Aren’t we all looking for more ways to get spinach into our meals? Isn’t there always room for ‘more green’ in our daily diet? Well, this Indian-style ‘green’ spinach curry is a really delicious answer to both those questions.

Inspired by the popular Indian entrée ‘Palak Paneer’ (spinach base with cottage cheese cubes), I’ve crafted this versatile spinach curry. This recipe uses mushrooms which are incorporated into most of my meals; they are healthy and add a meaty element to the dish. However, this palak (spinach) curry also works with corn, potatoes and chicken.

I like that this ‘green’ spinach curry offers an alternative to the tomato based red curries that we see more often in Indian food. Add to that, the innumerable benefits of anti-oxidant rich spinach loaded with heart-healthy vitamins, minerals, fiber and iron.

Here’s a wholesome and appetizing addition to our daily dose of green…

Serves 4 • Prep Time- 15 minutes • Hands-on cook time- 25 minutes

10 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed*
½ lb button or cremini (baby Portobello) mushroom, halved or quartered as per size
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and Pepper to season mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons of ginger garlic paste (or 2 cloves minced garlic/ ½ inch grated ginger)
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, diced
Juice of half a lemon

*To thaw the spinach, just place it in a colander. Do not squeeze the water out of the thawed spinach since that ‘green’ water is rich with mineral and anti-oxidants.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil; add the mushrooms. Sauté till they are browned, season with salt and pepper. Remove the mushroom in a bowl and leave them aside till required.

In the same pan, add the second tablespoon of oil and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes till the onions are pinkish brown. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the dry spices and salt. Cook the spices with a few drops of water if the onion sticks to the bottom of the pan. Once the spices are done, add the tomatoes and ½ cup of water; cook 3-5 minutes.

Toss the thawed spinach in to the onion-tomato mix. Using an immersion hand blender or food processor, blend the spinach mix till it is a thick sauce-like consistency. (I like the curry a bit chunky, blend till your desired consistency is reached.) Cook on a medium flame letting the flavors come together in the pan. Add mushrooms and lemon juice to the spinach curry. Serve warm with brown rice and cucumber-onion raita.

This recipe is submitted for the Saint Patrick Challenge on Very Good Recipes.