Vegetarian Recipe – Spinach Yogurt Salad
Chopped Spinach in Smooth Yogurt or Palak Raita
Sep 8, 2009
This richly marbled yogurt salad is nutritious and delicious. Blanched, chopped spinach is combined with minced fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, lemon peel and white pepper. A mixture of greens instead of spinach can be used instead like mustard greens, chard, watercress, kale or collards.
Spinach Yogurt Salad Recipe
Preparation time – 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients for Yogurt Salad
- ½ pound (230 g) fresh spinach, washed, patted dry, trimmed and coarsely chopped, or ½ pack (140 g) of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and pressed dry
- 1 tbs (15 ml) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (480 ml) plain yogurt, or 1 ½ cups (360 ml) yogurt and ½ cup (120 ml) tart cream
- 3 tbs (45 ml) minced fresh herbs – coriander, dill, tarragon, chervil, parsley
- ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) white pepper
Method
Place the spinach with a sprinkle of water in a large non-stick pan, add the butter, cover and cook over moderate to moderately high heat for 5 minutes, or until a sizzling sound comes from the pan.
- After 5 minutes, turn the leaves over so the uncooked ones on top get a chance to cook. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Remove the lid and let any excess water evaporate.
- Remove the spinach from the pan and allow it to cool to room temperature. Alternatively, cook the defrosted spinach in a dab of butter for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the yogurt or yogurt-cream mixture, herbs, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a 1 quart/litre bowl and whisk with a fork until creamy.
- If you are ready to serve the salad, add the spinach and blend well. Otherwise, chill the yogurt mixture and spinach separately.
- Just before serving, combine the yogurt mixture and spinach and stir to blend. Serve in small custard cup sized bowls.
Vitamins and Minerals Information
Yogurt: Iodine, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, selenium and chloride
Spinach (palak): Vitamins A,, K, C, B6, E, riboflavin, thiamine, calcium, niacin, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, phosphorous and zinc
Mustard greens: Vitamins C, E, B6, B1, B2, calcium, folic acid, carotenes, copper, manganese, fibre, phosphorus, protein magnesium, iron and potassium.
Swiss chard: Vitamins K, A, E and C, B1, B2, B6, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, protein, phosphorus, niacin, zinc, biotin, folate and pantothenic acid.
Kale: Vitamins K and C, beta carotene, lutein, calcium and zeaxanthin.
Collard greens: Vitamins A, C and B, folate, chlorophyll, calcium
Watercress: Has more than 15 vitamins and minerals. It has higher concentrations of vitamin C than oranges, more iron than can be found in spinach and more calcium than milk.
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