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Palak Rice
Serves 3
30 mins
347 Kcal
Palak rice is a bold and nutritious dish that rather perfectly integrates the goodness of spinach, known as palak, into the fragrant basmati rice. Hailing from the Indian palate and rich in flavours, this dish is an attractive green colour that signifies the freshness of its key ingredient. Here's a flavourful recipe of palak rice. For the palak rice, fresh spinach is blanched first and then ground smooth. This way, the spinach retains its fresh green colour and maintains the nutritional benefits it carries like vitamins A and C and iron. This leafy green is particularly healthy and versatile. The puree of spinach is saut ed with spices together with cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic to make a yummy base that will enhance the dish. Once this mixture is ready, it is combined with parboiled basmati rice that absorbs all the flavours and colours of the spinach mixture while getting cooked, and giving a homogenous taste. Some dishes may also include peas, chopped tomatoes, or other vegetables, adding variety to the texture and nutrition of the dish. Palak rice is often garnished with garam masala and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. Fresh cilantro or fried onions add flavour and crunch at the top. Raita, pickles, or a simple salad completes the meal, so it is pretty well-balanced. The whole appeal of this vibrant dish is the healthy and filling choice offered to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Palak rice is a good meal or side dish that will make your intimate family dinner more wonderful or some festive occasions. That is great with the wonderful mix of flavours and health benefits that palak rice brings with it as a beloved staple in homes and nutritious inclusion on any plate.
Ingredients required for Palak Rice
- 3 cups spinach
- 1-3 green chillies
- 1 inch ginger
- 3-4 garlic
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tej patta
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 50 gms onion
- 2-3 lemon juice
- Salt
Cooking steps for Palak Rice
- 1Palak rice, made in this way, is a tasty method through which the bright flavours and nutritional benefits can be integrated into a comfort dish of rice.
- 2This is essentially a very easy, versatile recipe through which one can quickly enjoy a healthy meal in no time. To start with, prepare your key ingredient, spinach.
- 3You can use 3 cups of rough chopped fresh spinach, or for an even smoother texture, use 1 cup of spinach puree.
- 4If you are using fresh spinach, wash it, removing all dirt and grits from the leaves. Then just let it sit while getting the rest of the ingredients ready.
- 5Now, prepare the aroma base for your palak rice. Chop 1 to 3 green chillies, and chop 1-inch ginger along with 3 to 4 garlic cloves.
- 6These will help your rice acquire fantastic flavours and will add only a note of spice, which is enough to be a highlight of the dish.
- 7Note: if you want a strong flavour from your green chillies, you can add them in higher numbers.
- 8After chopping all this, prepare to move on and prepare your rice.
- 9You will need 1 cup of basmati or other fragrant rice to make the rice. Basmati rice should be washed under cold running water until its water is transparent. This process might also remove excess starch from the rice and reduce its stickiness.
- 10Submerge the rice in water for 20-30 minutes to hydrate the grains so that they do not cook unevenly and become sticky.
- 11While rice is soaking, warm up two tablespoons of neutral oil in a large pan over medium. You may use vegetable oil or sunflower oil or whatever doesn't have too much flavour.
- 12When that's hot, add the tej patta, followed by 3 to 4 cloves, a one-inch piece of cinnamon, two green cardamoms, and a thin strand of mace.
- 13If you have star anise handy, feel free to add a small portion for added depth of flavour. The aromatic flavours of the whole spices will fill your kitchen.
- 14Add one teaspoon of cumin seeds after a minute and let them splutter for a few seconds before adding the 50 gms of thinly sliced onions.
- 15Saut the onions until they turn golden brown, which should take 5-7 minutes.
- 16The caramelised onions add to the overall depth of flavour in your palak rice.
- 17Now, when the onions turn golden brown, add chopped green chillies, ginger, and garlic to that pan.
- 18Saut for one more minute; it would help the spices and aromatics within it to mingle properly. At this point, if you are using the roughly chopped spinach, add it to the pan.
- 19Stir until the spinach wilts down, and it loses its structure. If you are adding spinach puree, add it directly and cook for two minutes.
- 20Add the soaked and drained basmati rice to the pan; stir very gently and combine all ingredients of the spinach mixture. This will help rice absorb the spices and the whole flavours very nicely.
- 21Once cooked, turn off the heat. Leave it covered for another 5 minutes to allow the flavours to penetrate. Finally, fluff the rice with a fork and serve your palak rice hot, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh coriander or a drizzle of ghee if desired.