Palak Recipes: 5 Delicious And Healthy Meals

Palak, also known as spinach, is among the most sought-after items when it comes to cooking delectable Indian cuisines. It’s highly nutritious, full of flavour, and tastes awesome. Spinach is a nutrient-rich vegetable and an excellent source of multivitamins and minerals. 

It's a good source of dietary fibre and can help protect against seasonal colds and flu, reduce cholesterol, and promote good digestion. Here are some easy Indian Palak recipes that you can make this season.

Top 5 Palak Recipes 

1. Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a tasty Indian meal, and it's also a superfood for your health. This meal offers a satisfying balance of health and flavour because of its protein-rich paneer and nutrient-rich spinach. 

Containing a goldmine of vitamins and minerals, spinach strengthens immunity and supports healthy bones. Paneer is a dairy delicacy that provides your body with protein and calcium.

Ingredients

• 250g fresh spinach leaves, washed and chopped
• 200g paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cubed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee

How to prepare

1. In a skillet with a little amount of heated oil, add the cumin seeds and watch them sputter.
2. Include chopped garlic, ginger, onions, and green chillies. Onions should be sautéed till golden brown.
3. Add the tomato puree and heat it until the masala and oil separate.
4. Include the garam masala, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Mix thoroughly.
5. Cook the chopped spinach until it shrivels.
6. Cook for 23 minutes after putting in the cubed paneer.
7. Add the fresh cream and stir until well incorporated.
8. Add salt for seasoning and cook for a further five minutes.
9. Serve hot with rice or naan. 

2. Spinach Dal

Not only is spinach daal a delicious meal, but it's also a superfood for your health. This recipe is a nutrient-dense pleasure, full of the benefits of lentils and bright greens. Spinach Dal's protein, fibre, and critical vitamins support heart health, strengthen immunity and facilitate digestion.

It's a tasty and nutritious option for a satisfying meal because of its iron content, which also helps fight weariness.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow lentils (dal)
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch of grated ginger 
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

How to prepare

1. After giving the lentils a good rinse, simmer them in a pot with three cups of water until they are soft.
2. Heat ghee or a little amount of oil in a different pan, add the cumin seeds and let them sputter.
3. Include diced onions and cook till they turn golden brown.
4. Add the grated ginger, minced garlic, and green chilli. For two minutes, sauté.
5. Cook the diced tomatoes until they become tender.
6. Add salt, turmeric, coriander, and red chilli powder. Blend thoroughly.
7. Include the finely chopped spinach in the pan and let it wilt.
8. Mix the spinach mixture and cooked lentils together. If necessary, dilute the consistency with water.
9. Simmer to allow flavours to mingle for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. Before serving, garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Savour your hearty spinach dal with roti or rice.

3. Palak Rice 

Palak rice is a nutritious, dense meal that is cooked with chopped spinach, rice, onions, spices and herbs. This meal provides your body with benefits like antioxidants and healthy blood flow, gives you a boost of energy, and prevents you from being diagnosed with anaemia.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups fresh spinach (palak), finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

How to prepare

1. Rinse the rice and cook it until fluffy.
2. In a pan, heat a small amount of oil and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until golden.
3. Add tomatoes, green chillies, and spices. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
4. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook until wilted.
5. Mix in cooked rice, ensuring even distribution.
6. Garnish with fresh coriander. 

4. Palak Paratha

Palak paratha is a delicious Indian flatbread with a hint of spinach flavour. It tantalises your taste buds and improves your health at the same time because it is loaded with vitamins and minerals. 

This recipe is enhanced with flavour and essential antioxidants from spinach, a nutrient-dense powerhouse. Palak paratha is more than just a culinary delight. It's a healthful option for your overall well-being, with its iron content supporting blood health and fibre facilitating digestion.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup finely chopped spinach (palak)
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Water for kneading the dough
• Ghee or oil for cooking

How to prepare

1. Add the chopped spinach, onion, green chilli, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt to a mixing bowl along with the whole wheat flour.
2. Stir in enough water to make a soft dough, then knead the mixture.
3. Form each ball of dough into a flat, circular paratha by dividing it into smaller portions.
4. Heat a tawa (griddle) and fry each paratha in a lesser amount of oil or ghee until both sides are golden brown.
5. Top with your preferred chutney, pickles, or yoghurt and serve hot.

5. Chana Palak

Chana Palak is a dish made with chickpeas and spinach, which is incredibly nutritious. Packed with iron-rich spinach and protein-rich chickpeas, it helps maintain healthy muscles and increases energy. 

It also contains fibre, which promotes healthy digestion and helps you feel satisfied. Chana palak is a nutrient-dense option for a balanced diet because it contains a variety of vital nutrients that support general health. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• 2 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

How to prepare

1. Use a pressure cooker to cook the soaked chickpeas until they are soft.
2. Heat a little amount of oil or ghee in a skillet and add the cumin seeds. Add chopped onions and sauté till golden brown after they sizzle.
3. Include the green chilli, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add another minute of sautéing.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer, stirring, until the oil or ghee separates and the tomatoes become soft.
5. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Blend thoroughly.
6. Include the finely chopped spinach and allow it to wilt.
7. Add the cooked chickpeas and stir to combine.
8. Add the garam masala and continue cooking for five more minutes.
9. Add some fresh coriander leaves as a garnish.
10. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Takeaway 

With Palak dishes, every mouthful takes you on a culinary and nutritional adventure. Therefore, let us relish the goodness and fuel our bodies with the different palak recipes. Visit Healthy Master for a wide range of healthy snack products.