Spinach Balls Curry

What do you do when you have loads of baby spinach at home? Your options are salad, a spinach rice pilaf or why not try a Spinach Balls Curry for a change? The following recipe requires two preparations - one of the spinach balls and another of the curry where the spinach balls soak in. Serves 4-6.

I made this curry right after organising a very stressful event in Dec 2020. I needed to do something to clear my head of the stress. I would usually go for long walk but it was right in the middle of the day at 12 noon and it was 35 deg C in sunny Singapore. Hence, I attempted this recipe. Cooking can be quite therapeutic, especially if the final result is quite surprisingly delicious. 

Ingredients (Spinach Balls)

340gm (2 cups) potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 slices of bread (wholemeal preferred), soaked in water and squeezed
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsps coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup chickpea flour (besan flour)
100gm baby spinach finely chopped
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​Canola oil for deep frying
 
Method
1) To prepare the spinach balls, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2) Roll into small 2 cm balls.

3) Heat the oil and deep fry the balls until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

Ingredients (Curry)
2 tbps Canola oil
2 tsps ginger garlic paste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsps coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 1/2 tsp salt 
100gm finely chopped baby spinach leaves
1 tsp sugar
2 tomatoes, chopped 
2-3 cups reduced fat coconut milk/almond milk

Method
1) Heat the canola oil in a medium pot and fry the onion, ginger garlic paste, spices and salt for 5-10 mins. Add the chopped spinach leaves and sugar and cook till the spinach has wilted. I added tomatoes later which is not obvious in this pic.

2) Add  1 cup of water and mix well. Cook till the tomato turns pulpy.

3) Blend to a smooth paste. The curry will have a greenish hue due to the spinach.

4) Add the fried spinach balls, reduced fat coconut milk and cook for a further 5 mins.

5) Serve the Spinach Balls Curry warm with rice/chapathi and a simple Kachumbar salad