Express recipes: Try this delicious Brown Spinach Rice for a healthier you
Give your regular vegetable pulao a healthy twist with fresh spinach greens and swapping white with brown rice.
I love the earthy flavour of brown rice and this simple brown rice pulao preparation with spinach, onions, tomatoes, and basic spices is a healthy and nourishing meal. Just add a bowl of homemade curd and it is a complete meal. In this recipe, I cook the brown rice separately and then sauté them with a light spinach fry. The recipe is great for using leftover plain rice and also a delicious and healthy lunch box option.
Did you know, rice is a staple for more than half of the world’s population? Traditionally unpolished brown rice was used in all cuisine. Brown rice is minimally processed where only the outer husk is removed. Rice bran is rich in vitamins and minerals. With modernisation more and more people switched to the shiny polished white rice which “looked” good but it is stripped off of all nutrients of the original grain. White rice is what gives rice its bad reputation for causing diabetes or weight gain. Brown rice, on the other hand, does exactly the opposite!
Give your regular vegetable pulao a healthy twist with fresh spinach greens and swapping white with brown rice.
I love the earthy flavour of brown rice and this simple brown rice pulao preparation with spinach, onions, tomatoes, and basic spices is a healthy and nourishing meal. Just add a bowl of homemade curd and it is a complete meal. In this recipe, I cook the brown rice separately and then sauté them with a light spinach fry. The recipe is great for using leftover plain rice and also a delicious and healthy lunch box option.
Did you know, rice is a staple for more than half of the world’s population? Traditionally unpolished brown rice was used in all cuisine. Brown rice is minimally processed where only the outer husk is removed. Rice bran is rich in vitamins and minerals. With modernisation more and more people switched to the shiny polished white rice which “looked” good but it is stripped off of all nutrients of the original grain. White rice is what gives rice its bad reputation for causing diabetes or weight gain. Brown rice, on the other hand, does exactly the opposite!
Do you think you are ready to make the switch? At least start with using 50% brown rice in your meals. It does take some time to get used to its taste. Recipes like this brown rice spinach pulao, or brown rice khichdi, where a lot of seasoning is added, make it easier to switch from white to brown rice.
Brown Rice Palak Pulao | Brown Spinach Rice
Preparation: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 15 mins | Serves 2
Ingredients
* 1 cup – Brown rice, washed and soaked for at least 30 mins
* 2 tsp – Vegetable oil
* 1 tsp – Cumin seeds
* 1 pinch – Asafoetida (hing)
* 1- Green chilli, chopped
* 2 – Cloves of garlic, chopped
* ½ inch – Ginger, chopped
* 1 – Onion, chopped
* 1 – Small tomato, chopped
* 1 cup – Spinach leaves, washed and chopped
* 1 tsp – Turmeric powder
* 2 tsp – Cumin powder
* Salt to taste
* 1 tsp – Garam masala powder
Method
* In a deep pot, put the rice for cooking while you prepare all the vegetables. Brown rice cooks just the same way as you would cook white, just that it takes a little longer and more amount of water. Check out my post on how to cook fluffy brown rice for more details.
* Heat oil in a kadhai/pan. Once the oil is hot, add hing and cumin seeds.
* Add the chopped chilli, ginger and garlic. Sauté for a minute.
* Add onions and sauté till the onions are soft. Add tomatoes, chopped spinach and all the spices.
* Sauté for about 4-5 minutes till the veggies and spices are cooked through.
* Add in the cooked rice and mix to coat the rice with the spinach masala.
* Taste and adjust for seasoning.
* Serve hot with some plain yogurt or raita.
