Basic Palak Rice
Palak rice cooks rice with a spinach paste that colours every grain green.
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50 mintotal
35 min hands-on15 min hands-off
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Medium
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Includes soaking time.
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the ghee over medium heat.
Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Immediately add the minced garlic and chopped green chillies. Sauté until the garlic turns lightly golden and aromatic.
Add the chopped onions and fry until they are soft and translucent.
Add the prepared spinach (chopped or pureed). Sauté on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell of spinach disappears and it shrinks considerably.
3–4 min
Stir in the garam masala and mix well.
Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the spinach base. Gently toss the rice for 1-2 minutes to let the flavors coat the grains.
1–2 min
Pour in the measured water, add salt, and bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the rice is tender and water is fully absorbed.
12–15 min
Turn off the heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then fluff gently to serve.
5 min
How to tell it's done
A beautifully green-tinted, comforting rice bowl with soft grains that carry an earthy, garlic-infused savory profile.
Nutrition
Per serving, from 2 servings.
430kcal
Where the calories come from
- Protein7.4 g7%
- Carbohydrate68.6 g64%
- Fat13.7 g29%
- Sugars
- 2.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.9 g
- Fibre
- 2.8 g
- Sodium
- 1199 mg
- Calcium
- 97 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.
Getting it right
Tip
A generous amount of fresh garlic is the secret to elevating spinach dishes; it completely masks any bland, irony taste from the greens.
What to serve it with
Bright and colourful. Serve hot with a cool onion-tomato raita, or plain yogurt.
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