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Lehsuni palak
Garlic spinach
Lehsuni palak: Punjabi spinach with a big hit of golden garlic
In Punjabi homes from Amritsar to Ludhiana, lehsuni palak is the green dish that lands on the table in winter when spinach is cheap and sweet, eaten with hot phulkas and a bowl of dal. It is not a purée like palak paneer: the leaves are chopped and wilted so they keep some body, then a second round of garlic fried golden in oil is poured over at the end, nutty and fragrant. The usual mistake is burning the garlic; dark brown garlic turns bitter and spoils the whole pan, so pull it off the heat when it is the colour of light toast. Chef's tip: squeeze the washed spinach lightly before it goes in, or the pan floods and the leaves stew instead of sautéing.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb spinachwashed well, thick stalks removed, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilliesbroken in half
- 1 onionsmall, finely chopped
- 1 green chillislit
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
For the garlic finish
- 10 cloves garlic8 finely chopped for the pan, 2 thinly sliced for the finish
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash 1 ⅛ lb spinach in two changes of water until no grit settles at the bottom of the bowl. Drain in a colander and press gently with your hands to get rid of most of the water.
5 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 2 dried red chillies and let the seeds crackle for 20 seconds, until they darken a shade.
1 minStep 3: Add about 4 of the chopped cloves from 4 cloves garlic and stir for 30–40 seconds until pale gold. Add 1 onion and 1 green chilli and fry for 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
4 minStep 4: Stir in ¼ tsp ground turmeric, then add the spinach in two handfuls with ¾ tsp salt. Turn the heat up to medium-high and toss for 3–4 minutes, uncovered, until the leaves have collapsed and most of the liquid has cooked off. The spinach should look glossy, not soupy.
4 minStep 5: In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat and add the rest of 6 cloves garlic. Fry, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until it is light golden and smells nutty. Take it off the heat at once, stir in ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, and pour the sizzling oil over the spinach.
2 minStep 6: Taste for salt and serve hot with phulka or rice and dal.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lehsuni palak take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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