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.
Course dinner, festivalfood, Main Course, one meal dish, vegetables
2tbspcorianderwashed and finely chopped. keep some for garnishing.
2tbspmintwashed 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!!.