Palak pulao (Indian spinach rice). Your regular rice meal just got a whole lot more delicious with this pulao loaded with spinach and subtle spices. It’s the perfect balance of healthy goodness and deliciousness. Guaranteed to be on your menu!
In my food dictionary, green always mean healthy - for instance, avocados, broccoli, spinach are nutrition powerhouses. Adding these green goodies to your everyday food is obviously a genius way to add more color and nutrition to your diet. So, if you are craving for extra nutrition in your everyday menu, you must try this vibrant and delicious dish.
How To Make Palak Pulao or Indian Spinach Rice
Start with cooking rice. And yes, you will need to cook rice separately to make this pulao. Once cooked, drain and keep it aside. I have opted for white basmati rice to make this dish. However, feel free to use long grain or jasmine rice depending on what your preference. I also like to make this rice with brown basmati rice that’s actually a healthier version of your regular basmati rice.
The key ingredient of this Indian spinach rice is puréed spinach. To make this, purée spinach leaves (or baby spinach) with a little water to make smooth paste. You’ll need to add this to the rice at a later stage.
Now, you can start cooking this palak pulao. Sauté cumin seeds and cardamom pods in a little oil. You can also add ghee if you like. Fry some chopped onions followed by ginger, garlic and green chilies. Lightly sauté ground turmeric and garam masala. Now, the puréed spinach goes into the pan. Let this cook for about 3-4 minutes before adding in rice. You can also add a vegetable stock to amp up the flavor. And don’t forget the seasoning.
Delicious and healthy spinach rice for a quick weeknight meal! Serve with your favorite chicken, meat or paneer side dishes to satisfy your loved ones.
More Spinach Recipes:
- Greek Spinach Rice (Spanakorizo)
- Palak Paneer | Spinach Paneer Curry
- Spinach Stir Fry | Cheera Thoran
- Creamy Spinach Pasta
- Spinach Omelette
- Dal Palak | Lentil and Spinach Curry
More Rice Recipes:
- Greek Spinach Rice (Spanakorizo)
- Microwave Egg Fried Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Tuna Fried Rice
- Turkey Fried Rice
Palak Pulao | Indian Spinach Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati or long grain rice I used basmati
- 3 cups spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cardamom pods crushed
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 vegetable stock cube crushed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Coriander cilantro leaves, to garnish
- Toasted cashew nuts to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse rice under cold running water. Add rice to a pot of boiling water. When rice is cooked, drain excess water. Set aside.
- Add spinach to a food processor. Process to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add cumin seeds and cardamom pods. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
- Add garlic, ginger and green chilies. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric and garam masala. Sauté, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add spinach paste, stock cube (if using) and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season with salt. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. The spinach mixture needs to be dry.
- Add cooked rice. Stir to combine. Heat through.
- Garnish with coriander (cilantro) leaves and cashew nuts if you like.
Video
Nutrition
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