Spinach khichdi aka lasooni palak khichdi is a delectable and healthy spinach recipe Indian. It is a simple wholesome meal which provides comfort and is good for digestion. It is one of the popular khichdi recipes in northern India where spinach puree is cooked with rice, yellow lentils, onion and ginger-garlic with some spices and tomato chunks. It is a very simple and easy recipe which makes it easily adaptable to a regular diet. Palak khichdi recipe is mostly accompanied by raita, papad, pickle and some onion salad.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Health Benefits of Spinach
How to make Palak Khichdi (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Khichdi?
Khichdi or khichri is a one-pot meal prepared with rice and lentils. There are extended versions of khichdi available in Indian cuisine prepared using different types of lentils, vegetables etc. It is a staple food which is regularly prepared in Indian households. Khichdi is basically a savoury porridge.
For an Indian, khichdi is more than a food. This simple and elegant dish makes every Indian feel nostalgic. When sold food is introduced to a baby first, in most Indian houses, semi-solid dal-chawal khichdi is prepared and given without using any spices. Then slowly spices are added to khichdi and given to kids.
In any puja festival in East India, khichdi is prepared and offered to God. Then the Prasad is distributed among the devotees.
Spinach khichdi is one of the finest variations of the Indian khichdi recipe.
We all know the benefits of consuming green leafy vegetables, but it is always very tough to add these healthy stuff to our kids’ diets. Palak khichdi recipe could be a great option to add spinach to kids’ regular diet. It is totally a kids’ friendly recipe prepared with fewer spices. You can even prepare it by skipping chillies too. This gets prepared very quickly and can be a good option for your kids’ lunchbox.
Spinach khichdi 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 and easily available ingredients which are readily available in Indian Kitchen pantries. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared quickly without investing much time.
Ingredients for Palak Khichdi
Rice: The primary ingredient of the recipe which adds taste, texture and provides body to the dish.
Yellow lentils: Another most important ingredient of the recipe which adds taste, flavour and provides body to the dish.
Spinach: Spinach is another important ingredient in the recipe. It adds nice colour, taste and flavour to the dish. I have used spinach puree for the recipe.
Onion & Ginger-Garlic: These are the most common ingredients which are regularly used to prepare a khichdi recipe.
Tomatoes: I have used chopped tomatoes for the recipe. It gives a nice flavour, taste, and texture to the dish.
Green chillies & lemon juice: Green chillies add a heaty taste and lemon juice adds a refreshing flavour and gives a balanced taste to the dish.
Whole spices: I have used cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamoms, cloves, and dry red chillies for tempering. All the spices induce a nice flavour to the dish.
Ground spices: For the ground spices, I have used hing aka asafoetida, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder for the recipe. Each spice is equally important to flavour up the dish.
Salt: The basic ingredient of any savoury recipe which adds a salty taste to the dish.
Water: Water is added to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Ghee or Oil: Khichdi tastes best when it is cooked in ghee. I have used ghee for the recipe. Cooking oil can also be used to prepare the khichdi. You can use any flavourless oil like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil etc.
The first time, I tasted this healthy delight was when I was in Pune and one of my north Indian friends prepared this palak khichdi recipe and offered me to taste. I just loved the flavour and taste of the dish. Then I got the recipe from her. After that, I prepared this awesome khichdi recipe myriad times and improvised it in my own way. It’s one of the hit dishes during monsoon season in our house.
Lasooni palak khichdi step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. 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’.
Health benefits of Spinach
- The nutrients present in spinach help 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 carbs and full of fibre. They are extremely good for our digestive system and help 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.
How to make Palak Khichdi?
To prepare the palak matar ki sabji, first, wash the rice and dal and soak them for 30 minutes. Strain the water and then transfer the dal and rice into a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric powder, and water, one by one into the cooker and stir it. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it over medium flame for 2-3 whistles. Allow the cooker to release the pressure.
Wash the spinach leaves aka palak and blanch them 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, and ginger-garlic for the khichdi.
After this, put a pan on flame and add ghee to cook. Once the ghee is hot, temper the whole spices – dry red chilli, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves and allow them to crackle. Then add a little bit of hing aka asafoetida and cook for a few seconds.
Add chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on low flame for another 2 minutes. Then add the chopped onions and cook them over medium flame for around 8-10 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
Add cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes on low flame.
Now, add the spinach puree to the pan and give a nice mix. Add salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 8-10 minutes.
Add the cooked rice-dal, water into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it for another 10 minutes. Check the salt and add some if required. Then switch off the flame. Add some fresh lemon juice and mix it well.
On the other hand, take a tadka pan or any separate pan and add some ghee to melt. Then add chopped garlic into it and allow it to turn golden colour. Then add some red chilli powder and mix it. Switch off the flame immediately or else the chilli powder may burn. Pour the tadka aka tempering over the khichdi and mix it well. You can skip the tadka but the addition of it takes the dish to the next level. Spinach khichdi is ready to serve now.
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…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250ml
For the dal-chawal
- 1 cup Rice
- ½ cup Moong dal aka yellow Lentils
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 3½ cups Water
For 2nd tempering
- 1 tablespoon Ghee aka clarified Butter
- ½ tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red Chilli powder
Other ingredients
- 250 grams Spinach aka palak
- 1 large Onion, finely chopped
- 1 large Tomato, small diced and deseeded
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- ¾ tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Cumin seeds)
- 3 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 2 dry red Chillies (Sukhi mirch)
- ¼ teaspoon Hing aka Asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee aka clarified Butter
Instructions:
- First, wash 1 cup rice and ½ cup moong dal and soak them for 30 minutes.
- Strain the water and then transfer the dal and rice into a pressure cooker.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 3½ cups water, one by one into the cooker and stir it. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it over medium flame for 2-3 whistles. Allow the cooker to release the pressure.
- Wash 250 grams of spinach leaves aka palak properly. Make sure no dirt is there.
- Blanch the washed spinach 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 and ginger-garlic for the khichdi.
- After this, put a pan on flame and add 1 tablespoon of ghee to cook.
- Once the ghee is hot, temper the whole spices – 2 dry red chillies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 4 cardamoms, 3 cloves and allow them to crackle. Then add ¼ teaspoon hing aka asafoetida and cook for a few seconds.
- Add chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on low flame for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions and cook them over medium flame for around 8-10 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes on low flame.
- Now add the spinach puree to the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice-dal, 1 cup water into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it for another 10 minutes.
- Check the salt and add some if required. Then switch off the flame.
- Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and mix it well.
- On the other hand, take a tadka pan or any separate pan and add 1 tablespoon of ghee to melt.
- Add ½ tablespoon chopped garlic into it and allow it to turn golden colour.
- Add ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and mix it. Switch off the flame immediately or else the chilli powder may burn.
- Pour the tadka aka tempering over the khichdi and mix it well. You can skip the tadka but the addition of it takes the dish to the next level. Spinach khichdi is ready to serve now.
Serving Instruction
Serve the portions of palak khichdi on serving plates. Serve hot or warm for the best taste. Pair up the dish with raita, papad, pickle and enjoy the eternal taste of Indian food.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml
For the dal-chawal
- 1 cup Rice
- ½ cup Moong dal aka yellow Lentils
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 3½ cups Water
For 2nd tempering
- 1 tablespoon Ghee aka clarified Butter
- ½ tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red Chilli powder
Other ingredients
- 250 grams Spinach aka palak
- 1 large Onion, finely chopped
- 1 large Tomato, small diced and deseeded
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
- ¾ tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
- 2-3 green Chillies
- 1 tablespoon fresh Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Cumin seeds)
- 3 Cloves (Laung)
- 1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 4 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 2 dry red Chillies (Sukhi mirch)
- ¼ teaspoon Hing aka Asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Ghee aka clarified Butter
Instructions
- First, wash 1 cup rice and ½ cup moong dal and soak them for 30 minutes.
- Strain the water and then transfer the dal and rice into a pressure cooker.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 3½ cups water, one by one into the cooker and stir it. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook it over medium flame for 2-3 whistles. Allow the cooker to release the pressure.
- Wash 250 grams of spinach leaves aka palak properly. Make sure no dirt is there.
- Blanch the washed spinach 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 and ginger-garlic for the khichdi.
- After this, put a pan on flame and add 1 tablespoon of ghee to cook.
- Once the ghee is hot, temper the whole spices – 2 dry red chillies, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 4 cardamoms, 3 cloves and allow them to crackle. Then add ¼ teaspoon hing aka asafoetida and cook for a few seconds.
- Add chopped ginger-garlic into the pan and cook it on low flame for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions and cook them over medium flame for around 8-10 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes get mushy.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, one by one into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes on low flame.
- Now add the spinach puree to the pan and give a nice mix.
- Add salt and give a stir. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice-dal, 1 cup water into the pan and give a nice mix. Cover the pan and cook it for another 10 minutes.
- Check the salt and add some if required. Then switch off the flame.
- Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and mix it well.
- On the other hand, take a tadka pan or any separate pan and add 1 tablespoon of ghee to melt.
- Add ½ tablespoon chopped garlic into it and allow it to turn golden colour.
- Add ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and mix it. Switch off the flame immediately or else the chilli powder may burn.
- Pour the tadka aka tempering over the khichdi and mix it well. You can skip the tadka but the addition of it takes the dish to the next level. Spinach khichdi is ready to serve now.
