Spinach Rice is a simple, wholesome dish that brings together fluffy rice, tender baby spinach, and a delicious crunch from roasted nuts. Packed with flavor, color, and nutrients, it’s an easy way to add more greens to your family’s meals. The mild taste and fun crunchy texture make it especially kid-friendly, while the quick preparation makes it perfect for busy weekday lunchboxes. Do try it and I am sure you will hook to this simple and tasty Spinach rice.
Spinach Rice | Keerai Sadam
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 4
Ingredients
To temper:
- Oil(Sesame/Coconut) - 1-2 tsp
- Mustard seeds - ⅛ tsp
- Chanadal /Kadalai paruppu - ½ tsp
- Urad dal/Ulutham paruppu - ¼ tsp
Base ingredients:
- Onion - 1
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Dry red chilli - 1
- Tomato - 1
- Spinach - 1 bunch/pack or 150 grams
Spices:
- Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
- Salt - ¼ tsp
- Sambar powder - 1 tsp or more
To enhance:
- Ghee - 1 tsp
- Lemon juice - 2 tsp
To garnish:
- Oil - ½ tsp
- Peanuts - 20
- Cashews - 10
Rice:
- Sona Massori/Jeeraga Samba rice - 1 cup
- Water - 2 cups
- Salt - ½ tsp
Instructions
Cook rice:
- To a pressure cooker, add ½ cup water to avoid burnt bottom.
- Take 1 cup rice, wash well, drain the water and add it to a small pot that could fit inside a pressure cooker.
- Add 2 cups water to the washed rice along with ½ tsp salt. Close the inner pot with a small plate.
- Put on the cooker lid and the whistle.
- Cook in medium-high heat for 4 whistles.
- Let the pressure release naturally.
- You shall optionally transfer the cooked rice to a big plate to cool down.
Roast nuts:
- In a pan, add ½ tsp oil. Once hot, simmer and add 10 cashews (broken to halves and bits) and fry until slightly golden (do not brown). Remove cashews to a plate and keep aside.
- To the same pan, add 20 or more raw peanuts and fry in low flame until fried with brown spots(do not darken). Remove fried peanuts and keep it in the same plate with cashews.
Spinach Rice:
- In the same pan, add 1 to 2 more tsp of oil and once hot add few mustard seeds.
- Once crackled, simmer and add ½ tsp chana dal and ¼ tsp urad dal.
- Once dals slightly change color (do not darken), add broken dry red chillies(remove seeds and add if making for smaller kids).
- Give a quick stir and add finely chopped 2 garlic cloves along with 1 chopped onion. Fry in medium heat.
- Once onions start to change color, add 1 chopped tomato along with a big pinch of turmeric powder.
- Once tomatoes turn mushy, add 1 tsp or more sambar powder and fry for a minute in low-medium heat.
- Add chopped spinach, ¼ tsp salt and saute for 3 to 4 minutes in medium heat, until spinach cooks. Do not close with lid. Spinach cooks faster.
- Spinach lets out water and cooks in that water. Do not fry until very dry. Once spinach is cooked and water evaporates, add cooked rice and mix well gently.
- Taste and adjust salt if required.
- Turn off the stove, add 1 tsp ghee, 2 tsp lemon juice, roasted cashews, peanuts and give a quick mix.
Notes
1.You shall use 150 to 200 grams of Spinach in this recipe.
2.Increase sambar powder as per your spice level.
3.You shall substitute any other greens variety that suits stir fry in this recipe.
4.Increase or decrease the quantity of nuts as per your choice. Crunchy nuts elevate the taste of this recipe.
5.You shall add both nuts and paneer to increase taste and nutrition of the meal.
2.Increase sambar powder as per your spice level.
3.You shall substitute any other greens variety that suits stir fry in this recipe.
4.Increase or decrease the quantity of nuts as per your choice. Crunchy nuts elevate the taste of this recipe.
5.You shall add both nuts and paneer to increase taste and nutrition of the meal.
For an extra boost of protein, you can shallow-fry some paneer cubes and toss them into the rice. The golden, crispy paneer adds a delicious texture and flavor, and it’s often a favorite with kids, making them even more excited to enjoy their spinach rice. If you prefer not to fry the paneer, simply soak the cubes in hot water for 10 minutes and then drain them well. Add the softened paneer to the sautéed greens before mixing in the rice, give everything a quick stir, and continue with the recipe. This method keeps the paneer soft and tender while still adding protein to the dish. If you enjoy bold, aromatic flavors, be sure to try my Spinach Biryani recipe(link) for a more fragrant take on spinach rice. Click here for Broccoli Peas stir fry recipe.
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