This spinach or palak raita is zingy, a little spicy, takes 10-minutes to make and is a fabulous way to make the everyday a little more delicious!
Can I wax eloquent about raita? Why yes I can.
Can I eat this particular one with just naan? Yes again.
Does it pair well with just about everything? Why yes again!
A Non Classic (for me)
I was first introduced to Palak Raita over 15 years ago at a friends house. She had made it with biryani and it was love at first bite. Now as someone who is always looking to up her nutrition in the most flavorful way possible this raita is something I bring back in rotation whenever I can. It is also a fantastic way to use up that spinach that isn't quite good for salads.
Building flavour: Spinach Raita edition
Spinach: Use whatever variety you love, but my preferred are baby spinach, regular spinach, and frozen finely chopped spinach. You want a fine chop (I use my food processor) because spinach does tend to become besties with your teeth. You know it.
Garlic & Chili Flakes: Flavor besties. Don't break them up, but also they add such punchy counterparts to the creamy yoghurt and earty spinach.
Chilies: use 1, use 2, whatever you would like but trust me when you finely dice them into your raita they are SO MUCH FUN. Deseed if you'd like, but don't skip.
Yogurt Tip: Full fat yoghurt tends to be less sour / salty than reduced fat yoghurts, so mix first, season later.
To Cook or not to Cook, That is the Question
There are a plethora of palak/spinach raita recipes on the internet and some will merely wilt the spinach with hot water, some go for fresh chopped, but I wholly believe - after testing all approaches- that the best flavor comes from a garlic infused sauté.
What goes with Palak Raita?
Made it? Rate it below!
The Ultimate Palak (Spinach) Raita
Ingredients
Raita Base
- 300-350 g baby spinach (2 cups chopped)
- 1-2 green chilies (minced)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 500 g yoghurt (2 cups)
- salt
Baghaar/ Tarka
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1-2 dried red chilies
- 2 cloves sliced garlic
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
- Finely chop the spinach - I like to run my spinach and green chilies through a mini food processor.
- Heat a pan with 2 teaspoons or so of oil, add your garlic clove and chili flakes, saute for 30 seconds
- Add your spinach/green chilies and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat until the spinach wilts and the excess water evaporates. Transfer it to a bowl.
- Wait 2-3 minutes for the mix to cool and then add in your yoghurt, mix it well to smooth out lumps, and then adjust consistency and seasoning.
- Heat oil for the baghaar, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds, garlic, and chilies and saute on medium heat until the garlic is golden and pour over the raita. Keeps well for 3-4 days.
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