Raitas and Salads are super common as side dishes with main course meals at my home. Thus, it is safe to say that my family and I, both love these accompaniments. For raitas, I usually make a simple Onion Raita or Cucumber Raita. For special occasions, it is the Boondi Raita. But this list is also incomplete without the very tasty Palak Raita that I make with fresh spinach of the season. It does take a little more time as compared to other raita preparations, but the result is just as awesome.
Why This Palak Raita Recipe Works
On days, when there’s a bounty of fresh spinach or palak in the market, I tend to get a lot of it back home as I love this leafy green. Not just me, my family also loves it. One of such days when I had this spinach greens at home, I made this simple and super easy Palak Raita. Ever since, it has been an absolute favorite.
Since I had also made the Chana Pulao on that day, I had to make a raita. And what better than having some greens in your raita. Hence, the creation of the Palak Raita. I have used dairy-based curd (yogurt) in my recipe. But to make it plant based, opt to use cashew yogurt, almond yogurt, coconut milk yogurt or oats milk yogurt.
Table of Contents
What also makes this Palak Raita stand out amidst its counterparts is the fact that it does use a handful of popular Indian spices, with which, the spinach is cooked first. Later, it is mixed with the curd and seasonings, which results in a refreshing raita.
Apart from serving this Palak Raita with a chana pulao or any other Pulao or Biryani or rice-based dishes, you can also consider pairing a freshly tossed crunchy and crisp Kachumber Salad alongside. This Spinach Raita also tastes fabulous with dal rice or roti sabzi.
How to make Palak Raita
Preparation
1. Whisk 1 cup curd or yogurt in a bowl and set aside.
2. Rinse the spinach leaves thoroughly in water. Drain the water very well.
Finely chop the spinach greens and set aside. You will require 1 cup of finely chopped and tightly packed spinach.
Additionally, measure and keep all the spices and ingredients ready for making Palak Raita.
Sauté Spices & Ginger
3. Heat 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Use any neutral tasting oil.
4. Add ¼ teaspoon carom seeds and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
5. Sauté for a few seconds or till they crackle.
6. Then, add ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger.
7. Sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of the ginger dissipates.
Sauté Spinach
8. Next, add 1 cup of the finely chopped spinach leaves.
9. Stir and mix well.
10. Next add the following spices and seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- 1 pinch garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel powder
- salt as required
11. Mix the spices and salt thoroughly with the spinach and other ingredients.
12. Sauté until the spinach stops releasing water and wilts.
13. Lastly, add 4 to 5 mint leaves. These give a faint minty aroma to the raita.
14. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
Make Palak Raita
15. Add the sautéed spinach mixture to the whisked curd or yogurt.
16. Stir to combine and mix well.
17. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder (optional) and mix again.
18. Remove the Palak Raita in a serving bowl and serve Palak Raita as an accompaniment with a dal rice or roti sabzi or veg biryani or veg pulao.
Raita goes very well with rice-based dishes like Chana Biryani or Matar Pulao.
You can refrigerate the raita for a couple of hours before serving.
More Tasty Recipes To Try!
Chutney Recipes
Raita Recipes
Raita Recipes
Chutney Recipes
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Palak Raita | Spinach Raita
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach (palak) – chopped and tightly packed
- ½ teaspoon ginger – finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- 1 pinch Garam Masala
- ¼ teaspoon saunf powder (fennel powder), optional
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder – or as required, optional
- 4 to 5 mint leaves
- 1 cup Curd (or yogurt)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons oil – any neutral tasting oil
- rock salt (edible and food grade) or pink salt or regular white salt, as required
Instructions
Sautéing Palak
- In a bowl, whisk the curd or yogurt and set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add the carom seeds and fry for few seconds.
- Add the chopped ginger and fry for some seconds until the raw aroma of ginger dissipates.
- Add the finely chopped spinach.
- Add all the ground spice powders one by one along with salt.
- Sauté until the spinach stops releasing water and wilts.
- Lastly add the mint and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
Making Palak Raita
- Add this mixture to the whisked curd or yogurt.
- Sprinkle some pepper and stir to mix very well.
- You can refrigerate the raita for a couple of hours before serving.
- Serve Palak Raita as side accompaniments with a dal rice or roti sabzi or biryani or pulao. Raita goes very well with rice based dishes.
Notes
- Add a few chopped green chillies, in the raita if you like.
- Ensure to make the Palak Raita with fresh curd or yogurt which is not very sour.
- For a plant based raita, use almond yogurt, cashew yogurt, coconut milk yogurt or oat milk yogurt.
- The ground spices and seasonings can be altered according to your taste preferences.
- Mint leaves can be skipped from the recipe.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Palak Raita recipe from the blog archives was first published on April 2013. It has been updated and republished on May 2024.
