Spinach Chutney/Palakura Pachadi

Today I am posting a very simple , easy to make and very delicious to taste recipe with spinach.We all make daals,curries,parathas ,rice dishes and nutritious smoothies etc. with spinach/palak.The options are endless with this greens and it is a very common leafy vegetable known to people around the world.Today I am making a very delicious chutney with this lovely greens.

Let us see how it is made------------

Main Ingredients :

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Spinach...............................3cups(packed)

Onion..................................1big

Seasoning Ingredients :

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Canola Oil.................................1.5tbsp

Cumin Seeds.............................1tsp

Mustard Seeds..........................1tsp

ChanaDaal................................2tsp

Urad Daal.................................2tsp

Red Chilly.................................4

Asafoetida/Hing........................pinch

Tamarind Paste........................2tsp

Salt..........................................to taste

Preparation :

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Rinse the spinach and keep it aside.Cut the onion into big chunks.Place a pan on the stove on medium high heat and add oil.Once the oil heats up add cumin,mustard,chana daal ,urad daal and red chillies and let them splutter and turn golden.Now add asafoetida and onion chunks and fry till the onion turns translucent.

After the rawness of the onion is gone take some cooked onion pieces and keep them aside along with some seasoning,so that we can use as garnish in the end.Now add tamarind paste to the pan and later add spinach to the pan.

Cook till the spinach wilts and transfer it to the mixie jar.Add salt and grind it to a smooth paste.

Transfer the blended chutney to a serving bowl and garnish it with the onion pieces and seasoning that we kept aside.

Mix the onions pieces in the chutney and serve.Delicious Spinach Chutney is ready to be served with hot rice ,rotis,chapathis or parathas.

Note :
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1) Onion gives a nice crunch to the chutney.

2) If you want some tang to the onion pieces, let the onions cook in the pan after adding the tamarind and then take some aside for garnish.Then you can taste tangy onions in the chutney.

This goes to Healing Foods:Onion Event hosted by Priya started by Siri .

Spinach Pulav/Rice(Healthy,Simple & Easy)

Spinach Pulav/Rice is a very healthy simple dish. This is like one pot dish. Rice with healthy greens and flavorful spices.When you do not have enough time to prepare two dishes separately this is a great option. Kids will love this dish too.

Let's start preparing this wonderful ,healthy recipe--------------

Main Ingredients :
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Ponni Raw Rice..............2cups(uncooked)
Frozen Spinach..............10oz

Seasoning Ingredients :
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Ginger..................................2inch
Garlic...................................4cloves
Cinnamon.............................1stick
Bay Leaf...............................1
Red Chilly.............................2
Turmeric...............................1/2tsp
Sesame Seeds.......................2tsp
Mustard Seeds......................1tsp
Cumin Seeds.........................1tsp
Garam Masala Powder..........2tsp
Olive Oil...............................1tbsp
Butter...................................1tbsp
Salt.......................................to taste

Preparation :
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First cook  the rice and keep it aside.Now take the frozen spinach and let it thaw.Once it is thawed microwave it for 4 minutes and keep aside.Make a paste of the ginger  and garlic and keep it aside.

Now place a pan on the stove on medium heat add olive oil and immediately add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds.

Once the mustard seeds start to splutter add red chillies and sesame seeds.

Now add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and fry for a minute.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste and turmeric and fry for a minute till the raw smell is gone.

Now add the spinach and fry for 2 minutes(remeber that we cooked the spinach in microwave for 4minutes).

Later add garam-masala powder , salt and stir well and cook for 2 min.

Now add rice to the spinach mix and stir well so that the rice ,spinach and spices blend well.Adjust salt accordingly.Finally add a touch of little butter for richness.

Yummy Spinach Pulav/Rice is ready to serve.It can be served with papad or served as is.

Try it and let me know how you like it.

Note :
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1) I used freshly cooked rice.You can make this with left-over rice too.

2)You can use fresh spinach instead of  frozen spinach.

3)I used very very less oil for making it and in the end added 1tbsp of butter.Instead you can use butter for the entire recipe.Let's try to keep it heart-healthy.

I am sending this to Healing Foods:Spinach event being guest hosted by Divya and started by Siri.

Spinach/Cranberry/Bottle Gourd Sambar

This is a very heart healthy,fibrous dish.Spinach,Cranberries and BottleGourd make a tasty ,nutritious and pretty combination for a sambar.You can call this a soup too as you can eat it just by itself.It's a complete dish on it's own.

Main Ingredients:
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Toor Daal...............1/2cup
Spinach...................10oz
Cranberries.............1cup
BottleGourd............1cup
Water......................4cups
Green Chillies..........2

Seasoning:
-----------
Turmeric................1tsp
Mustard ...............1tsp
Cumin...................1tsp
Asafoetida.............pinch
CurryLeaves.........1 sprig
Red Chilli..............1
Garlic....................2cloves
Sambar Powder.....1tbsp
Ghee/Oil................2tsp
Salt.......................to taste

Preparation:
------------
Rinse the toor daal very well and let soak for 30 minutes.
 
While the daal is soaking ,take spinach and rinse it well and chop it and keep it aside.

Peel the bottle gourd and cut into small cubes.Now take fresh cranberries and wash them and keep aside,also take 2 small green chillies and slit them open(deseed if you don't like it spicy).
 
Take a steel vessel that can be placed in the pressure cooker and fill it with the soaked toor daal,chopped spinach,cubed bottle gourd,cranberries,greenchillies and also add 1tsp turmeric to them.Now add 4cups of water and place the vessel in the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.
 
While the pressure in the cooker is settling down, take a pan for seasoning.Add ghee/oil to the pan,once it is hot add mustard seeds,cumin seeds,asafoetida,chopped garlic,red chilli and curry leaves.
 
Now open the pressure cooker and take out the vessel with the main ingredients and add the fried seasoning  sambar powder and salt(as per your taste).Give it a nice stir and let the sambar simmer on the stove for 15 more minutes so that all the ingredients mix well.

Finally pour the smabar into a serving dish and it is ready to serve with hot rice or roti.

Note:
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1)This sambar can be served as a mian dish too.You can serve it as a soup.
2)We do not add tamarind to this recipe as cranberries give the sour taste to the sambar.
3)You can add onion to this recipe if you like(onion adds sweetness to the dish).
 
  This sambar is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and one more heart-healthy dish.

I am sending this recipe for the Healing Foods Event:Spinach being guest hosted by Divya  and started by Siri .

I am sending this recipe to Think Beyond The Usual : Fruit event started and hosted by Nithu.