Spinach Yoghurt dip ..( Palak Raita )

Its raining heavy today since morning. Its one of the advantages of being at home unemployed. :D you can enjoy rain as it should be. Am sipping Ginger- basil tea with Green Pesto Penne . I am a Pesto lover, be it Green or Red. You will find the recipe for Green pesto here. Anyway,  so its raining and I am thinking of using spinach left in Fridge. Its Friday ( TG !! ) and we have to go for grocery shopping in the eve. We usually do that, as weekends should be tension free of shopping. So, Spinach is the only thing left in fridge and some potatoes. I am thinking of making spinach raita and No Oil aalu parantha for dinner.

Lets start with Palak Raita. It may sound bitter, but its strangely sweet and aromatic. A very easy and delicious way to include more spinach in your food. You can have it as a creamy dip with snacks, or enjoy as raita with meals. Both will work perfectly fine. 

blanched spinach

Ingredients: Serves 4

1. 2 cup of washed and chopped spinach leaves

2. 2 cups of yoghurt 

3. Salt to taste

4. 1 Potato, boiled and peeled.

5. 1 tsp ghee

6. 1 tsp Cumin seeds

7. 2-3 red dried chillies

8. 4-5 curry leaves

9. 1 tsp black pepper 

10. 1 tsp Chaat masala ( Optional)

11. 1 cup water

Raita 

Method: 

1. Steam or boil spinach leaves for 4-5 minutes. Drain water and store it for later use. 

2. Blend this spinach with some water in a blender and make a puree.

3. Beat yoghurt well adding water and salt to it. Add spinach puree and mix well.

4. Break Potato with hands ( or you can grate it), and mix with the raita. 

5. Heat ghee in a pan and thrwo cumin seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves together for a good stir. 

6. Pour this tadka to the raita and mix. 

7. Garnish with black pepper, chaat masala and mint leaves. 

Notes:

1. Reduce the quantity of water for a creamy dip. You can also add a tsp of Coriander chutney for the dip. 

2. Dont mash aalu completely into the raita. Just break into small pieces or grate it. It will provide nice texture to the raita. Dont add if you are making the dip for snacks. 

3. You can replace Spinach with Bathua. We dont get it here, but it gives a different taste to the Dip. 

Posted to Shilpa's Life is Green