Palak Makhana Recipe (Navratri Fasting/Vrat Recipe)

Palak Makhana is a North Indian gravy made with with roasted makhana blended in a creamy palak gravy. This is a dish that is famous during the festival of Navratri where people fast according to their tradition. Since there are no onion and no garlic added it makes a perfect dish to be eaten while fasting. Course : Dinner Ingridients : 300 grams Spinach Leaves (Palak) 2 Tomatoes , diced 1 cup Phool Makhana (Lotus Seeds) 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera) 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1 Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) 2 tablespoon Milk 1 tablespoon Ghee Salt , to taste Instructions We begin the Palak Makhana by washing the spinach thoroughly under running water. Drain the spinach and cook it in a pressure cooker with little bit of turmeric powder, cumin seeds and green chillies for 2 whistle.Once the whistle is done let it cool down till the pressure comes out naturally. Blend it into paste and keep it aside.Roast the makhana with ghee on a flat bottomed non-stick pan. Remove the makhana and in the same pan add little bit of oil and temper the cumin seeds and add the tomatoes.Cook until they loose all the liquids and add all the spice powders.Add little water and simmer it for 2 minutes. Add the blended spinach mixture along with milk and simmer it for 3 minutes again.Finally, add the makhana and bring it to a boil.You can serve your creamy Palak makhana with Ajwain puri or Jeera pulao to make a complete wholesome meal.