Palak/Spinach Rice....step by step.

Hey everybody,  today I thought I will post palak/spinach rice which I made yesterday night. Hubby bought a bunch of palak leaves and I was in no mood to make palak paratha, so wondered why not make palak rice and that's quick and easy than making paratha ...a whole healthy one pot meal.....right??

I used about 1 cup of chopped palak leaves....there is no harm in increasing it.

I used very little oil (trying to cut down oil in everyday cooking) maybe about 2 tbsp of rice bran oil (supposed to be healthy or is it the latest fad??). I gave a spice tadka to the oil and I found adding a teeeny bit of mace gave the added flavor....

I cooked this in the pressure cooker, I also make biriyani this way, I have posted how to make pressure cooker biriyani  during the initial days of blogging but without a good picture, ya I will update on that sometime....cooking in pressure cooker is easy and less time consuming, but the rule here is do not put weight, once the steam comes, simmer the fire for exactly 7 minutes, then switch off the fire, open cooker after about 15 to 20 min.....open and stir and your meal is ready.

Spinach/palak is often hailed for the high amount of iron, in addition to iron, spinach is also a healthy source of protein and calcium....a perfect meal for kids....lunchboxes...

Lastly, these pictures were taken at night.....so excuse!

So lets get cooking!

An Update:
For palak-chana (spinach-chickpea) Biriyani click here or add one cup of boiled chana into the palak.

Ingredients:
For the rice
Basmati rice: 2 cup.
Water: 4 cups minus 3 tbsp.
Salt: About 1 to 1 1/2tsp.

Palak leaves: A handful, chopped, you can increase the palak leaves if you prefer.
Ginger: 1 inch.
Garlic: 1/2 pod.
Green chillies: 2 (mine was hotter so used only 2).

Cinnamon : 1 stick, broken.
Cardamon: 2.
Cloves: 2 or 3.
Mace: 1/4 of a piece.
Saunf: A fat pinch.

Onions: 2, sliced.
Tomato: 2, chopped.
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Red chilly powder: 1/2 (this is optional you can increase green chilly if you are not using red chilly)
Fresh garam masala: 3/4 tsp.
Oil: 2tbsp. (can increase if you are not diet conscious)

Method:
Wash and clean the 2 cups of rice and keep it on a sieve to drain off the water.

I washed and cleaned the palak and put it in my food processor....ya these days I am very lazy!

The processor did a nice job....keep it aside.

Put 1 inch ginger, half pod garlic and 2 green chilies in a chutney grinder or food processor and grind it coarsely...keep it aside.

.In your pressure cooker (should be at-least 3.3 ltrs, the bigger the better) , heat oil about 2 tbsp (you can use ghee if making for kids or ghee+ oil) if you are not that diet or oil conscious can add more oil...remember the more oil or fat...better the taste ha!. Put in the spices and inhale! exhale! try it :)

Put in the onions......just saute them till light brown...about 3 to 6 min on low flame please. You do not have to brown the onion......just the beginning of browning stage. Add salt, 1 tsp is okay remember we are adding rice.

Add the ginger garlic paste, give it a nice stir on and off or it sticks to the pan.

Time for the masala....add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilly powder (optional), 1/2 tsp coriander powder, and 3/4 tsp garam masala.

Give it a stir....and let the raw smell go...about a minute would be fine.

Add the chopped tomatoes....add a teeny bit of water to allow it to incorporate, saute till oil comes out.

Now the STAR, add the palak leaves....and let the water dry up and saute till it is almost dry.

Add water (4 cups minus 3 tbsp) and allow it to boil....dont skip the boiling part....this is important..

While the water is still boiling add the rice and mix well....also check salt one last time.

Close the cooker with its lid and when steam starts to come, simmer the fire for exactly 7 minutes, after 7 minutes switch of the fire.

Open the cooker only after 15 to 20 min. Stir with a spoon.

That's it.....your meal is ready. Serve with pappad and raita.....enjoy!

TIP: Can squeeze half a lemon to the boiling water, this helps the rice to remain non-sticky.