Published By: Rohit Chatterjee

Sabzi of the Day - Spinach Swag: Dishes That Pack a Green Punch

A leafy vegetable, spinach can be used to produce a wide range of dishes ranging from curries to snacks

Green is good, and so is spinach. One of the healthiest leafy vegetables one can find in markets, spinach is packed with nutrients such as vitamins A, C, folic acid, iron, calcium, fibre, several antioxidants, and more. Not to forget, it is versatile enough to prepare a variety of dishes ranging from curries to snacks.

Below, check out these drool-worthy and healthy spinach-based recipes compiled by us.

Palak paneer

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

  • Spinach
  • Paneer
  • Ghee
  • Cumin seeds
  • Bay leaves
  • Chopped onion
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Turmeric powder
  • Red chilli powder
  • Asafoetida
  • Salt
  • Garam masala
  • Kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • Cream

Recipe

  • Start by blanching the palak paneer.
  • Once done, put them immediately in iced water. This will help the palak retain its dark green colour.
  • In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds. Let them get spluttered and then add bay leaves.
  • Next, add chopped onions and tomatoes, followed by turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
  • Once the spices get cooked, make a puree of the blanched spinach and pour it into the pan.
  • Let it simmer, and while it happens, add salt, asafoetida, and garam masala to enhance the flavour.
  • Finally, add the cubes of paneer.
  • Finish by drizzling a bit of cooking cream.

(Credit- Instagram/@ deliciousbygarima)

Spinach pakoda

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • Chopped palak or whole palak leaves
  • Gram flour
  • Rice flour
  • Chilli powder
  • Turmeric powder
  • Asafoetida
  • Cumin powder
  • Amchoor
  • Chaat masala
  • Ginger-garlic paste
  • Chopped curry leaves
  • Green chilli paste
  • Onion paste
  • Salt
  • Groundnut oil.

Recipe

  • In a bowl, prepare a batter by mixing all the above-mentioned ingredients except groundnut oil.
  • The batter should be thick enough to properly coat the spinach leaves.
  • There are ways to do this—you can either chop the leaves or dip them as whole leaves to the batter.
  • If you take this method, make sure the batter is thick enough to create balls.
  • The other method is to use whole leaves of spinach. If you choose this method, simply dip the leaves in the batter and coat them with a thick layer.
  • Once done, fry the balls or the coated leaves in hot groundnut oil.
  • Serve the pakodas with any sauces or chutneys of your liking. Our personal favourites are mint chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.

(Credit- Instagram/@ thebriskkitchen)

Spinach salad

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Spinach
  • Apple
  • Onion
  • Candied pecans
  • Goat cheese
  • Dried cranberries
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Maple syrup
  • Extra-virgin olive oil

Recipe

  • In a bowl, start by adding fresh spinach leaves.
  • Next, add chopped onions and apples.
  • Candied pecans and dried cranberries are the next to go into the bowl.
  • For the dressing, drizzle olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
  • Finish by adding a good amount of grated goat cheese and give the salad a good mix.

(Credit- Instagram/@ thebriskkitchen)

Do give these recipes a try. We understand palak paneer is a common recipe, but when it’s palak, there has to be paneer. However, apart from palak paneer, we hope a fresh spinach salad in the morning and hot spinach pakodas in the evening will turn your weekends into a joyous one.