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Green Veg Palak (Spinach) Rice With Boondi Raita is a very healthy and nutritious rice dish that is made green with use of fresh spinach, coriander and mint paste alongwith the addition of vegetables such as carrot, different colour capsicum, broccoli, peas, corn, potato to make it more colourful. It is cooked using dry whole spices for flavor.Addition of roasted nuts gives crunch and rich taste to every spoon of rice. Boondi raita is made by blending homemade fresh yogurt with sugar, salt ,roasted cumin seeds, chopped coriander and mint leaves. To keep the raita crunchy, boondi (fried gram flour balls) is added just while serving the raita. The boondi raita is a perfect accompaniment with green veg palak (spinach ) rice. The dish can me made for party or can be carried to the potluck or picnic or can be enjoyed as a complete nutritious meal.

My son’s cricket team had a Barbeque party and all parents brought some food, or drinks for the party. I made this green veg palak (spinach ) rice and boondi raita. Everyone loves the Vegetable Dum Biryani for the cricket Barbeque party and I make it every time. Biryani needs lots of preparation and time.  I had some commitments and so did not have sufficient time to make something elaborate for the latest barbeque. The green veg palak (Spinach ) rice came to my rescue. The rich green colour from spinach, coriander and mint made it more appealing and nutritious along with veggies – corn, peas, three coloured capsicum, broccoli,  carrots and potatoes. Here the rice needs to be tossed along with veggies and spinach, coriander and mint puree and spices and is ready to serve.

I have served the rice with boondi raita made with homemade yogurt. Everyone relished the rice and raita and I was both happy and satisfied!! I have the portable gas and I carry it along when we do picnic or barbeques. So I have taken rice in a big pot covered with aluminium foil and lid. To heat the rice, I have placed a flat pan on the portable gas and then placed the pot on it. I have kept the heat to medium and  heated the rice for 20 minutes. The hot rice was ready to serve. I have whisked yogurt along with salt, sugar , coriander and mint from  home in a big box. Just before serving I added the boondi to the yogurt. I have added potatoes to the rice and kept some for garnishing. I have also carried nuts separately in a container so that people with nut allergy can enjoy the rice risk free. The others sprinkled the nuts on their rice.

I have cut potatoes lengthwise and have baked them in the oven. You can either cook them in a pan or deep fry them. I found cooking potatoes in the oven easier and it saved my time. I avoid deep frying.   I have washed and peeled the potatoes and then cut them into halves. I have soaked them in cold water for 2 hours and then strain them and pat the dry with a clean kitchen towel. Cut the potatoes lengthwise and toss the with oil and salt. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake them in preheated oven at 200 C for 20 minutes or till cooked and golden. The potatoes tasted delicious!! Similarly I have cut the nuts into halves and toss them with little oil and arrange them on baking paper and roasted them in the oven at 160 C for 10 minutes. The nuts were nice and crunchy!!. You can also toss the nuts in the pan on low heat till golden. Please follow my vegetable dum biryani recipe for the detail method of cooking potatoes and nuts in pan.

I have made spinach puree by washing and blanching spinach. To blanch the spinach, bring sufficient amount of water to boil in a big  pot and then add a pinch of turmeric and salt. Put the washed spinach in it and boil it for a couple of minute. Drain it and run cold water on it immediately. This will stop the further cooking process of spinach and will avoid it getting dark. Once cooled and excess water is drained grind it into a smooth paste in a mixer grinder or food processor. I have added green chili while grinding the spinach. To make coriander and mint paste wash, drain and grind the coriander and mint in a mixer jar. I have ground them together.

Now just toss all the veggies with whole spices in oil and once they are cook add cooked rice and the spinach, coriander and mint paste to it. Mix gently so that the rice does not break. Squeeze some lemon juice over it and mix. Tadaa the rice is ready…

So friends my friends have thoroughly enjoyed the spinach rice and boondi raita.

I hope you all also liked it and you will try making it for your family and friends.

Do share your reviews with me!!

Khao dilse, khilao dilse aur banao dilse…

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5 from 1 vote

Green Veg Palak (Spinach) Rice With Boondi Raita

Green Veg Palak (Spinach) Rice With Boondi Raita is a very healthy and nutritious rice dish that is made green with use of fresh spinach, coriander and mint paste alongwith the addition of vegetables such as carrot, different colour capsicum, broccoli, peas, corn, potato to make it more colourful. It is cooked using dry whole spices for flavor.Addition of roasted nuts gives crunch and rich taste to every spoon of rice. Boondi raita is made by blending homemade fresh yogurt with sugar, salt ,roasted cumin seeds, chopped coriander and mint leaves. To keep the raita crunchy, boondi (fried gram flour balls) is added just while serving the raita. The boondi raita is a perfect accompaniment with green veg palak (spinach ) rice. The dish can me made for party or can be carried to the potluck or picnic or can be enjoyed as a complete nutritious meal.

Prep Time50 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: dinner, festivalfood, Main Course, one meal dish, vegetables

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: basmatirice, coriander, dinner, festivalfood, greenleafy, greenrrice, lunch, lunchbox, mintleaves, mixedvegetables,, partyfood, potato, potluck, rice, spinach

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 349kcal

Equipment

• Baking tray
• 3 bowl
• knife
• mixer grinder
• sieve
• pressure cooker
• spatula
• lid
• spoon
• heavy bottom pot

Ingredients

For cooking plain rice

• 3 cup basmati rice long grained rice
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom
• salt to taste
• water as needed

For potatoes

• 3 big potatoes washed, peeled and kept in water for 1-2 hours
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Other ingredients for making spinach rice

• 2 tbsp oil I have used peanut oil
• 1 tbsp clarified butter ghee
• 10 cloves lavang
• 10 black peppercorn
• 3 cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaf
• 4 cardamom pods, elaichi
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dry red chili
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 big onions chopped finely
• 1/2 red capsicum chopped
• 1/2 green capsicum chopped
• 1/2 yellow capsicum chopped
• 2 carrot washed, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup sweet corn boiled
• 1 cup peas boiled
• 2 green chili or as per spice level needed
• 2 cup spinach puree Wash , blanch, drain and puree the spinach along with green chil
• 1/2 cup coriander puree wash, drain and grind the coriander in a grinder
• 1/2 cup mint puree wash, drain and grind the mint leaves in a grinder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp biryani masala
• 1 lemon juice
• 30 almond chopped and roasted
• 30 cashew nut chopped and roasted
• 1/4 cup coriander washed and chopped finely to sprinkle
• 1/4 cup mint leaves washed and chopped finely to sprinkle

Boondi raita

• 500 ml yogurt I have used home made fresh yogurt
• 2 cup boondi or more if you need more
• 6 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cumin powder roasted
• salt as per taste
• 2 tbsp coriander washed and finely chopped. keep some for garnishing.
• 2 tbsp mint washed and finely chopped. keep some for garnishing.

Instructions

For cooking plain rice

• Wash and soak the basmati (long grained rice) for 30 minutes.
  
• Put the 1.5 cup rice in the pressure cooker with 3 cups of water. Add bayleaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, oil, and salt. Mix well. (I have cooked rice in two batches in my pressure cooker).
  
• Put the pressure cooker lid with the whistle on and cook the rice for 3-4 whistles on high heat.
  
• Immediately take the cooker off the heat after 3-4 whistles and put it under the tap of running cold water to cool down. Remove the whistle and open the lid.
  
• Drain the rice in a sieve and remove water. Pour cold water over the cooked rice to stop the further process of cooking. Keep it aside on a bowl to remove excess of water. Then spread the grains of cooked rice on a cotton cloth. (The cloth will absorb excess water). Cover the rice with other cloth to prevent from drying. Cook similary the remaining rice.
  

For Potatoes

• Drain the washed, peeled potato from the water. Cut the potatoes lengthwise. Put the chopped potato in a bowl. Add salt and oil to it and mix well.
  
• Arrange the potato on the baking tray lined with baking paper.
  
• Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 200°C. Remove and cool. (If you do not have oven then cook the potatoes in a pan on stove top. Heat oil in the pan. Add the chopped potatoes. Add salt and mix well. Cover and cook till potato soften on medium heat. Now open the lid and cook on low to medium heat till the potato are golden and crisp. Remove in a plate and keep aside). Or you can deep fry them.
  

To make spinach rice

• Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottom pan. Once it is heated add the whole spices - cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, whole dry red chili. Saute for half minute and then add cumin seeds and let they crackle.
  
• Add the chopped onions and little salt. Saute them till translucent. Salt will help to soften the onions.
  
• Once the onions are translucent and brown add the ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute.
  
• Now add all the chopped mixed vegetables - carrot, red capsicum, green capsicum, yellow capsicum and broccoli florets. Add little salt. Mix well and cover and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
  
• The vegetables are soften and cooked.
  
• Now add the coriander and mint paste. (I have grind coriander and min together in a mixer jar).
  
• Add garam masala and biryani masala. Mix well and saute for a minute.
  
• Now add boiled corn and peas.
  
• Mix well and cook till the paste is nicely coated with the peas corn.
  
• Now add rice and salt. (Since the quantity of rice was more I have added it in batches and mixed. I have transferred some rice in another pot after mixing).
  
• Gently mix the rice. It should not break.
  
• Add spinach puree and mix gently.
  
• Add some of the potatoes, lemon juice and mix well.
  
• Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes till all the flavors of the spices are nicely absorbed. The green veg palak (spinach) rice is ready.
  
• Grease and bowl with ghee. Put the rice in the bowl and press it gently. Now unmould the rice in the serving plate. Sprinkle the roasted almonds, cashews and chopped coriander and mint leaves. Arrange the remaining potatoes and serve with boondi raita.
  

For Boondi Raita

• Take the yogurt in the bowl or container and whisk it well. Add sugar, salt, cumin powder and whisk nicely.
  
• Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Mix well and the yogurt for raita is ready. Chill it in the refrigerator.
  
• Just before serving add boondi to the yogurt and mix well . The boondi remains crunchy when mixed just before serving in the yogurt. Serve raita in a bowl. Garnish with some coriander and mint leaves.
  
• Enjoy the green veg palak (spinach) rice with boondi raita!!.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3073IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 4mg