Palak Rice / Palakura Annam / Spinach Rice

Palak Rice , How to make palak rice , Spinach Rice , Palakura Annam

Palak is a very healthy green leafy vegetable that is easily available anywhere. It is very nutritious given that it is rich in antioxidants. Palak is very healthy especially for women because it is rich in iron, calcium, folate and manganese. Moreover,
eating lots of green leafy veggies are essential for good growth of hair. I make it a point to serve green leafy veggies at least 2-3 times a week.

Palak rice is made in my home at least once a week, served with plain curd or any raita. I call it a whole veggie rice as I include other vegetables that are available at the time of preparation in my house. My kids call it green rice. Whatever be the name, the only thing that strikes me is that it is very healthy.

Method :

Chop all the vegetables into chunks.

Wash palak thoroughly and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Add little salt and microwave it for 2 minutes. Remove and check if it is soft and cooked. If not, microwave for another 2 minutes. Alternately you can also blanch palak on stove top. Put palak in little water and cook until it becomes tender. This would not take much time. Strain the water. Do not throw the water, it can be used for prepapring the curry or chapathi dough.

Allow the cooked palak to cool. Meanwhile make a paste of the whole masalas with ginger and garlic.

Heat a pressure cooker. Add oil and ghee.

Add chopped cashewnuts.

When they turn into light brown colour, add the ground ginger-garlic masala.

Fry for 2 minutes. Add chopped onion and slit green chillies.

While this is getting fried, grind the cooked palak in a mixie.

When the onion turn light brown in colour, add palak paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add chopped carrot and potato.

 Mix well and add curd.

Add the washed rice and mix well.

Add water and check for salt and spiciness. If required add more.

Cover with lid and cook until 2-3 whistles.

Once cool, spread it onto a wide plate so that the rice becomes grainy and doesn't stick.

Serve wit plain curd or any raita. I served it with beetroot raita.

Ingredients :

Palak 2 bunches

Carrots 2 medium

Potato 2 medium sized

Green Chillies 3

Oil 2 tbsp.

Ghee 1 tbsp.

Cashew nuts handful

Curd 4 tbsp.

Rice  1 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Water  2 cups

Masalas

Ginger 1"piece

Garlic 4-5 pods

Cloves 5

Dalchin ( cinnamon )2 1"pieces

Marathi moggu 1

Cardamom ( Elaichi )2

Star anise 2 petals

Japatri ( Mace )1/2 piece

Black Pepper 13

Preparation

1. Chop all the vegetables into chunks.
2. Blanch palak on stove top with little water and salt. Alternately, microwave it with little salt for 3-4 minutes. Allow it to cool.
3. Make a paste of whole masalas along with ginger and garlic in a mortal and pestle. Keep aside.
4. Make a paste of palak in a mixie and keep aside.
5. Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add broken cashew nuts and allow it to turn to light brown colour.
6. Add the ground masala paste and fry for 2 minutes.
7. Add chopped onion and slit green chillies. Fry until onion turn translucent.
8. Add the palak paste and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add carrot and potato and mix well.
10. Mix well and add curd.
11. Add washed rice and mix well.
12. Add 2 cups of water and salt and mix well.
13. Cover with lid and cook until 2-3 whistles.
14. Once cool, spread into a wide plate so that the rice doesn't stick and becomes grainy.
15. Serve hot with any raita or plain curd.

Notes :

• Butter can be replaced with oil and ghee.
• Other vegetables like green peas, beetroot, cauliflower  can also be added to make it more healthy.
• Paneer can also be added. But if you add paneer in the pressure cooker there are chances that it will become hard. So add paneer when your spread the rice in a wide plate.
• Curd can be ignored if you don't like it.