Quick Palak Dry Curry

Palak/Spinach leaves are loaded with healthy benefits. Here I have tried quick and simple Palak /Spinach dry curry which goes well with almost all the main dish.

I have used Palak leaves, onions, green chilly, little ginger and coconut.
Let us see some benefits of eating Palak /Spinach Leaves in our diet.
Palak /spinach leaves are rich source of minerals and vitamins. Palak/Spinach can be eaten as raw in salads and be cooked in varieties of curries. We Indians normally cook Spinach and eat.
Spinach / palak is good for regulating our blood pressure. It helps to build strong muscles. Palk helps in taking care of skin and eyesight. Spinach is filled with potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium. It contain vitamins like folate, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K. Spinach is loaded with beta carotene and good for eyesight. It helps to boost eye healthy and prevents vitamin A deficiencies. It has anti inflammatory properties. Palak leaves do contain different types of antioxidants and provide neurological benefits to people. Folate content in Spinach helps to reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease. Potassium in Spinach helps to take care of brain health. Palak leaves contain high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium. So palak leaves are good for people who suffer from high blood pressure. It also helps to reduce the hypertension and relaxes blood vessels.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Palak Leaves : 1 Big Bundle
Onions : 2 Medium sized
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : Grated ginger 1 teaspoon.
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : A little
For Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut palak leaves into small and keep it aside. Wash and slit green chilly and cut curry leaves.

2. Remove the outer layer of onions and cut in to small and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods.
Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger, wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and let mustard seeds splutter.
4. Add jeera/cumin seeds and fry. Add slit green chilly and curry leaves.
5. Add cut onions, grated ginger and crushed pepper pods. Mix all the ingredients nicely and stir slowly.

6. Fry this mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cut Palak / Spinach leaves and stir slowly.

7. Add a little turmeric powder, required salt and mix it slowly. Now cover the pan and cook the mixture till it turns soft. ( On low flame ).

8. See that it turned soft and well cooked. Let all the moisture disappear from dry Palya.

9. Add fresh grated coconut and mix it well. Shift the ready Palak Dry Curry/Palya to a serving dish.

10. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Do not add any water while cooking this curry. Onion and leaves do contain moisture and helps to cook the leaves soft. Adding any other masala /spice is optional. Adding coconut is optional. Adding more chilly is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3 .

Spinach Tambuli (Tambuli or Tampina Huli).

Tambuli Or Tampina huli Does mean that this particular type of curry, helps to keep your body Cool. Tampu is a kannada word which means Cool. Eating this curry with rice in the first few spoons will definitely helps you to keep your body cool. You can have this with rice as I said in the beginning .

Spinach/Palak and little methi seeds (Fenugrik seeds) are used and prepared this Tabuli. (As we call it in Udupi (Dakshina Kannada).  
Lets see some benefits of using Palak/Spinach in our diet.
Spinach/Palak is one of the wonderful green leafy vegetable and it is a store house of nutritions, anti oxidants and anti cancer properties. They are very low in calories and fats. The leaves contain good amount of soluble dietary fiber and control cholesterol levels in our body. Palak leaves are rich in vitamins like vitamin A, Viatmin C and beta carotene. Palak is good for normal eyesight. Spinach leaves are excellent source of vitamin K. Vitamin K helps to strengthen the bones. They contain good amounts of B- Complex vitamins and helps in preventing neural tube defects in the offspring. They contain good amount of Vitamin C and it helps the body to resists against infections. Palak/Spinach contain fair amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. they help in controlling heart beat and blood pressure. Copper helps in producing the red blood cells. Palak/Spinach contain good source of Omega - 3 fatty acids.
Use very little amount of coconut and do not fry or roast it. You can add curd later. Grind it with little water and add the required amount of curd/butter milk. Add water if required. 
Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

To Fry :
Spinach :  1 bundle( medium size )
Jeera : 1/4 Tea spoon
Methi Seeds : 4 to 5
Pepper ( whole ) : 4 to 6 seeds.
Red Chilly : 1
Ingh : a pinch
To Grind :
Fried ingredients
Salt : to taste
Fresh coconut gratings : 1 Tablespoon
To Add : 
Curd( yogurt) : 1/2 cup OR Buttermilk : 1 big glass
Water : If required
Seasoning : (Optional)
Ghee : 1 Tea spoon 
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 4 to 5

Method:

1. Wash Palak/Spinach leaves and let it dry nicely. Cut into small pieces.
2. Keep a pan on the fire.  Put ghee and Heat.
3. Add methi seeds and let it turn brown. Add jeera, pepper seeds and red chilly.
4. Fry this for 10 seconds. Add cut spinach and fry along with  jeera mixture.

5. Fry for 10 to 20 seconds. Put off the fire. Add grated 1 tablespoon of fresh coconut. Add ingh.
6. Let fried mixture cool. Grind it with very little water. Remove it from the mixi jar.

7. Put it in a bowl. Add salt. Mix with a cup of curd.

8. You  can also add ghee fried jeera and curry leaves seasoning to this Tambuli.
9. Add water if required. (Tambuli is served as first side dish and it is watery content since butter milk is used to dilute the content).
10. Serve with Hot rice.

Note : 

Eating tambuli is a healthy habit and it cleanses our body. It reduce the cholesterol content of the food we eat.
Do not add more water while grinding ingredients. Add water if required, just before serving the dish. Add buttermilk instead of water. If adding curd dilute the curd/yogurt and then add it. This tambuli can be served as welcome drink. Dilute completely (by adding more water/butter milk and salt).
Adding jeera seasoning with ghee adds to the taste.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 
(This is my one of the old post and I refreshed with pictures).