Spinach / Keerai Masiyal

Spinach can easily be termed as the best known of all green leafy vegetables. Some historic facts point to India as the origin for this healthy vegetable. Spinach can be had just as simple as a salad or with any other vegetables to form a vegetarian curry or gravy. Spinach is a good source for lot many nutrients like vitamins A and C, minerals, fiber and Iron. Though spinach has iron content, it is a myth that it has an extraordinary amount of iron content.


In USA, you can get spinach in any super market in any of these forms : Freshly packed, Canned or Frozen. You can also find the ready-to-eat ones which have pre-washed spinach packed in bag.

If you are buying the freshly packed ones, be sure to look for green and crips ones and avoid those that are damaged or spotted.

Here is my recipe for Keerai Masiyal. It makes an excellent combination with white rice.

Spinach -1 bunch
Green chillies – 2
Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Pearl onions – 7 (Can be replaced by a small red onion)
Salt – as required
Garlic – 2 cloves
Asafetida or Hing - pinch

1. Wash the spinach and place it in a non stick pan. Cover and cook it till soft, take care to make sure it is not burnt.
2. Finely chop the onion, green chillies and garlic.
3. Then add 1 tsp of oil and add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic and finally the onions. Saute all these for a while.
4. Mash the spinach into a smooth paste and add along with the mixture. Alternatively you can skip the onions , add spinach and finally mash it into a smooth paste(I grind it in a mixer). The final texture depends on my mood and how I plan to have the Keerai masiyal with. I usually go with the onions and not grinding the mixture, but very rarely like today I grind it when I want it smooth.
5. Your masiyal is ready and enjoy it with steamed white rice or roti.

Aloo palak / (Potato - Spinach) Cottage Cheese Paratha

Pictures are good enough, that even a novice cook in making parathas can clearly understand the procedure. A brilliant idea of adding cottage cheese to the parathas which makes it soft and melts in your mouth. The potato stuffing goes well with the paratha. You can also try it with grated carrot or the conventional mulli (radish) stuffing.


Click here for Aloo palak / (Potato - Spinach) Cottage Cheese Paratha Recipe

Spinach - Keerai - Palak

Spinach is a leafy vegetable having broad deep green leaves. It is rated high in leafy vegetables, full of nutrition. This vegetable is a cool season annual crop which matures quickly. Spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly folate (folic acid), vitamin K, magnesium, and manganese; it also contains more protein than most vegetables.

Spinach can have either flat or slightly crinkled leaves. It is often available as baby spinach, which is especially useful for salads. Spinach can be purchased fresh, frozen, or canned. Fresh spinach is sold in bunches or already washed and sealed in plastic bags. A number of other greens that are similar to spinach are often sold in specialty stores. These include New Zealand spinach, which comes from a different plant family.

Origin and Distribution
It was originated in Arabia. It was cultivated 2000 years ago in Persia and from there it spread to Spain (its name derived from a Spanish word). It is cultivated in India on a large scale.

Properties of spinach
Diuretic, demulcent, soothing, refrigerant, mild laxative, antianaemic, ophthalmic, anti-inflammatory.

Food Value of spinach
The chemical constituents of spinach are essential amino acids, iron, vitamin A and folic acid. It is one or the cheapest vegetables which supplies the same amount of protein as one gets from the same quantity of meat, fish, eggs and chicken.

Spinach analysis gives the following composition:

Moisture 92.1 %
Protein 2.0 %
Fibre 0.6 %
Carbohydrate 2.9 %
Phosphorus 20 mg
Fat 0.7 %
Calcium 75 mg
Vitamin C 30 mg
Iron 11 mg

Medicinal Uses & benefits
Spinach leaves are diuretic and mild laxative.
Spinach juice cleans the digestive tract by removing the collected waste product. It nourishes the intestines and tones up their movements. It is, therefore, an excellent food remedy for constipation.
Spinach is a source of high grade iron & contributes in the formation of blood. So, it is very useful in anemia.
Spinach is a good source of calcium and other alkaline elements essential to keep tissues clean and retain blood alkalinity. So, it is an antacid too.
Spinach also takes care of our eyes as it contains vitamin A in good amount. Therefore, it helps in controlling night blindness and other eye problems.
Spinach juice provides strength to the gums and helps in preventing and curing dental cavities. Chewing raw spinach leaves cures pyorrhoea. A mixture of carrot and spinach juice taken early in the morning cures bleeding and ulcerated gums.
Spinach is a rich source of folic acid and useful during pregnancy and lactation. Regular use- of spinach during pregnancy helps prevent deficiency of folic acid, lack of which may cause abortion, shortness of breath, loss of weight and diarrhea. It also increases production of milk during lactation.
Spinach juice, when taken with coconut water twice a day, works as a diuretic due to the combined action of both nitrates and potassium. It is useful in cystitis, nephritis and scanty urination caused due to dehydration.
Spinach leaves plus two teaspoonfuls fenugreek seeds containing a pinch of ammonium chloride and honey when infused, prove to be an effective expectorant tonic for bronchitis, asthma and dry cough. Doses are 30 ml, three times daily.

Note: As it contains oxalic acid which is insoluble in stomach and intestine fluid, it is harmful in gravels, gout and liver disease. Therefore, it should not be used by those suffering from these diseases.


Recipes made using Spinach.


Palak Dal
Keerai Kootu
Keerai Masial
Palak Paneer
Palak Rice