I loved the look of Dhanya’s recipe as soon as I read it, her amazing photos helped of course! They showed a wonderful looking chickpea and mustard leaves curry, full of colour and flavour…and when I read the recipe, I knew I would make it.
As you will see from the recipe, it is packed full of ingredients, lots and lots of wonderful spices, absolutely my kind of thing – some people are wary of Indian recipes and their often long list of ingredients, whereas for me, it warms my heart; I know that those spices have been carefully put together to create greatness and it makes me want to know the outcome ASAP!! There’s a reason Dhanya’s blog is called The Spice Adventuress 🙂
A key to the dish is the ‘East Indian Bottle Masala’ which is a spice mix that you make to start the process. That is what these two photos so far represent, the making of the masala mix as I collected the ingredients in a pan, then toasted them before grinding them all to a powder.
When toasting the spices, I have found that the key is to keep the heat under the pan low and watch it like a hawk. After a while you start to get an amazing aroma as the spices heat and you need to keep the spices moving so that none of them burn, but so that all of them toast. Once you feel that they done, turn off the heat and continue to move the spices around the pan as there will still be residual heat coming from it and you don’t want to undo all your work so far. Then leave them all to cool before going in into your powder.
I followed Dhanya’s recipe to make the dish, replacing the mustard leaves with kale; I couldn’t source the mustard leaves and some research suggested kale was a good alternative. The outcome was very very tasty, I loved it and happily ate it three days running!
But of course , I didn’t leave it there..
The recipe for the masala spice mix makes a large jar of it so I wanted to use it again and as often as possible, so this week I threw together this sweet potato and spinach curry for my lunch…
I have to tell you, it was so good! This is what I did..
I heated a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan and added 2 red onions, roughly chopped and cooked them for 5 minutes until nice and soft; I then added 2 heaped tablespoons of my homemade curry paste (puréed ginger, garlic & green chillies with ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli) and cooked it for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water to stop the paste from catching.
I then threw in 2 heaped teaspoons of the East Indian Bottle masala spice mix and 1 tablespoon tomato puree, and cooked for a minute or so, before adding 1 medium sweet potato, which I had already cut into into cubes & steamed. I mixed everything well, adding more water as needed, then added a 250g bag of baby spinach, put the lid on the pan and left it to wilt in the steam, then stirred it all together and cooked for a few more minutes.
Some of the sweet potato was soft enough to join the sauce and really add to the richness of it. I served this with some thinned yoghurt over it all which only added to the loveliness of the overall dish. It tasted a lot better than it photographed!
With what was leftover in the pan, I then added some more yoghurt and a can of drained kala chana (brown chickpeas) to create another dish for dinner!
I’ve been absent from Fiesta Friday for a couple of weeks so I am returning this week with my collection of dishes, as well as sharing them all with Corina’s Cook Once Eat Twice collection..I hope that the lovely FF co hosts, Kaila and Laurena, and all the readers of both collections, like them.
Have a great weekend from a beautiful sunshiny England xx
So that’s where our sunshine went! We’ve had rain for more than a week here! Not a fan. But a huge fan of your spice rich creations Elaine! Enjoy your weekend xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much 🙂
Yes, it’s been beautiful here this week…of course, it could all change overnight…as tends to be the case!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks fabulous
LikeLiked by 1 person
😘😘 did I do okay?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely fantastic 😘😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
😘😘😘
LikeLike
Yes definitely more than A-OK Elaine :). Very clever adding your own wee touches to the curry powder. Not sure I’ve heard of the East Indian bottle masala though? The dishes look just lovely, I recently made a sweet potato and spinach curry too. I always love your leftovers as you add so much more to it the next day 🙂 Looking at your creations, I know I must just rush out and replace my spice mill that broke a few months ago 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Loretta 🙂 sweet potato and spinach work really nicely together don’t they?
I’d never heard of the spice mix either, but then, I’m still learning!! It’s lovely 🙂
Get grinding!!! xxx
LikeLike
This is wonderful and love the photos too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much 😀😀😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
The spicy dishes you share with us are so colorful. And I can only imagine the wonderful aromas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 😀😀 it did all smell fabulous. I love it when I enter my home and it smells amazing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your Indian dishes are always amazing. They are all so elegantly done and look appealing and this one is not in anyway behind Elaine☺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so very much xxxxxx
LikeLike
Looks delicious. I can smell it all the way here 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 😀😀 it’s a great aroma isn’t it?? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure is 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m loving your blog 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderfully appealing recipe as I oft use chickpeas in one of my side curries. East Indian Bottle Masala is a new concept for me also, but since I have already managed to subscribe to Dhanya’s appetizing blog to find another fellow Australian, methinks there will not be any future discovery problems 🙂 !
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a great blog, you’ll find lots of inspiration 🙂
Thank you xx
LikeLike
Oh Elaine of course I love the sound of this – the more spices the better!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely!!!! 😀😀
LikeLike
I love when one recipe evolves into another. This sounds like a good combination of ideas, and a scrumptious dish. AND, the weather in England looks quite nice at the moment as well. I’m sure many people from the fiesta will be enjoying your creation. (I love spices too!) Happy FF, and have a fantastic weekend! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, and thank you for co hosting. Enjoy the Fiesta!
LikeLike
It looks succulent…Enjoy your weekend! 🙂 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you xxx we have sunshine! Beautiful sunshine – you should come back!!!
LikeLike
Awesome Elaine; you are brilliant. Thanks for all the lovely words that you have for me and my blog. It’s been an awesome experience to know you and the fact that our love for spices has built this invisible bond. Great to see your interpretations; loved the sweet potato version and I will try it myself soon. Sounds really creamy and delicious!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your lovely words, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post xx enjoy your weekend xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
The spice mix sounds amazing and it’s great that the original curry could then be adapted to make 2 different meals as well as being great for leftovers just as it was! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice! I will have to check out the Spice Adventuress too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you like it 😀😀😀
LikeLike
Looks so wonderful as always! Xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yummm
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another great looking spice mix/recipe. I love that rose harrisa mix and will have to make another batch soon. By the way your chai mix do you use powdered ginger?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it 🙂
Yes, I use all ground spices x
LikeLike
Yummm yumm yumm xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
xxxx
LikeLike
Hi Elaine! Wow, you’ve been on a great spice and recipe adventure of your own. It’s almost bedtime here but after reading your post, I think I need to go have a snack with my chamomile tea, haha. Everything looks so good! And the pic of your walking trail is lovely too. I can see the trees budding, it’s my one of my favourite times of the year. XO 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha! Thank you so much honey xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love all the dishes, Elaine. You always inspire me with all your beautiful creations!! Have a fabulous week. 🙂 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, and you xxxx
LikeLike
Beautiful food. Beautiful scenery!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀😀😀 we’ve seen lots of new ducklings in the last couple of days ❤️
LikeLike
Oh! I’ve no idea what happened to my comment from last weekend!? 😦 I was here as I remember saying ‘finally I’m here!’ and that I could see Bob waiting for you! 😛 Anyway, I’ll try again! A delicious looking dish Elaine 🙂 Anything chickpeas is great in our house and I really must have a go at creating my own spice mix! I have a pestle and mortar but you’re persuading me to buy a grinder! I guess I should try steaming sweet potato too? I always bake/roast mine and never considered steaming it! Thanks for sharing such delicious foods 🙂 x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh dear..l will check the spam folder…but you’re here now 🙂 I’m glad you like everything xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 better late than never! 🙂 Like? everything… I LOVE everything x
LikeLiked by 1 person