Devour the sensation of this greeny dip 'palak soup' that recharges your body in an instant after a long day...
An Outlook On Spinach Soup Recipe:
Spinach, popularly called as palak in India, is a versatile green which occupies a predominant place in any Indian Thali. This much sought after spinach is power packed with nutrients and used as the key ingredient for many recipes. For example, palak soup is one such lucrative dish, very popular in North India is much loved for its unique taste and nutritive value. This creamy soup is power packed with nutrients and it is famous all over the country as it restores energy and increases vitality instantly.
A Short Note On Palak:
Palak is a warm evergreen stew that allures you with its intense color and soothing flavor. Apart from being nutritious, it has some more feathers on its cap which is why it is popular all across the globe. Palak is much sought after for its versatility and serves an instant energy boost. Its versatile taste and texture form a base for thousands of dishes and it has been used in the Indian Cuisine since ages. It blends perfectly with any vegetable or meat and thus enhances the overall flavor of the whole dish. Its versatility paves way for the innovation of umpteen number of combination dishes. Any fitness freak would opt for this delectable delight as it gives more energy with less calories.
Biological facts about Palak:
The botanical name of palak is Spinacia Oleracea and it belongs to the family of Amaranthaceae and plantae kingdom. It is a perinial plant and grows upto the height of ten to twelve inches. It has glabrous stem having less branches all over and has simple, alternate and petiolated leaves. It grows well in cool climate and it grows well in the temperature ranging from 15 c to 20 c. Usually palak seeds are planted when the soil is cool and moist and it needs about four to six inches of space to grow. There are two main types of palak commonly used. One is the flat-leaf palak and the other one is savoy.
Nutritive Contents Of Palak:
It is rich in Iron and has Vitamin A,C and K which promotes healthy skin and bones. It is a great source of an anti oxidant called Lutein, which is required for the eyes to prevent from macular degeneration and cataracts. It is a great source of Niacin and Zinc and also has dietary fiber and protein. It helps in weight loss and reduces hypertension while promoting digestive health. It regulates sugar levels and prevents the body against diseases like cancer and asthma. It also treats stomach and intestinal disorders and builds a strong immune system if it is taken on a regular basis.
Relish this rich palak soup that can be made easily with just a few ingredients at home:
Ingredients Required To Make Spinach Soup Recipe
How To Make Spinach Soup Recipe
Rinse the spinach and drop it in a small pan and tip in a pinch of sugar and salt each. Add the measured quantities of garlic, shallots, onion, cherry tomato and green chili to it. Just pour in a little water( half a cup approximately) and let it boil for a while in medium flame. Approximately after five to ten minutes when the aroma of spinach starts wafting out from the vessel just turn off the flame and allow it to cool down. Then plop the boiled veggies in a blender along with the water and blitz for one or two pulses and keep it aside.
Meanwhile, heat the pan again and tip in half a tablespoon of butter and when it melts down, add a bay leaf, clove, a piece of cinnamon and an anise to it. Now squirt in the blended spinach into the pan and stir in for a while. Sprinkle the required salt and let it boil in high flame for a minute or two and when it turns aromatic just lower the flame. Now using a slotted spoon take out all the tempered ingredients as the essence of all the aromatic agents would have got seeped in.
Finally, heat a small pan again and add half a tablespoon of butter again and follow it up with a teaspoon of cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter turn off the stove and add this to the spinach soup which is almost ready now. Take a bowl of sizzling hot spinach soup and tip in a pinch of salt and pepper and relish it on a rainy evening with your favorite music on.
Tips:
* Spinach is one of the easiest green either to clean, chop or store and it is also easily available at the market anywhere across the globe. Therefore buy fresh spinach as much as possible to get the best taste and nutrients out of it.
* Always boil it for a minimal time as over boiling may destroy all the nutrients from it. And also boil the spinach without the lid as it may help to retain the lush green color throughout the end. In case if you just want to boil with the lid on, just leave a tiny space and place a ladle inside the pan.
* Adding a pinch of sugar stabilizes the entire flavor of the soup and it is applicable in the making of any vegetable soup.
* We take out the aromatic agents from the soup for two reasons. The first reason is to keep the overall flavor of the spinach soup to be subtle and the second reason is to make every slurp smooth sailing and comfortable while you have it.
* Relish it along with a plain or masala papad to have a crunchy feel in between. Top up with ghee roasted bread crumbs if you prepare it for kids and serve it with any crunchy bite.
* You can garnish the soup with fresh cream, coconut milk or butter if you serve it for young people and for elders you can simply top up the soup with some raw onion bits or cherry tomato bits and similarly you can garnish the spinach soup with any healthy ingredient depending upon your choice and liking.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the spinach and drop it in a small pan and tip in a pinch of sugar and salt each. Add the measured quantities of garlic, shallots, onion, cherry tomato and green chili to it. Just pour in a little water( half a cup approximately) and let it boil for a while in medium flame. Approximately after five to ten minutes when the aroma of spinach starts wafting out from the vessel just turn off the flame and allow it to cool down. Then plop the boiled veggies in a blender along with the water and blitz for one or two pulses and keep it aside.
Meanwhile, heat the pan again and tip in half a tablespoon of butter and when it melts down, add a bay leaf, clove, a piece of cinnamon and an anise to it. Now squirt in the blended spinach into the pan and stir in for a while. Sprinkle the required salt and let it boil in high flame for a minute or two and when it turns aromatic just lower the flame. Now using a slotted spoon take out all the tempered ingredients as the essence of all the aromatic agents would have got seeped in.
Finally, heat a small pan again and add half a tablespoon of butter again and follow it up with a teaspoon of cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter turn off the stove and add this to the spinach soup which is almost ready now. Take a bowl of sizzling hot spinach soup and tip in a pinch of salt and pepper and relish it on a rainy evening with your favorite music on.
