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Swasthi's Recipes

Home >> Recipes >> Veg Curry

Spinach curry (Palak curry)

By swasthi , on September 5, 2020, 18 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Spinach curry is a simple Indian dish made with fresh spinach, onions, spices and herbs. It goes well as a side with Indian breads like roti, butter naan or flavored rice like jeera rice or ghee rice. This Indian palak curry is healthy, easy to make & tastes super delicious. In India, we make spinach curry in many ways just like any other veggie.

spinach curry

So some people just stir fry and then simmer with coconut milk or milk. A lot of people just cook chopped spinach with spices & lentils or legumes. Since palak is mild in flavors it turns out well however it is cooked.

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Most of these curries are mildly spiced as we don’t want the flavor of spices to dominate. So this spinach curry is different from the usual Indian curry preparations. This recipe does not use any lentils and is made with pantry staples.

Sometimes I also add sautéed veggies like peas, potatoes and carrots. The curry is mildly spiced to flavor up and is not very hot. So this is kids’ friendly if you skip or reduce the green chilies.

I make this quite often to go with the rotis & my family loves it because it is so aromatic, flavorful & tastes delicious.

In Indian Cuisine we use spinach to make different kinds of dishes. I add a handful of the fresh leaves to sambar, stir fry dishes and some times even to make chutney. Here are some you may want to check.

Palak recipes
Spinach Rice
Hara bhara kabab
Spinach omelette
dal palak
palak paneer

How to make spinach curry

1.Heat oil in a pot and add cumin seeds.

splutter cumin in oil to make spinach curry

2.When they begin to splutter, add onions and green chilies. Saute them well until the onions turn golden. Then add chopped ginger garlic, salt and turmeric.

sauteing onions chilies ginger garlic

3. Saute for 2 minutes to bring out the aroma of ginger garlic. Then add besan (gram flour) and garam masala. If you do not have gram flour then you can use 6 tbsps (¼ cup + 2 tbsps) grated fresh or frozen coconut. If you do not have both then, skip it and use thick coconut milk later as mentioned below.

adding gram flour and garam masala

4.Regulate the flame to low and saute all of these for about 4 to 5 mins without burning. When done you will begin to get a nutty aroma.The raw smell of the gram flour/ besan should disappear completely. If the flour begins to stick to the pot, add a bit more oil and cook covered.

sauteing gram flour to make spinach curry

5. Add chopped spinach.

adding spinach
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6. Saute again till the leaves wilt completely. Cool this slightly.

sauteed spinach

7.Pour water to a blender jar and add this mixture. Blend to a smooth or coarse puree to suit your liking. I do it smooth as my kids don’t like the chunky curry.

puree spinach to make curry

8. After transfer the puree to the pot along with water. Give a stir and bring it to a boil.

pouring water
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9. Cook it for 3 to 4 mins adding more water if needed. The spinach curry begins to smell flavorful when done. Crush kasuri methi and add it. Turn off when the curry turns slightly thick yet is of pouring consistency. It thickens further after cooling.

adding kasuri methi to make spinach curry

Tempering

10. Tempering the spinach curry is very essential. Heat ghee or butter in a small pan. Add red chilies and chopped garlic. Fry until the garlic turns lightly golden. Add hing/ asafoetida and turn off.

tempering palak curry with garlic

Pour this over the palak curry. Give a good mix and cover the bowl. Rest it for a while. This way the flavors of garlic, red chilli and hing will be absorbed well.

The most important step is to squeeze some lemon juice before serving. Serve with hot butter naan, roti, jeera rice or ghee rice.

spinach curry recipe

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Recipe card

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spinach curry

Spinach curry (Indian palak curry)

Easy to make, delicious and healthy spinach curry made in Indian style with spices. Goes well with naan, roti or any flavored rice like jeera rice.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings2
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 150 grams spinach (palak) (2½ cups tightly packed
  • 1½ tablespoons oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 medium onion (½ cup fine chopped)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic (½ tbsp ginger ½ tbsp garlic, or 1 tsp paste)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1½ tablespoon besan (gram flour) (substitute 6 tbsps fresh/frozen coconut)
  • ¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
  • 1¼ cup water (more if needed)
  • ½ to ¾ tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, adjust to taste)
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoon lemon juice (for serving)

For tempering

  • ¾ tablespoon ghee or 1 tbsp butter or oil
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves (sliced)
  • 1 to 2 dried red chilies (broken)
  • ⅛ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
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Instructions

  • Rinse and chop onions, spinach, ginger, garlic and green chillies.

How to make

  • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they splutter, add onions and green chilies.
  • Saute till the onions turn golden. Add ginger garlic, turmeric and salt. Saute for 2 mins.
  • Next add besan/gram flour and garam maslaa. On a low heat, saute till the flour begin to smell aromatic. The raw smell of the flour should have completely gone.
  • Then add spinach and saute till it wilts. To a blender pour ⅔ cups water. Add the sauteed spinach and onion mixture.
  • Make a smooth or slightly coarse puree to suit your liking.
  • Transfer this back to the same pot along with more water. (I added 1¼ cups in total to blend and add at this stage). You may need more.
  • Bring this to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 mins until the spinach curry smells good.
  • When the curry turns thick yet is of pouring add kasuri methi. Mix and turn off. Taste it and add more salt if needed. It will still taste slightly bland at this stage.

Tempering

  • Heat ghee or butter in a small pan. Add sliced garlic and red chillies. Fry the garlic until it turns golden.
  • Add hing and pour this to the spinach curry. Give a good mix and cover it.
  • Squeeze lemon juice before serving. Spinach curry is best served hot with butter naan, roti or jeera rice.
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Notes

  1. Besan (gram flour) can be substituted with 6 tbsps of fresh or frozen grated coconut or thick coconut milk. If using thick coconut milk, pour half cup to the blender to puree along with spinach and onions. 
  2. Do not increase the quantity of gram flour as its leaves a dominant taste.
  3. Adjust the amount of kasuri methi to your liking. Do not skip that.
  4. Do not skip lemon juice.
  5. Substitute ghee with oil to make it vegan. Skip hing to make it gluten-free.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Spinach curry (Indian palak curry)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 235 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 14mg5%
Sodium 735mg32%
Potassium 619mg18%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 7300IU146%
Vitamin C 61mg74%
Calcium 92mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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Recipe Rating




Recipe Rating




18 Comments
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Helis
February 11, 2021 1:52 pm

5 stars
This recipe won my heart as many other that I have cooked from your blog, easy to prepare and so flavorful. The combination of carlic-cumin tempered in ghee gives such a nice aroma and taste and surely lime does the work when cooking spinach 😌

I made it rather thick and had it with sourdough-raggi utappams (very non traditional combination🙂 that’s how I have used to eat), but it vas very nice all together. Thank you once again 🙏

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Helis
February 17, 2021 3:34 am

Hello Helis
So happy to know you liked it! Yes you are so right, the tempering is so good. Thank you so much!

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Rocky
January 4, 2021 7:31 am

Can this be frozen and consumed later?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Rocky
January 4, 2021 7:39 am

I didn’t try. Not sure if it tastes good

Reply
Pallavi G
Reply to  Rocky
February 17, 2021 8:20 am

5 stars
Best palak recipe. My husband doesn’t like palak so I wanted to try some different recipe. Trust me, everyone at my place loved loved it. Literally they could eat without chapati also. The flavor had come so good. You are my Savior Swastika. Simple and best and s well presented. Looking forward to try more from your recipes.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Pallavi G
February 18, 2021 2:09 am

Hi Pallavi
So glad to know you all loved it! Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂

Reply
Kishore
September 15, 2020 9:52 pm

5 stars
You’re my favorite food blogger. Living in the US, i’d lost touch with indian recipes but i’m back on track now :). Tried this today and it was absolutely delicious with rotis.
Thanks.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Kishore
September 17, 2020 4:37 am

Hello,
You are welcome! Glad to know!
Thank you so much!

Reply
Sarah
August 21, 2020 5:48 am

5 stars
Came out delicious. This was the first time I used gram flour in a curry recipe. My family loved it. Can you share a recipe for soft roti. Video is much appreciated. Thank you ?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Sarah
August 23, 2020 5:31 am

Welcome Sarah
Glad your family loved it. Thank you! Yes will share it.
🙂

Reply
James
July 6, 2020 6:36 pm

Hello, can milk be used instead of water to make the spinach curry?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  James
July 7, 2020 9:29 am

Hi James,
I haven’t tried it with milk. You can instead blend 10 to 12 soaked cashewnuts or almonds with half cup water to smooth milk and use.

Reply
FitFoodieMegha
July 6, 2020 5:54 pm

Thank you for sharing the wonderful recipe. The step by step photos are quite helpful.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  FitFoodieMegha
July 7, 2020 9:30 am

Welcome

Reply
Beena
July 6, 2020 4:53 pm

5 stars
Came out really nice. Easy to make and was yummy.
Wish I could post a pic.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Beena
July 7, 2020 9:32 am

Hello Beena
Glad to know! Thank you! Yes pls send the picture either by email, fb, or on insta. Would love to see it!
🙂

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Maria
July 5, 2020 4:16 pm

5 stars
Hi swasthi
Spinach curry is delicious ?.My kids loved the greens for the first time. Thanks for this recipe.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Maria
July 7, 2020 9:32 am

Hi Maria!
Welcome! Happy to know! Thank you

Reply

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