Palak Rice Recipe (Indian Spinach Rice)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
3
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Calories
347 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Palak Rice Recipe (Indian Spinach Rice)
Description
Palak Rice Recipe starts by soaking basmati rice and preparing a fresh spinach puree blended with green chilies, ginger, and garlic, providing a fresh and mildly spicy base. Whole spices like bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace, and cumin seeds are tempered in oil, imparting distinctive fragrance and depth to the dish.
Onions are sautéed to a golden hue before adding the spinach puree and then the drained rice. The rice cooks with the spinach and spices until fluffy and infused with flavor. Optional lemon juice can be added at the end to brighten the dish with acidity.
This spinach rice pairs well with raita, pickles, or dal and makes a colorful side to Indian meals. It can also serve as a nutritious, flavorful base to use with dals or curries.
Frozen spinach can substitute fresh if squeezed well; aged basmati rice is recommended for texture. For a richer taste, ghee can replace oil. Adding other vegetables like carrots, peas, and bell pepper can diversify the texture and flavor. Adjust the number of green chilies to increase or reduce spiciness.
Ingredients
For spinach puree
- 3 cups spinach palak) or 1 cup spinach puree, roughly chopped
- 1 to 3 green chilies - chopped
- 1 inch ginger - chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic chopped, cloves
Other ingredients for spinach rice
- 1 cup basmati rice or any fragrant or regular rice variety
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil any neutral flavor oil, generic cooking oil
- 1 tej patta or Indian bay leaf
- 3 to 4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 mace thin single mace strand and not the whole mace, strand
- 1 star anise optional, small
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 50 grams onion or 1 medium onion thinly sliced or ⅓ cup sliced onions
- 2 to 3 lemon optional, juice, drops of
- 1 to 1.25 cups water
- salt as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse basmati rice till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak the rice grains in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the water and keep the soaked rice aside.
- When the rice is soaking, rinse the spinach leaves very well and roughly chop them. You will need 3 cups roughly chopped spinach.
- Now add the spinach leaves in a blender or grinder jar. Also add green chilies, ginger and garlic cloves (all roughly chopped). For a moderatly spicy rice add 2 to 3 green chilies.
- Blend to a smooth puree. Keep covered aside.
Making palak rice
- In a pressure cooker, heat oil.
- Add the following spices and saute them till they splutter - tej patta, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, mace strand, small star anise and cumin seeds.
- Next add thinly sliced onions. Stirring often saute the onions till light golden or golden.
- Add the spinach puree. Stir and saute for 4 to 5 minutes on a low heat.
- Add the rice and mix rice very well.
- Add salt as required and water. 1 cup water gives an al dente rice. For a softer texture in the rice you can add 1.25 cups water. I added 1.25 cups water.
- Stir very well. At this step you can also add a few drops of lemon juice.
- Cover and pressure cook spinach rice for 8 to 9 minutes or 2 to 3 whistles on medium to medium-high heat.
- When the pressure falls down in the cooker on its own, then remove the lid and gently fluff the rice.
- Serve palak rice hot with a side salad or pickle or raita. While serving, if you want you can garnish with some chopped coriander or mint leaves.
- For some protein you can also add pan-fried tofu or paneer. Garnish the spinach rice with either of these.
Notes
- Frozen spinach can be used after squeezing excess water, then blended for puree.
- Aged basmati rice gives the best texture; other fragrant or regular rice varieties also work.
- Swap oil with ghee for a richer taste.
- Add vegetables like carrots, peas, bell peppers, or cauliflower for extra texture and flavor.
- Adjust green chilies to control spiciness.
- When cooking in a pot or Instant Pot, adjust water accordingly.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 347 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 347kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Sodium | 472mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 342mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2830IU | 57% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 21mg | 23% |
| Vitamin E | 5mg | |
| Vitamin K | 146µg | |
| Calcium | 80mg | 8% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 71µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 52mg | 13% |
| Phosphorus | 105mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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