Patal bhaji is a specialty prepared from colacassia/taro leaves and sour greens [ambat bhaji] in combination with peanuts and chana dal. It has a unique sour and spicy taste, with little sweetness and goes well as side dish with main menu. This is most popular dish prepared by Maharashtrians. With absence of these leaves [we rarely get colocasia leaves here], I decided to prepare them from most commonly available greens in the stores which is palak. Next day, on the way back from my office, I picked some palak and when my eyes fell on fresh methi leaves I decided to include them too. Below is the photo and recipe of what I prepared. 



Ingredients

3 cups chopped palak, after the bunch is cleaned and washed
1/3 cup chopped methi, only methi leaves, cleaned and washed [optional]
2 tbsp chana dal
1/4 cup peanuts
2 green chillies, slit vertically
small size tamarind, soaked to get some extract
2 tbsp besan flour, mixed in 1/2 cup water to make a fine paste
2 tbsp jaggery 
salt to taste
1 tsp goda masala [ I used store bought, if you dont't have you can follow the recipe here]

For seasoning
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or 2-3 red chillies
1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
1/4 tsp asafoetida/hing

Method:

Soak chana dal and peanuts in water for 1-2 hours. Prepare a smooth paste with besan/ gram flour and keep it aside.

Place the chopped greens in pressure cooker vessel along with slit green chilies, soaked and drained chana dal and peanuts and little water. Cook for 3 whistles. Allow it to cool down. Once cool remove the vessel and whisk the greens with a hand whisker. Transfer it to deep bottom pan, add tamarind extract, salt to taste and jaggery. Add gram flour paste and cook on sim flame stirring continuously. Once the gravy starts thickening adjust the consistency by adding some water. Cook on low flame for 5-7 min, stirring continuously. Sprinkle some goda masala, mix well. Simmer the flame and continue cooking for 3-4 mins.

Meanwhile heat oil in another small pan and add mustard seeds. As they splutter add cumin seeds and stir fry for few secs. Lower the flame and add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, hing and stir it for few seconds. Switch off the flame and pour the seasoning over the patal bhaji. Mix well and serve it warm as side dish to rice/roti. 



Note: 
I use methi seeds in the seasoning when I don't add methi leaves

Happy Cooking !