Aalan ka Saag

Ingredients

• 5 cups (960 g) water
• ½ cup (60 g) besan (chick-pea/gram flour)
• 1 tbsp (30 g) ghee (clarified butter)
• 2-3 sabut lal mirch (whole red peppers) broken into large pieces
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1/4 tsp heeng (asafetida)
• 2 tbsp moong daal chhilkewali (split green gram), washed
• 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 cup loosely packed chopped palak (spinach)
• Chaat masala
• Lemon wedges

Preparation

• Mix in a little of the water into the besan to form a smooth paste, and then add the rest of the water and keep aside.

• Heat the ghee, and add the chilli powder, jeera and heeng. When they darken a bit, add the daal and saute for a few seconds.

• Add to this the water mixture and bring to a boil and then simmer. Add the haldi, chilli powder, salt and the palak, and continue simmering, till the liquid looks smooth--about 15 minutes.

• Serve hot with the chaat masala and the lemon wedges on the side.