Palak Corn is a popular North Indian dish of curried corn in a spinach base. It is delicious, creamy and comforting that any one will love! It goes well with rice or flatbreads.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 8 cups (250 g, ½ lb.) spinach ((baby spinach is best))
  • ¼ cup (20 grams) coriander leaves ((optional, mature stalks removed))
  • 1½ cup (200 grams) corn kernels ((frozen or if fresh boiled until tender))
  • 1½ tablespoon oil ((or ghee))
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 (6 grams) green chilies ((less spicy kind))
  • 1 inch (10 grams) ginger
  • 4 (10 grams) garlic (cloves)
  • 1 cup (130 grams, 1 medium) yellow onion ((thinly sliced))
  • ½ cup (95 grams, 1 small) tomatoes ((optional, slice/chopped))
  • 1 teaspoon salt ((use as per your taste))
  • 18 cashew nuts ((substitute with 2 tablespoon roasted gram flour/besan))
  • 1 to 1½ teaspoon garam masala ((divided, adjust to taste))
  • ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder ((avoid raw cumin))
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder ((optional))
  • 2 teaspoons kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves, omit if your palak is bitter))
  • ½ cup water to cook ((½ cup more to blend))
  • Lemon juice (as required to serve)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream (or Greek yogurt (optional))
  • 1½ to 2 tablespoon ghee ((divided))
  • 2 dried red chilies (broken)
  • 3 large garlic (cloves sliced)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon hing ((asafoetida, omit if you don't have, use gluten-free if required))
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ((optional))
  • 100 grams paneer ((optional, diced to ½ inch, fried in a tsp of ghee))

Method

How to make Palak Corn

  1. Heat oil in a pot and add the cardamoms, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and salt. Saute for 4 to 5 mins until transparent. Add the cashews, tomatoes and water. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Reduce to medium and cook covered until very soft, for 10 mins.
  2. Open the lid & reserve half of the green chilies aside so you can adjust the heat levels as you blend in the next steps.
  3. Stir in garam masala, salt, spinach and coriander leaves. Saute until wilted and cooked through, for 3 to 4 mins. Turn off and stir in the rest of the water.
  4. Blend using an immersion blender or a stand blender to a smooth or coarse puree, as per your preference. (cool down first, if using a stand blender). Taste test and adjust the green chilies/heat level at this stage.
  5. Return the palak mixture to the pot and add corn kernels. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3 to 4 mins. If you are using mature spinach, you may cook for another 3 to 4 mins. Taste test and adjust salt & garam masala. Crush kasuri methi in your hands and sprinkle.
  6. Turn off and pour the cream. Corn palak is ready to serve at this stage. You may serve it with a squeeze of lemon juice if you don't want to make the tadka.

Tadka - Temper

  1. Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a non-stick pan and place the paneer cubes. Fry until golden on a medium high heat, tossing them around gently. Stir in half to the corn palak and reserve the rest.
  2. Turn off the heat and add the remaining ghee, cumin seeds and red chilies. When the seeds sizzle, turn on and add the garlic.
  3. Let fry on a low heat until light golden. Turn off and stir in the hing, red chili powder and the rest of the fried paneer. Mix well and pour this immediately over the corn palak. Garnish with more heavy cream if you want.

Instant Pot

  1. Perform the first step on saute mode and pressure cook for 5 mins after pouring water. I cook basmati rice along with this, placed on a high legged trivet. Gently release the pressure immediately. Follow the rest as mentioned above.

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.