Palak Corn (Spinach Corn Curry)

Palak Corn is a super delicious side dish of spinach and corn, cooked with spices and herbs. This restaurant style dish has a creamy curry, topped with an aromatic and colorful special tadka/ tempering. It’s wholesome, hearty and makes for a perfect weekend meal. This Palak Corn curry is kids’ friendly and is easily adaptable for the spicy food lovers as well. I share the stovetop and Instant pot versions in this post.

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About Palak Corn

This recipe is very versatile and you can easily transform this into many different dishes. While I used corn kernels to make this a spinach corn curry, you can substitute corn with grilled/roasted vegetables like roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots or even tofu, paneer, chickpeas or grilled/baked chicken.

The best part is – the spinach base itself is so good that you don’t need anything! The tadka does a big job here, by transforming your dish from good to excellent. So I make this special tadka and it has some pan fried paneer. If you don’t have sweet corn lovers at home, throw in some paneer or baked potatoes, that will fix!

Palak Corn is gluten-free and can be made vegan by cooking the dish in oil & omit the paneer. This recipe uses a small amount of cashew nuts for a creamy texture and to tone down the bitter/ astringent taste of spinach. For a nut-free version, you may use roasted gram flour (besan) which does a similar job & gives a nutty aroma to the curry.

In the absence of flour, use coconut milk, heavy cream or white poppy seeds (khus khus). If you want to simply omit the cashews and not use any substitutes, you may do so. But cook the curry longer and this will cut down the bitter tones and make it taste better. I have shared few more tips in the expert tips section below.

Like many other Indian curries, this one too goes well with basmati rice, flavored rice varieties and with flatbreads like roti, plain paratha, tandoori roti and naan. When I want to go with more sides in this meal I make a simple dal, air fried papads and a onion salad. This dish can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

With the given recipe, this Palak Corn turns comes out in bright green color as seen in the last picture below (scroll down). I was unable to capture that in the first picture due to harsh sunlight.

Ingredients & Substitutes

• Palak – Baby spinach is best for this recipe. If you can’t find, you may use regular spinach with the stalks trimmed off completely. Mature leaves often makes the dish taste bitter. So if you have nothing but very mature spinach, blanch in salted hot water for 1 min (2 tbsps salt in 6 cups water), until wilted and dip in ice cold water. You can use frozen spinach if you can’t find fresh.
• Coriander leaves – I often use fresh tender coriander leaves in my saag recipes like this Chana Saag and this corn palak. But using tender leaves without the mature stalks is important else they can make your dish smell soapy. They impart a special flavor and feel free to omit them if you don’t like the flavor.
• Aromatics – Onions, ginger and garlic not only provide the required flavor but also add body to your dish.
• Tomato – I use a small tomato. Use good quality ripe tomato. It is optional and you may omit if you don’t prefer. Always omit the tomatoes if you want to use yogurt
• Green chilies – I prefer using green chilies for heat and flavor. You may use Indian/ Thai green chilies or serrano peppers. If you can’t eat green chilies, use black pepper, chili flakes or red chili powder. But chili powder can alter the color of your dish.
• Spices – This recipe uses very few spices like garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). I love using 2 whole cardamoms. They can be substituted with 1/3 teaspoon cardamom powder.
• To make the tadka – You will need ghee or oil and whole spices like cumin seeds, red chilies, hing and garlic. If you are making this specially for kids, omit the tadka and add a tablespoon of ghee or butter at the finishing stage.
• Other ingredients – Heavy cream / malai, paneer are the other optional ingredients. You may use 3 to 4 tablespoons yogurt (not sour) to add some creaminess.

How to make this low fat?

I know a lot of us want to make dishes simpler and low fat for our daily meals. I have tried this a few times and it still tastes good. But it won’t be something special that you want to serve the fussy kids or guests. Omitting cashews, cream, paneer and tadka makes it low fat. If you omit all these cut down the chilies and garam masala too. You will be able to make the dish in 1½ tablespoon oil/ghee (serves 4).

Photo Guide

Step by Step Instructions

Preparation

1. Prepare the following ingredients:

• 250 g – ½ lb. spinach (baby spinach is best, about 8 cups loosely measured)
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (optional, 20 grams, tender stalks are okay, avoid mature stalks, not pictured)
• 1½ cup frozen corn kernels (about 200 grams. If using fresh corn, boil until tender)
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 green chilies (less spicy kind)
• 1 inch ginger (10 grams, peeled and sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (10 grams, peeled)
• 1 cup yellow/red onion (130 grams thinly sliced, from 1 medium, avoid purple)
• ½ cup tomatoes (optional, 95 grams slice/chopped from 1 small )
• 1 teaspoon salt (use as per your taste)
• 18 cashew nuts (or 2 tablespoon roasted gram flour/besan)
• 1 to 1½ teaspoon garam masala (divided, adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder (avoid raw cumin, omit if you don’t have)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional, not pictured)
• 2 teaspoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, omit if your palak is bitter)

2. Heat 1½ tablespoon ghee or oil in a pot or in the instant pot. Add the cardamoms, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and salt. Saute for 4 to 5 mins until transparent.

3. Add the cashews and tomatoes

4. If you want you may saute until the tomatoes turn mushy but I pour half cup water and cook down. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Reduce to medium and cook covered until very soft, for 10 mins.

Since I was cooking in the instant pot, I pressure cooked for 5 mins. I also cook my basmati rice in a bowl, placed over a long legged trivet. When done, release the pressure gently.

5. This is how it should look. All your ingredients are very soft cooked. Remove half of the green chilies aside, so you can adjust the heat levels as you blend in the next steps.

6. Add in garam masala, salt, spinach and coriander leaves.

7. Saute until wilted and cooked through, for 3 to 4 mins.

8. This is how the spinach should look, completely wilted. Turn off and stir in half cup water.

Make the Curry

9. Blend using an immersion blender or a stand blender to a smooth or coarse puree, as per your preference. If you are using a stand blender, cool down and blend. Return the palak mixture to the pot and add corn kernels.

10. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3 to 4 mins. Be careful at this stage, as the curry begins to splutter. So cover partially. 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. Turn off the stove.

11. This is the consistency you will have.

12. If you want pour 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Corn palak is ready to serve at this stage. You may serve it with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Substitute with yogurt – Add 3 to 4 tablespoon thick yogurt to a medium bowl and whisk very well with a fork, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of palak corn curry to the yogurt. Mix well and add back to the pot. Note that you should have turned off the stove before adding the yogurt. You won’t need lemon juice for this.

13. Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a non-stick pan and place 100 grams paneer cubes (cut to half inch). Fry until golden on a medium high heat, tossing them around gently. If you are stirring them, be very careful, they will break. Stir in half to the corn palak and reserve the rest.

Make Tadka

14. Heat 1½ tablespoon ghee in the same pan or in a tadka pan. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and 2 dried red chilies. When the seeds sizzle, add 3 sliced garlic (about a tablespoon). Let fry on a low heat until light golden, not brown. Turn off and stir in ¼ teaspoon hing, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and rest of the fried paneer.

15. Mix well and pour this immediately over the corn palak.

Garnish Palak Corn with a teaspoon of cream and serve with basmati rice or with flatbreads. If you mix the tadka with the curry, the color of the gravy will darken. So make the tadka just before serving.

Expert Tips

• For extra flavor, saute onions and tomatoes for longer (until mushy) instead of boiling them with water. Saute spinach as well. This is highly recommended if you double or triple the recipe. For our everyday food, I prefer not to saute in oil for too long. So I boil them with water. Also sauteing will require a little more oil.
• If you are using besan, roast it very well until aromatic and add them to the sauteed onions. We are not sautéing the onions until golden in this recipe, so it is important to roast the flour separately.
• Avoid making the dish too hot. That will mute the flavors of the spinach and cashews.
• There is no advantage of making this dish in IP, except you can cook the basmati rice while cooking the onions and tomatoes. If you are using premium aged basmati rice that takes longer than 5 mins to cook in IP, you may cook longer or soak the rice for 30 mins and cook for the same 5 mins.

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Recipe Card

Palak Corn Recipe

5 from 4 votes

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.

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time15 minutes minutes

Cook Time35 minutes minutes

Total Time50 minutes minutes

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Diet : Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

• ▢ 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)

Tadka (omit to cut down fat)

• ▢ 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)

Instructions

• ▢
  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.
• ▢
  Open the lid & reserve half of the green chilies aside so you can adjust the heat levels as you blend in the next steps.
• ▢
  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.
• ▢
  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.
• ▢
  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.
• ▢
  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

• ▢
  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.
• ▢
  Turn off the heat and add the remaining ghee, cumin seeds and red chilies. When the seeds sizzle, turn on and add the garlic.
• ▢
  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

• ▢
  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.

Notes

• Gram flour gives a different color to your corn palak but still tastes delicious with a nutty aroma.
• Nutrition values include paneer, heavy cream, cashews and all other optional ingredients.
• If you any more sides, this can serve 6 people.
• Avoid mature coriander leaves and stalks as it can make your dish taste soapy.
• To use yogurt, whisk it well in a bowl and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooked corn palak. Mix well and add back to the pot. Avoid cooking after adding yogurt. Also omit tomatoes if you are using yogurt.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts

Palak Corn Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 319 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 912mg40%

Potassium 684mg20%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 6489IU130%

Vitamin C 64mg78%

Calcium 221mg22%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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