Palak matar recipe | Palak matar ki sabji | How to make palak matar

Palak matar recipe aka palak matar ki sabji is a healthy and comforting spinach recipe Indian which is frequently prepared in northern Indian houses during the winter season. In this preparation, green peas and spinach puree are both together cooked in spicy onion-tomato gravy. It is a versatile green curry that can be accompanied with flatbreads like roti, chapati, paratha or you can also pair up the healthy curry with rice items like steamed rice, jeera rice etc. It is a very simple and easy recipe which makes it easily adaptable to a regular diet.

About the recipe
Health Benefits of Spinach
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Palak matar (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Palak matar is a Hindi name and its name itself explains the recipe. The word Palak means spinach and matar means green peas. In short, palak matar is a spicy curry prepared with green peas and either with finely chopped spinach or with spinach puree. Many variations can be done in this recipe by adding different vegetables like potatoes, mushrooms etc. It is a healthy vegan curry that is mostly relished with flatbread or rice.

During my childhood days, palak matar ki sabji was considered a winter delicacy because fresh spinach leaves and green peas were only available in the winter season during those days. But now a day’s spinach or palak and frozen peas are easily available throughout the year.

We all know the benefits of consuming green vegetables, but it is always very tough to add these healthy stuffs to our kids’ diet. Palak matar recipe could be a great option to add spinach to kids’ regular diet. You can even prepare it by skipping chillies too. It gets prepared very quickly and can be a good option for your kid’s lunchbox with a pair of chapatis.

Palak curry is a very simple and easy to make recipe. The difficulty level of cooking this recipe is very low which is perfect for beginners. It gets prepared with very common ingredients which are readily available in an Indian Kitchen pantry. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared very quickly without investing much time.

I had this palak matar ki sabji for the first time in a north Indian restaurant and I loved it. After that, I prepared the dish at home and everyone loved it, especially my daughter who always refuses to eat spinach. Since then palak matar has become one of the regular dishes of our weekday lunch table.

Palak matar recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. I have included all the tips and tricks below to make the recipe easier for you. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the recipe and the hero ingredient of the recipe ‘Spinach’.

• The nutrients present in spinach helps to control our blood sugar level, blood pressure level and cholesterol level.
• The folic acid present in spinach is extremely beneficial for pregnant women.
• Spinach is low in carb and full of fibre. They are extremely good for our digestive system and helps to get rid of constipation.
• They are a great source of vitamins and minerals. The vitamin C present in spinach makes our skin healthy and glowing.
• Any leafy greens like Spinach are very beneficial for our eyesight too. The high level of chlorophyll present in Spinach is great for our vision.

• Blanch the spinach leaves before making puree. It reduces its cooking time and helps to retain its green colour.
• Always use finely chopped onions and tomatoes for a better texture of the gravy.
• If you want to prepare the dish for kids then adjust the amount of chilli accordingly.
• I have prepared the dish vegan. If you like, you can add fresh cream at the end for richness and enhance the taste.
• Don’t skip kasuri methi from the recipe. It gives a nice flavour to the dish.

Spinach aka palak: The primary ingredient of the recipe that is used as puree to prepare the thick green curry.

Green peas aka matar: Another most important ingredient of the recipe which adds bite and sweetness. You can use either fresh or frozen peas for the recipe.

Onion & Ginger-Garlic: These are the most common ingredients used to give texture and to flavour up the curry.

Tomato: The addition of tomatoes adds slight tanginess and enhances the taste of the dish.

Green chillies: It adds a heaty taste and refreshing flavour to the dish.

Whole spices: I have used dry red chilli, cumin seeds for the tempering of the dish and kasuri methi at the final stage of cooking.

Ground spices: I have used turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and hing for the recipe. All the spices are equally important to flavour up the curry.

Water: Water is used to blanch the spinach leaves and for the gravy to adjust consistency.

Salt: The most important ingredient which adds saltiness.

Oil: To cook the dish. You can use any edible oil for the recipe like vegetable oil, soya oil, sunflower oil, olive oil etc.

To prepare the palak matar ki sabji, first, wash the spinach leaves aka palak and blanch it for 2-3 minutes. Then immediately strain it and put it either in iced water or cold water to let the spinach cool down. Put the blanched spinach in the jar of a mixer grinder and make a smooth puree with it. Add some water if required.

Finely chop onions, tomatoes for the curry. On the other hand, make a ginger-garlic paste.

After this, put a pan on flame and add oil to cook. Once the oil is hot, temper the whole spices – dry red chilli, cumin seeds and allows them to crackle. Then add little bit of hing aka asafoetida and cook for a few seconds.

Then add the chopped onions and cook them over medium flame for around 10-12 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook it on low flame for another 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cover the pan. Cook it in low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.

Then add the green peas into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for a couple of minutes on low flame. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes on low flame.

Now add the spinach puree into the pan and give a nice mix. Add some water for the gravy. Add green chillies, salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 8-10 minutes.

Add garam masala and kasuri methi, one by one into the pan and mix them well. Cook it in medium flame for a few more seconds and then switch off the flame.

Many palak recipes have already been shared in my previous post. You can check a few of them like

Chole palak recipe
Aloo palak ki sabji
Palak curry
Kala chana palak

..And Many more…

1 cup = 250ml

• 300 grams Spinach
• 1 cup green Peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 1 large Tomato, small diced and deseeded
• 2-3 green Chillies
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon Hing aka Asafoetida
• 1 dry red Chilli
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera powder)
• ½ teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhania powder)
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tablespoon Oil, for Cooking
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup of Water for Gravy

1. Wash the palak or spinach leaves thoroughly in running water.
2. Take a pan and add water to boil. Add the spinach into the boiled water and boil it for 3-4 minutes. Strain the spinach and immediately put it either in cold water or iced water to cool down. This step helps to preserve the green colour of spinach.
3. Transfer the spinach leaves into a jar of a mixer grinder. Close the lid and pulse it to a smooth puree. Keep the puree aside.
4. Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon oil into the pan.
5. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and dry red chilli, one by one into the pan for tempering and allow them to crackle. Then add ¼ teaspoon hing and give a stir for a few seconds.
6. Add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
7. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
8. Add tomatoes and cover the pan. Cook it in low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
9. Add 1 cup green peas into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for a couple of minutes on low flame.
10. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes in low flame.
11. Now, add the spinach puree (Step 3) into the pan and give a nice mix.
12. Add ½ cup water for the gravy and mix it.
13. Add 2-3 green chillies, salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 8-10 minutes.
14. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, one by one into the pan and mix it well.
15. Cook it in medium flame for a few more seconds and then switch off the flame.

Transfer the palak matar ki sabji into a serving bowl. Serve hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the succulent dish with your favourite rice item or flatbread and enjoy the north Indian delicacy.

Palak matar recipe | Palak matar ki sabji | How to make palak matar

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Pin

Print

Ingredients

1 cup = 250ml

• 300 grams Spinach
• 1 cup green Peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
• 1 large Tomato, small diced and deseeded
• 2-3 green Chillies
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon Hing aka Asafoetida
• 1 dry red Chilli
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera powder)
• ½ teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhania powder)
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tablespoon Oil, for Cooking
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup of Water for Gravy

Instructions

1. Wash the palak or spinach leaves thoroughly in running water.
2. Take a pan and add water to boil. Add the spinach into the boiled water and boil it for 3-4 minutes. Strain the spinach and immediately put it either in cold water or iced water to cool down. This step helps to preserve the green colour of spinach.
3. Transfer the spinach leaves into a jar of a mixer grinder. Close the lid and pulse it to a smooth puree. Keep the puree aside.
4. Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 1 tablespoon oil into the pan.
5. Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and dry red chilli, one by one into the pan for tempering and allow them to crackle. Then add ¼ teaspoon hing and give a stir for a few seconds.
6. Add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
7. Add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
8. Add tomatoes and cover the pan. Cook it in low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
9. Add 1 cup green peas into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it for a couple of minutes on low flame.
10. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes in low flame.
11. Now, add the spinach puree (Step 3) into the pan and give a nice mix.
12. Add ½ cup water for the gravy and mix it.
13. Add 2-3 green chillies, salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 8-10 minutes.
14. Add 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, one by one into the pan and mix it well.
15. Cook it in medium flame for a few more seconds and then switch off the flame.

Kadai

Buy Online

Wooden Spatula

Buy Online

Knife Set

Buy Online