Use your leftover rice to make this simple and utterly delicious Spinach Pulao……
It’s packed with delightful flavor from the aromatic spices… and the look and the aroma? Let’s just say someone might think you’ve slaved over it…. and maybe even wore yourself out in the process! Let them…. Why confess that you really haven’t done anything of the sort?!
I’m always exploring fun and interesting things to do with leftover rice… So, lots of times I deliberately make extra rice the day before…. just so I can play with it the next day!
Over the years, this easy-peasy Spinach Pulao has become one of my favorite ways to use leftover rice. I usually have all the ingredients I need (stashed in my pantry)… and in about 30 min, it’s all done! Then… I can just put out some fresh yogurt and dig in! Yumm…!
No leftover rice? Make a fresh batch…
What if you don’t have leftover rice, and want to make this delicious spinach Pulao anyway? No worries, just make a fresh batch of rice while you prep everything else… it will only take about 20 min or so. I have given detailed directions for doing that – check Recipe Notes.
While the rice cooks, prep everything else. Then, when your freshly cooked rice is ready, continue as per the recipe directions….
Time-wise? You will still be able to finish making your Spinach Pulao in under an hour. Much of that is actually hands-off time, too, so you can be doing other things while you wait….
Pulao… a special occasion dish
While growing up in India, I had always thought of Pulao as a special occasion dish… festivals, birthdays, weddings…. Somehow, despite being a pretty easy dish to make, folks never really made it that often. Pulao on the table usually meant we were celebrating something.
If my Mom made Pulao on a weeknight someday, my immediate response would be, “Wow! What are we celebrating, Mom?” She would chuckle and say, “I just felt like making it today!” And suddenly, dinner felt like a feast!
Soon after I got married, I made Pulao for dinner one evening… When a family member beamed and said “Wow! What are we celebrating today?”, how could I possibly not respond the way my Mom had?!
Pulao… Pulav… Pilav…. Pilaf….
After coming to the US, when I first encountered the term ‘Pilaf’, I just thought it was an American misnomer. Soon, though, I came to know that folks around the globe make rice dishes that are rather similar to Indian-style Pulao… And that, rather interestingly, many of these dishes even have similar sounding names! Pilav, Pilaf, Pileu, Pelau….. and so many more…
I told my new friends in grad school that the Indian dish had an Indian name, and that it was NOT Pilaf! We all had a good laugh over it! To this day, when I see ‘Pilaf’ on a restaurant menu, all the fun memories come rushing back!
Well, this Spinach Pulao recipe I’ve shared here is most certainly in the Indian-style, hence the particular name for the recipe!
Pulao: Rice grains must not be mushy!
Mushy rice is simply NOT suitable for making any kind of Pulao! In a good Pulao, you should be able to clearly see the separate grains of rice…. You definitely do not want your Pulao to look mushy !
So…. Are you planning to make some Spinach Pulao with your leftover white rice? Well, then you must first closely inspect its texture. Can you see the individual grains of rice? Do they seem to be firm-textured or do they look kind of mashed-up and somewhat mushy ?
If the rice grains in your leftover rice are firm-textured, that’s great! You’re all set… If not, no worries….. Just pretend you don’t have any leftover rice and make a fresh batch… only takes about 20 min… detailed directions in Check Recipe Notes.
But wait… What about that mushy rice? What would you do with it? You obviously don’t want to just toss it! Well, lots of things, actually, but maybe just put it away for the time being, and see Recipe Notes for a few easy ideas.
Prep the cooked rice: grains need to be well-separated
You will probably need to prep your leftover (or freshly cooked) rice a bit, to make sure that the cooked rice grains are well-separated and not stuck in clumps.
Best way to do this? Real easy! Just dip your fingers in a bowl of water first….. then comb through the rice with your wet fingers, gently breaking up any clumps you encounter. The little bit of water on your fingers acts like a lubricant and helps you do this quite easily – wet your fingers again, if need be. Take care not to smash the delicate grains while you do this.
How to make this simple spinach Pulao?
So…. How do I make this Spinach Pulao?
First of all, begin with the prep tasks: slice the onions, dice the tomatoes and chop the fresh spinach, etc. If you’re in a time crunch, and really want to serve your Pulao in about 30 min, follow my suggested ‘plan of action’… as you might imagine, it involves ‘parallel processing’ …. perhaps you call it multi-tasking!
Pull the peas out of the freezer, measure and spread on a plate and set aside to thaw. Then slice the onions: do this before prepping the tomatoes and spinach, since you have to saute and slightly caramelize these on low-medium heat. Get this started, and while the onions are cooking (keep an eye on it while you do other stuff), dice the tomatoes. Start cooking them in the microwave (or stove-top) and, while they cook, prep the spinach: wash, towel-dry and chop.
Add the chopped spinach, cooked tomatoes and seasonings to the prepped rice and gently mix: take care to not smash the delicate rice grains. I like to do this with my hands, but of course you can do this with a wide rice spatula if you prefer.
By this time, the onions should be perfectly caramelized: that’s when you can begin to build the Pulao layers.
Build the Spinach Pulao Layers
When the onions have begun to brown a bit, turn the heat off and start building the layers for the Spinach Pulao. Begin with the peas (thawed, if using frozen) – spread them evenly over the onions, all the way to the edges of the pan. Repeat with the raisins – spread them evenly over the peas,
Lastly, spread the seasoned spinach-rice-tomato mixture evenly on top of the peas and raisins. Do not mix the layers at this stage!
Cover and cook, undisturbed, on low-medium heat for 8-10 min – do NOT remove the lid for a sneak peek! Turn the heat off and remove the pan from the hot grid – set it aside to rest, covered and undisturbed, for another 5-7 min.
That’s it… Your Spinach Pulao is ready to serve! While you’re waiting for the Pulao to finish cooking and resting, you can get everything else ready to serve your meal.
More Leftover Rice Recipes
Are you, like me, always looking for interesting recipes to try with leftover rice ? Here are some you might try….
- Colorful Fiesta Rice – Festive-looking and delicious, Mexican-style rice
- Cheesy Tomatillo Rice– with salsa verde, spinach, corn and cheese… simply Yumm
- Pineapple Fried Rice – scrumptious, Asian style, with brown rice or white rice
- Quick Tomato Pulao – tangy and tasty, ready in a jiffy, enjoy with your favorite curry
Other rice dishes too, if you’re a rice-lover like me…
- Kobee Bhaath – Maharashtrian style, cabbage rice, a special occasion crowd-favorite
- Brussels Sprouts and Carrot Pulao – Yeah… Brussels Sprouts… in a yummy Pulao! Why ever not?
Make these, share with family and friends and please do leave reviews and star ratings… thanks a bunch! And Yes… I’m planning to post several more rice recipes soon…. Stay tuned!
Special Diets
This Spinach Pulao is vegetarian, gluten-free and soy-free. For a vegan version, replace the butter/Ghee with a vegan substitute you like, or a neutral-tasting oil, such as peanut or canola oil. To make it nut-free, replace the cashew-garnish with lightly-toasted sunflower seeds.
So…. For your next intimate dinner party, or maybe on some random week night…. Pull out your secret stash of perfectly cooked fluffy white rice and make this pretty looking, delicious Spinach Pulao. When someone says “Wow! What are we celebrating?”….. I guess you know exactly how to respond!
Do leave a review and star rating…. Many thanks!
Enjoy!
Simple Spinach Pulao- Make it with Leftover Rice
Equipment
- Microwave oven preferred for cooking tomatoes; if not available, alternate cooking directions are given in the recipe
- Microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl a cereal bowl is the perfect size for cooking the tomatoes
- Medium large mixing bowl – 1 1/2- 2 quart / 1 1/2-2 L wide and shallow bowl preferred, rather than narrow and deep, to allow gentle mixing of ingredients.
- Heavy bottom medium-large frying pan (10 inch / 25 cm) with well-fitting lid stainless steel or non-stick pan preferred; cast iron pan is OK , but must remove Pulao from pan immediately after cooking – it reacts with the tomatoes; do NOT use un-coated aluminum pan- it reacts with the tomatoes!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Cooked Rice – firm textured, separate grains, not mushy – fluffed, then lightly packed-down when measuring from about 1/2 cup raw rice; Basmati rice preferred; if using freshly made rice, see Recipe Notes for details
- 1 1/2 cups Chopped fresh spinach: about 1 big fistful baby spinach preferred; I do not recommend frozen spinach for this recipe; see recipe Notes for alternate leafy greens
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes – chopped/ finely diced about 1 medium-large, fully ripe Roma tomato; other varieties of ripe, red tomatoes OK too
- 1/2 cup Green Peas – frozen, thawed if using fresh, blanch, before using
- 2 tbsp Raisins – seedless
- 1 tbsp Raw Sunflower seeds if not available, use raw pumpkin seeds, or other coarsely crushed unsalted nuts (like cashews, almonds, roasted peanuts, etc.)
For the Onion Masala
- 1/2 cup Red Onion – sliced long (root to shoot): 1/8 inch (1/4 cm) thick
- 2 tsp Ghee (clarified butter) for a non-dairy version, use any neutral-tasting edible oil you like
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2-3 whole Green Cardamoms if whole pods not available, use 1/4 tsp seeds or use 2 whole black cardamoms
- 1-2 whole Bay leaves – tear into 3-4 pieces
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric avoid adding more: this Pulao is not meant to be distinctly "yellow"
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Salt
For the spice mixture:
- 1 tsp Dried Mint leaves – lightly crushed to release flavor if you prefer, use 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped and mix in with cooked tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala add more if you like: up to 1/4 tsp more
- 1/4 tsp Fennel powder if not available, see Recipe Notes
- 1/4 tsp Red Chilli powder (Cayenne) omit if you prefer less spicy Pulao
- 1/4 tsp Dried Ginger powder if you prefer, use 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated/pounded) and mix in with the cooked tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper – freshly crushed (coarse) preferred
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt adjust as per your taste preference – you may wish add up to 1/8 tsp more at the end, after taste-testing
Garnish
- 1 tsp Ghee (warmed slightly to melt if solid) to drizzle over the top, just before serving; for vegan use your preferred vegan butter instead
- 2 tbsp Cashews – roasted, salted (optional) for nut-free Pulao, use lightly roasted sunflower/pumpkin seeds, or omit
Instructions
Start the Pulao Masala
- Slice the onions
- Heat Ghee in a heavy-bottom frying pan. Add cumin seeds, cardamom pods and bay leaves; let them sizzle for 15-20 seconds.
- Add sliced onions and saute on low-medium heat for 1-2 min, then cover and cook for 2-3 min.
- Stir in 1/8 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sugar: the onions become a bit watery; cover and cook for 1-2 min until the onions begin to brown and caramelize on the edges.Add turmeric and stir for 10-15 seconds.
Prepare the seasoned rice mixture
- While the onions cook, wash and chop/dice the tomatoes.
- Cook the tomatoes:In microwave: Place the chopped tomatoes in a microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl, cover and microwave on Hi for 2 min.On Stove-top :Place the chopped tomatoes in a in a small pan; add 1 tbsp water, cover and cook on low-medium heat for 3-4 min on low-medium heat, stirring 2-3 times to check for sticking and/or burning on the bottom – the tomatoes should look squishy soft.
- While the tomatoes cook, prep the spinach. Rinse a big fistful of spinach in a colander to wash away dirt/grit.
- Towel-dry (or spin through a salad spinner) the spinach to remove excess moisture,
- Chop the spinach – not too finely.
- Fluff the cooked rice with wet fingers to break up clumps and separate the grains. Take care not to smash the grains.
- Transfer to a wide, shallow medium-sized mixing bowl ( 1/ 1/2 – 2 quart/L). Add the cooked tomatoes and chopped spinach to the rice; mix gently – try not to break or smash the delicate rice grains. Cover and set aside.
- Make spice mixture with the ingredients listed: dried mint (crush with your fingers to release flavor, Garam Masala, red chilli powder, black pepper, ginger powder, fennel powder, salt and sugar
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the spinach-tomato-rice mixture.
- Gently mix, taking care not to mash the rice grains.
Layer the Pulao
- By this time, the onions should be ready. Turn the heat off under the pan and layer the various items in the following order: DO NOT STIR until it's ALL DONE!
- Spread peas and raisins evenly around the pan: do NOT stir!
- Now spread the sunflower seeds evenly: do NOT stir!
- Layer the seasoned rice mixture evenly on top : do NOT stir!
- Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes, then turn the heat to low, and continue to cook for 3-4 min longer. Turn heat off, move pan away from the hot stove and leave undisturbed, covered, for 5-7 min, to allow steam to become absorbed into the rice.
- Remove the cover; use a wide, flat spatula/turner to reach under the bottom onion layer and gently flip it over the top layer; repeat, working on small portions, around the pan; until all of it has been flipped over the top; then very gently stir to mix everything together.Note: The hot rice is very delicate: take care not to smash the rice while mixing.Transfer to serving bowl/platter if desired, or serve straight from the pan to keep it hot.
- Drizzle 1 tsp melted Ghee over the top and scatter roasted salted cashews over the Pulao. (This pic doesn't show the cashews…)
- Serve immediately, steaming hot, accompanied by a simple onion-tomato Raita (Rye-thaa) / Boondi Raitha… maybe some Papad (Paa-pud) or other snack-style sides, pickled veggies, etc. . This pic shows Boondi Raita, pan-fried Kale Vadi with Mint chutney, and quick pickled red radish on the side.What else might you serve with this Pulao for a full spread? You can never go wrong with traditional food…Maybe pair this Pulao with Roti-Sabji (whole wheat flatbread with a cooked vegetable dish), Dal (a seasoned bean/legume dish), sliced salad veggies (cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, carrots, etc.) … and other sides and fiery hot pickles too!
- Enjoy!
Notes
No Leftover rice? Make fresh batch of fluffy, firm-textured Basmati rice:
In Instant Pot (or similar electric pressure cookers):- Rinse the rice 3-4 times until water runs clear
- Why?
- This helps remove excess starch from the surface of the rice grains, giving less sticky and fluffier cooked rice
- How?
- Place the rice in a bowl, add cool water and gently scrub the rice with your fingers; drain the cloudy-looking water, using your hand to cup the edge of the bowl to catch any rice grains that might get drained along with the water.
- Use a fine mesh strainer if you’re new at this, or you might lose a bunch of rice in your sink!
- Repeat 2-3 times more
- With each rinse, the water is less cloudy
- Place the rice in a bowl, add cool water and gently scrub the rice with your fingers; drain the cloudy-looking water, using your hand to cup the edge of the bowl to catch any rice grains that might get drained along with the water.
- Why?
- To cook the rice perfectly, I recommend using the ‘pot-in-pot’ technique
- Why?
- You can perfectly control the rice:liquid ratio with this method
- No worrying that insufficient liquid might cause the rice to stick and burn on the bottom
- How does this work?
- The water used to generate the steam for the pressure to build is in an ‘outer’ container (like a steamer pot), while the rice with the perfect amount of water needed is in an ‘inner’ pot – in an ‘insert’ container – a container that fits easily inside the larger pot with the water used for creating steam.
- You can perfectly control the rice:liquid ratio with this method
- How to cook with the pot-in-pot method?
- Place the stainless steel trivet/rack in the stainless steel inner pot of the IP
- add about 1 1/2 -2 cups water- the water should be just above the level of the trivet.
- Place insert-container with the rinsed and drained rice
- Add the exact amount of water needed for making firm-textured , fluffy rice.
- for 1/2 cup raw Basmati rice used in this recipe, add exactly 3/4 cup cool water
- Rice: water ratio is 1 : 1 1/2
- for 1/2 cup raw Basmati rice used in this recipe, add exactly 3/4 cup cool water
- Close the lid and set the timer to 9 minutes.
- When it beeps to indicate cooking time is done, wait 5 min and carefully release the residual steam using the vent button
- Caution: Be very careful to keep your hands out of the path of the released steam, or you will get severe steam burns!
- Wait another 7-8 min before you open the lid.
- Use sturdy tongs to lift the ‘inner’ pot with the cooked rice out of the IP.
- Run a wet knife or spatula around the inner edge of the rice container to loosen it, then invert the rice onto a cookie /baking sheet.
- the rice from the bottom of the bowl, (which will be on top after you invert it on the sheet) looks very moist and ‘wet’
- that’s OK – it will dry out in a few min after you spread it out.
- the rice from the bottom of the bowl, (which will be on top after you invert it on the sheet) looks very moist and ‘wet’
- Wet the spatula (or fork) again and gently spread the rice over the sheet,
- take care not to break/smash the delicate grains while spreading.
- Set it aside to cool.
- Why?
- Prepare the pressure cooker for cooking by pot-in-pot method as described for the Instant Pot:
- Place a rack/trivet in the cooker
- Add 1 1/2-2 cups water to barely cover the rack.
- Place the insert container with the rised rice and measured water on the rack.
- Place the pressure cooker on the stove-top, close the lid and start cooking on the High setting.
- Allow the pressure to build to full pressure – some cookers ‘whistle’ , others ‘hiss’ fiercely at this point.
- Lower the heat to medium and watch
- Whistle-type cooker :
- wait for 2-3 whistles, then turn heat off
- ‘Hiss’-type cooker
- wait for 7-8 min, then turn heat off.
- Whistle-type cooker :
- Move the cooker away from the hot grids of the stove-top to cool faster.
- Wait 3-4 min, then force-release remaining pressure
- Carefully release the steam by partially lifting, with the tines of a fork, the ‘weight’ jiggling on top of the lid.
- Caution: Be very careful to keep your hands out of the path of the released steam, or you will get severe steam burns!
- Wait for another 7-8 min before you open the lid.
- Carefully release the steam by partially lifting, with the tines of a fork, the ‘weight’ jiggling on top of the lid.
- Remaining directions, for cooling the rice are exactly as for the Instant Pot.
Leafy Greens as alternatives to spinach
Here are some other leafy greens that you can use instead of spinach in this recipe: (NOTE: Each type of green will impart its own distinctive flavor to the Pulao!)- Swiss Chard greens: 2-3 big leaves
- Rinse thoroughly and spread on a clean, absorbent kitchen towel to remove excess moisture
- Cut away the thick fleshy stems and fat leaf veins
- Chop the greens
- Finely dice/mince the stems and leaf-veins
- transfer to a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl, add 1/2 tsp butter and microwave on Hi for 1 min
- cool to room temp
- Mix with the chopped leaves
- 1 cup finely chopped Curly Kale + 1/2 cup fresh Coriander leaves (cilantro)
- wilt the chopped Kale (before mixing with the rice):
- splash some water and microwave for 30 seconds on Hi
- stir in 1/2 tsp butter
- Cool and mix with chopped cilantro
- wilt the chopped Kale (before mixing with the rice):
- 1 cup finely chopped Amaranth greens + 1/2 cup fresh Coriander leaves (cilantro)
- wilt the chopped Amaranth (before mixing with the rice):
- splash some water and microwave for 30 seconds on Hi.
- stir in 1/2 tsp butter
- Cool and mix with chopped cilantro
- wilt the chopped Amaranth (before mixing with the rice):
- 1 cup chopped pea shoots + 1/2 cup fresh Coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 1 cup chopped Watercress greens + 1/2 cup fresh Coriander leaves (cilantro)
Don’t have fennel powder?
- Grind about 1/4 cup fennel seeds and store with other spices, away from heat and direct sunlight
- Use in a variety of soups, stews, Dal, beans, etc., to add subtle sweetness
- If you eat meat/seafood, try adding it to these dishes as well
- Fennel is also carminative – i.e., it mitigates the gassiness and bloating caused by many foods
- Use in a variety of soups, stews, Dal, beans, etc., to add subtle sweetness
Wow- looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it. Thanks😋
So easy… and it satisfied my sudden Biryani craving! Hope you like it!
Looks delicious. I like this very simple way of making spinach pulav without overlooking spinach. I will definitely try. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks, Bhavana. I always try to NOT overcook veggies, since so many nutrients get destroyed during long cooking times. Hope you like it!