Palak biryani is a lightly spiced, aromatic and easy spinach biryani. A one pot palak biryani that tastes great paired with a veggie salad or raita.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice (- soaked for 30 minutes)
  • 1 onion ((large) - thinly sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tomato ((medium-sized) - chopped)
  • 3.5 to 4 cups water (or as required)
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 12 to 15 fried cashews ((optional), for garnish)
  • salt (as required)
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 star anise ((small-sized) - optional)
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 or 2 black cardamoms
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 1 tej patta ((medium-sized))
  • 1 to 2 strands mace
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder ((ground fennel))
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing) - optional)
  • 1 medium bunch of spinach
  • ½ cup mint leaves
  • ½ cup coriander leaves
  • 1 or 2 green chilies
  • 5 to 6 almonds

Method

Making palak puree

  1. Rinse the palak (spinach leaves) very well in water.
  2. Chop and keep aside. Rinse and chop the green chilies, mint leaves and coriander leaves
  3. In a blender, add the chopped spinach leaves, mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chili and almonds.
  4. Add ½ cup water and blend to a smooth paste.

Sautéing onions

  1. First rinse and then soak the rice. When the rice is soaking, prepare the spinach puree as mentioned above.
  2. Heat oil in a thick bottom and deep pan or pot. Add all the whole spices.
  3. Fry for some seconds or till the oil gets fragrant.
  4. Add the sliced onions and fry till they are browned stirring often. Remove some of the fried onions for garnishing.
  5. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for some seconds. Now add hing and saute for few seconds.

Sautéing tomatoes and spinach puree

  1. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes becomes soft for 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Keep on stirring so that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add the spinach puree and stir. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Now all the dry spice powders one by one and stir.
  4. Add salt as required. Drain the soaked rice and add. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour 3.5 or 4 cups water.
  5. Check the taste of the broth and if required add some more salt.

Cooking palak biryani

  1. Cover tightly with a lid and cook till the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy. Fluff the rice.
  2. Serve palak biryani hot or warm garnished with the fried onions and fried cashews with a side vegetable curry, raita, yogurt curry or some salad.
  3. You can also garnish with herbs like coriander (cilantro) or mint leaves.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.