Palakura Pacchadi (Spinach Chutney):

My Mom makes various chutneys/Pacchadis. These are made with sautéed fresh vegetables. These chutneys are spicy and tangy. My mouth is watering already.Anyway if you read 'About me’ you know already that my mom wrote a recipe book and gave it to me when I was coming to USA after my marriage.She wrote day to day recipes we make at home and few festive recipes in that book since I don’t even know how to cook Dal at that time.So I used to use this book as my cooking Bhagavad-Gita :-). Anyway the reason I told you this story is lot of people tasted my chutney and used to ask me for the recipe. I used to give em this book and they would end up copying few recipes from the book.

Nutrition:Spinach is rich in VitaminA, Iron, Folate. It is very good for pregnant woman because of the presence of folate and Iron.Also spinach is rich in antioxidants.

Out of all the chutney I make, I have couple of fav’s, Spinach and raw mango coconut chutneys.In USA one abundant leafy vegetable you can find is Spinach.If you go to the grocery store you find couple different spinach, regular and baby spinach.you can make this chutney with both.I used triple washed baby spinach Also when I mention chilli in my recipes it’s usually 'Thai chili’.But you can use any variety and adjust spice accordingly as different chillies have different spice levels.Chutneys usually taste so good with more oil.But you can cut down oil per your liking.

Servings:
Four (4)
Total time:
45 minutes
Category:
Chutneys/Pickles


Ingredients: (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml)

1 bunch spinach 
3 teaspoon oil
5-6 green chilli (Thai chili) or adjust
1 tsp Tamarind, pressed down or 2 inch

To make a powder:
1 tablespoons peanuts (Palli)
1 teaspoon cumin (Jeera)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
1 teaspoon brown sesame (Nuvvulu/Til)


For seasoning:
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds (Aavalu)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
2 red chili broken
Few curry leaves

Related Recipes: 
Like this recipe, try my Kale chutney, Tomato chutney , Peanut chutney, Onion chutney recipes from this link :https://veggibites.blogspot.com/search/label/Chutneys%2FPickles

Need more spinach recipes, try this dry Spinach Toordal sabji, Spinach Paratha for lunchbox, Cracked wheat Spinach pongal recipes.

Palakura Pacchadi  Recipe 

1. Soak the tamarind in warm water.
   
2. Separate spinach leaves from stems.Wash the spinach thoroughly.I have used triple washed baby spinach. I like to use the pre washed leafy vegetables as it would cut down one chore.
3. Chop the leaves roughly. Since we will be grinding em no need to chop. Since I used baby spinach the leaves are small and I did not chop them.
4. Cut the green chili into big pieces.
5. Take 3 teaspoon oil in a fry pan and fry the chili. Take em out and keep aside.
6. Now in the same fry pan sauté the chopped spinach until the leaves are wilted and came together. You can finish all the cooking and seasoning in cast iron pan.
   
   
   
7. Keep the leaves aside to cool down.
8. In a pan, roast the peanuts, cumin, coriander seeds, sesame seeds with out oil.Once cooled down make a fine powder of spices. I use my Ninja blender attachment or coffee grinder for this purpose. My coffee grinder is small, takes little space, blends smooth powders and more over cheaper. I have this for about a decade and still going strong. Ninja blender is good for wet and dry grinding.
   
   
   
9. In a blender take green chili, spinach, spice powder,salt and soaked tamarind and blend to smooth texture. I use this blender for dry , wet grinding, dough making and chopping veggies and batter making:
   Ninja Mega Kitchen System (Blender, Processor, Nutri Ninja Cups) BL770
10. Take the chutney in a serving bowl.
11. Prepare the seasoning:Heat 2 tablespoon oil in the fry pan and add mustard, cumin seeds.Once the seeds are browned add red chili.Fry for 30 sec and turn off the stove.
12. Add the seasoning to the chutney.Stir in.You can also add cut raw onions to the chutney.They add a crunch to the chutney and taste so good.Since onions tend to spoil chutney faster I serve em on the side.
13. Serve the chutney with steaming hot rice and ghee.
    
    
    

Tips: 

• You can spread the chutney on a chapati and roll it for lunch box.
• Fry some green chili in little oil and add to the chutney. They taste good if you have a spicy palette.