to high and keep stirring the mixture, until you see oil separating the pan.
  • Add squeezed spinach and parboiled potatoes, mix everything but make sure not to break the potatoes.
  • Sprinkle some water and let the curry cook.
  • Turn the heat to medium and add fresh tomatoes.
  • Let the curry cook for another 3-4 minutes, add lemon juice and mix well.
  • Sprinkle some water to prevent sticking the curry to the pan.
  • Cook another 4-5 minutes on high heat.
  • Add sugar, mix and turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content. First published in August 2019.

Potato and spinach curry served in a kadai. - 4

Restaurant Style Saag Aloo

Equipment

  • pan

Ingredients

  • 500 grams fresh spinach
  • 300 grams potatoes
  • 5 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon panch phoran
  • 1 tablespoon whole spices green cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic puree combined
  • 1 teaspoon green chilli crushed
  • 1 tablespoon kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 5 tablespoon tinned tomatoes* crushed
  • 2 fresh tomato roughly chopped into big chunks
  • 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

  • In a large pot add water, salt, and little turmeric powder.
  • Add potatoes and cook it till 70% done.
  • Remove it and let it cool a little, peel the skin and leave it aside.
  • Discard the water, rinse the pan and add more water to it.
  • Add a pinch of sugar and bring it to boil, add spinach.
  • Blanch the spinach for a couple of minutes.
  • Remove the spinach and add it to the ice-cold water.
  • Squeeze out all the water and roughly chop the spinach, set it aside for later.
  • In a saute pan, heat oil on medium heat.
  • Add whole spices and panch phoran.
  • Once they crackle add chopped onion.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chilli and cook until mixture turns light pink.
  • Now add kasoori methi, and ground masala (turmeric, red chilli powder and garam masala) along with salt.
  • If masala sticks to the pan, add a couple of table spoon water.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and cook the masala further.
  • Turn the heat to high and keep stirring the mixture, until you see oil separating the pan.
  • Add squeezed spinach and parboiled potatoes, mix everything but make sure not to break the potatoes.
  • Sprinkle some water and let the curry cook.
  • Turn the heat to medium and add fresh tomatoes.
  • Let the curry cook for another 3-4 minutes, add lemon juice and mix well.
  • Sprinkle some water to prevent sticking the curry to the pan.
  • Cook another 4-5 minutes on high heat.
  • Add sugar, mix and turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Beat the heat with these 3 ingredient cashew, date and Greek yogurt popsicles on hot summer days. Easy to make with only 5 minutes prep time!

Three Yogurt Cashew Date Popsicles placed on a plate. - 5

These popsicles are deliciously creamy thanks to the thick Greek yogurt and cashews. I use only dates to sweeten so the popsicles have an irresistible caramel flavour.

The recipe couldn’t be simpler – blend the yogurt, cashews and dates until smooth and freeze in popsicle moulds. You’ll have a delicious frozen treat within hours that the whole family can enjoy!

Other frozen fruit recipes I make in the summer season is mango kulfi with condensed milk .

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Ingredient Notes

  • Cashews – I recommend soaking the cashews in hot water if you have the time. This softens the cashews and blends them extra creamy. You can experiment with different nuts too.
  • Dates – pitted. Any dates work well but I recommend medjool dates for the best flavour. Instead of dates, you can sweeten with honey, agave nectar, date syrup or maple syrup.
  • Greek yogurt – use a thick Greek yogurt and avoid Greek style yogurt which is a bit too runny. To make this recipe vegan, use a dairy-free Greek yogurt.
Three Yogurt Cashew Date Popsicles placed on a plate. - 6

Storage

Keep popsicles in the freezer for up to 1 month but to enjoy them at their freshest, eat up within 1 week. Anyway, they probably won’t last that long!

One popsicle that is bitten into is placed on a plate next to two whole popsicles. - 7

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Three Yogurt Cashew Date Popsicles placed on a plate. - 8

Cashew, Date and Greek Yogurt popsicles

Equipment

  • HIGH-SPEED BLENDER
  • Popsicle mould

Ingredients

  • ½ cup cashew nuts
  • ¾ cup dates
  • 2 cup greek yogurt full fat

Instructions

  • Place everything in a blender and blend till you get a smoothie-like mixture.
  • Pour equally into popsicle moulds and pop in the wooden stick and freeze for at least eight hours, or overnight.
  • To remove the popsicles from the mould when ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content. First published in June 2017 .