Palak Makhana
A healthy Indian spinach and fox-nut gravy — nutritious, easy to cook and perfect as a side or light meal.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash spinach thoroughly under running water to remove dirt. Roughly chop and set aside.
- Dry roast phool makhana (fox nuts) in a pan over medium heat. If you like, add 1 tsp ghee/oil and roast till they turn crisp and light golden on low flame. Keep aside.
- In the same pan, heat a little oil (or ghee), add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add chopped tomato and cook till it becomes soft and oil begins to separate.
- Add chopped spinach, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and add little water or milk. Cook for about 5 minutes until spinach wilts and softens.
- Turn off heat and let the spinach mixture cool slightly. Then transfer to a blender and make a smooth paste.
- Pour the spinach paste back into the pan. If needed, add 1/4 cup water (or milk) to adjust consistency and simmer for 2–3 minutes on low heat.
- Add the roasted makhana into the gravy, stir gently so that makhana coats with spinach gravy. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Switch off heat. Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice. Garnish with a drizzle of ghee (optional).
Notes
If you prefer richer texture, use 2 tbsp milk instead of water while blending spinach. For vegan option, use oil instead of ghee. Roasted makhana gives a nice crunch — avoid over-roasting else it may become too hard. Adjust water or milk to get desired gravy consistency.
Abhinav is the Founder of Diet Dekho, helping people manage weight and lifestyle health through simple, practical nutrition and personalized diet plans.