Green wonder of goodness

Spinach, as we all know, is one of the most beneficial green leafy vegetables around us. It is iron packed besides being nutritionally essential part of our diets and cuisines. The importance of having spinach is old and highlighted from the time we saw it as the favourite of Popeye The Sailor Man to many other ways it was endorsed over the years. The need for using spinach is all the more vital these days to keep our immunity levels high and iron getting into our system on regular basis to fight this pandemic.

Most people find cooking with spinach not exciting due to limitations in finding ways of doing it differently with the most popular all-time favourites being palak paneer, saagwala mutton, aloo palak ki subzi, mushroom palak masala. There is a lot more we can try with this green wonder of goodness. From a palak aur badam ka shorba to a desi palak pasta dum pulao, tempered spinach curd rice, mavedaar palak aur nariyal ke samose, soya palak ke paranthey, ande ka palakwala funda and more!

Here are a few simple, healthy and interesting ways with spinach

DESI PALAK AUR PASTA KA BAKE
Ingredients
Spinach 1 bunch cleaned and blanched for 3-4 mins in boiling water, place in cold water and puree the same.
Spaghetti or any pasta of your choice 120 g boiled
Olive oil/ butter 2 tsp
Garlic 1 tsp chopped
Onion 1 small chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs ½ tsp
Fresh basil leaves 3-4
Chilli flakes 1 tsp
Garam masala powder ½ tsp
Kasuri methi 1 tsp
White sauce 1-½ cup
Grated cheese 2 tbsp
Assorted veggies carrots/beans/ peas/ broccoli/sweet potatoes can be added to this baked dish. Cut them into smaller pieces and precook them by blanching/steaming etc before adding them here.
For non-veg options, add boiled chicken cubes, sliced chicken tikka, seekh kabab pieces, boiled eggs, tuna fish, roast sliced meat etc.

Method
Prepare all the ingredients are per the above recipe list. Heat oil or butter in a pan add in the garlic and onion and saute for a minute, add in the assorted veggies of your choice and seasonings, herbs, chili flakes, kasuri methi and garam masala, give it a nice mix and allow to cook for 2-3 mins on medium flame. Now add in the spinach puree mix it well and add the pasta ensure it is not too long in size can be cut into smaller pieces in case of spaghetti. Cook the entire mix well on a medium flame add in the white sauce and basil leaves get it all to a boil, turn off the flame. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a baking dish and pour the mixture into it, top with grated cheese and bake for 20-25 mins and cut into squared or wedges and serve hot with masala garlic bread or crispy toasted cheese kulcha toasties.

ADRAKI PALAK AUR MAKKAI
Ingredients
Spinach 1 bunch cleaned washed and blanched in boiling water for 3-4 mins refreshed with cold water and puree
Boiled American corn 1 cup
Green capsicum 1 small chopped
Ginger 2 tsp chopped
Dry red chilli 2
Oil/ghee 2 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Green chillies 2 tsp chopped
Bayleaf 2
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Kasuri methi 1 tsp
Dhaniya powder 1 tsp
Water ½ cup
Tomato puree 2-3 tbsp
Method

Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe. Heat oil/ghee add in the bayleaf, jeera and red chili and allow to flavor the oil. Next we add in the capsicums and ginger and saute for a minute add little water and continue cooking. Add in the corn and all powdered spices, tomato puree and salt to taste, bhunao it well for 2 minutes. Now add in the spinach puree and mix it well, add kasuri methi and garam masala power if desired and allow to simmer for 4-5 mins. Serve hot garnished with fried red chili or ginger juliennes, serve with roti/ phulkas.

FLORENTINE FRIED RICE
Ingredients
Spinach 1 bunch cleaned, washed and blanched in boiling water for 3-4 mins refreshed in cold water and puree.
Brown rice/white rice 2 cups cooked
Oil/ butter 2 tsp
Cinnamon stick 1 inch piece
Bayleaf 2
Onion 1 no sliced
Garlic 1 tsp chopped
Green chillies 1 tsp chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Yellow capsicum 1 small cut into small cubes
Celery 2 stalks, cut into small pieces
Boiled American corn ¼ cup
Tomato 1 small chopped
Green chilli sauce 2 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tsp
Grated cheese 2 tbsp
Mixed herbs ½ tsp
Chilli flakes 1 tsp
Water ¼ cup
Peanut butter 2 tsp
Fresh coriander/ basil/ mint 2 tbsp
Assorted veggies of your choice can be added as well
Assorted choice of non-veg like chicken/sausages/ eggs/ fish and prawns can also be added to the rice preparation.

Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe as above. Pre-cook the brown rice or can use leftover white rice too. Heat oil/butter in a pan add in the whole spices, add in the garlic, chilies and onion, tomato and give it a nice saute. Add in the assorted veggies, yellow capsicums, celery etc and saute them well, add in the seasonings, herbs, spices to taste also add in the green chili and soy sauce, peanut butter little water cook for 1-2 mins. Now in goes the spinach puree and allow it blend well with all ingredients in the pan for couple of mins followed by adding in the cooked rice and giving it all a nice mix. Lastly add in the fresh herbs, cheese and chili flakes and serve it hot as a meal in itself.

HARIYALI MURGH KI HANDI
Ingredients
Spinach 1 bunch, cleaned and blanched in hot water for 3-4 mins, refreshed with cold water and ground to a puree with 2-3 green chilies, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 1-inch piece ginger.
Chicken 500-750 g cut into curry cuts with bones.
For veg options: Use soya keema or soya chunks/ dal wadi/tofu or paneer/assorted veggies like babycorn, mushroom and makhanas.
Oil/ ghee/ butter 2 tsp
Heeng ¼ tsp
Jeera ½ tsp
Bayleaf 2
Peppercorns 3-4
Onion paste 1 cup
Ginger 1 tsp chopped
Red chillies 2 slit
Tomato 1 small chopped
Curd 2-3 tbsp + 1 tbsp cashew paste
Salt to taste
Kasuri methi 1 tsp
Dhaniya powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Water ½ cup to cook chicken
Mint and coriander leaves 2 tbsp

Method
Prepare all the ingredients for the Hariyali murgh ki handi. Heat oil/ ghee/ butter in a heavy bottomed pan add in the jeera and all the whole spices and allow to flavour the oil, add in the hing and onion paste and cook it for a few mins add little water as need. Now we can continue by adding in the ginger, red chilies and tomato and continue cooking the masala. Add in the chicken curry cuts and all powdered spices, salt to taste and kasuri methi and bhunao the mixture well. Add in spinach puree, cashew and curd mixture and little water and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Check on the texture of the gravy and seasonings add in coriander and mint and continue cooking for another 7-8 mins and serve hot with phulkas, parathas, lachcha paratha or even jeera rice.