Blanched and chopped spinach
After washing the spinach and removing the stem, roughly chop the spinach. Immerse the spinach leaves in boiling water along with salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately put the blanched spinach in ice cold water, this helps in retaining the colour of the spinach.
Drain well using a strainer and squeeze it with your hands to get rid to excessive water. Use as required.
Spinach puree
After washing the spinach and removing the stem, roughly chop the spinach. Immerse the spinach leaves in boiling water along with salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately put the blanched spinach in ice cold water, this helps in retaining the colour of the spinach.
Drain well using a strainer and squeeze it with your hands to get rid to excessive water. Transfer the blanched leaves to a blender and blend until smooth to get spinach puree. Use as required.
2. No Indian meal is complete without a raita and spinach is a perfect option to use in
Palak Raita and Spinach Mixed Sprouts Raita.
7. Spinach, whether bunched or prepackaged, should be washed very well since the leaves and stems tend to collect sand and soil.
8. Before washing, trim off the roots and separate the leaves. Place the spinach in a large bowl of tepid water and swish the leaves around with your hands as this will allow any dirt to become dislodged. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water (usually two to three times will do the trick). Cut away any overly thick stems to ensure for more even cooking.
9. If you are going to cook it, you do not need to worry about drying it well as the remaining water will serve to help it cook.
10. Spinach is one of the few vegetables we suggest quick boiling (for one minute). That's because boiling will help to reduce the amount of oxalic acids found in spinach, resulting in a sweeter taste.
11. Add layers of steamed spinach to your next lasagna recipe.
12. Toss steamed spinach with pressed garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.
13. Pine nuts are a great addition to cooked spinach.
How to Store Palak, SpinachStore fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep fresh for about five days. Do not wash it before storing as the moisture will cause it to spoil. Avoid storing cooked spinach as it will not keep very well.
Nutritional Information of Spinach One cup of chopped Spinach is 68 grams.
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.
Nutritional Information for 1 cup chopped Spinach.
17.68 Calories
1.36 grams of Protein
1.97 grams of Carbs
1.7 grams of High Fiber
0.47 grams of Fat3794 mcg of
Vitamin A = 158 % of RDA (about 2,400 mcg)
Full nutritional information of
Palak found here. Health Benefits of Spinach 1.
Rich in Iron : Spinach is one of the richest plant sources of Iron and it should be part of a healthy diet for everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult. Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron, a mineral that it particularly important for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with spinach is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, spinach provides iron for a lot less calories and is totally fat-free.
Read this for
17 Health Benefits of Spinach.
Glycemic Index of Spinach Spinach has a Glycemic Index of 15 which is low. Glycemic Index are for foods you eat, ranks carbohydrate-containing foods by how quickly they digest and raise your blood sugar or glucose levels. Foods rank from 0 to 50 are low GI, 51 to 69 are medium and 70 to 100 are high. Foods that are high in GI are not suitable for weight loss and diabetics. Foods like Spinach have a low GI and hence don't spike your glucose level as they are absorbed slowly. Great for weight loss.