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Dahi Lehsuni Palak – Instant Pot Garlic Spinach

Dahi Lehsuni Palak – Instant Pot Garlic Spinach - A super easy and healthy recipe for a side everyone will love. Spinach with garlic and a few spices is a simple formula that lets spinach shine and will never go out of favor.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp yogurt, plain (dahi)
  • 2 tbsp chickpea flour  (besan)
  • 2 tbsp water (for making the paste)
  • 6 garlic cloves (3/4 tbsp minced)
  • 1 pound baby spinach (454 grams)
  • 4 tbsp oil of choice
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida  (heeng)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds  (jeera)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp  red chili powder   (cayenne pepper)
  • 1/2 tsp  ground coriander  (dhaniya powder)
  • 1/2 cup water (for cooking)

Equipment

  • Electric Pressure Cooker

Method
 

Prep
  1. Mix yogurt with besan and 2 tbsp water and make a smooth paste. Set it aside.
  2. Finely mince the garlic. You can also use a garlic press.
Cook
  1. Rinse the baby spinach well in cold water. There is no need to chop it. We will blend it later. Additionally, you can use regular spinach instead of baby spinach. If you are using regular spinach then chop the spinach finely.
  2. Select sauté on the Instant Pot. Add in oil to the pot. Further, add in asafoetida. Moreover in 30 seconds, add in cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then in about 30 seconds add in and garlic and let it sauté for a minute. Keep stirring intermittently.
  3. Add in the spinach. Let the spinach sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, keep stirring intermittently. Moreover, the spinach should shrivel. Additionally, keep stirring intermittently to prevent the spinach from sticking to the pot.
  4. Once the spinach shrivels, add in salt, red chili powder, and ground coriander and stir well and let it sauté for 30 seconds. 
  5. Further add in chickpea and yogurt mixture to the spinach. Mix well. Next add in 1/2 cup water. Press cancel.
  6. And, secure the lid on the pot and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes. When done quick release the pressure. Open lid and blend with a blender.
  7. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with steamed rice or roti.

Notes

  • On a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of spice levels I would place this dish at 3, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. You can reduce or eliminate the red chili powder as per your spice tolerance.
  • I have used fresh baby spinach. You can use regular spinach too. I have just thrown in spinach in the IP and blended it later. If you are using regular spinach, I recommend chopping the leaves.
  • If you don’t have an immersion blender then please chop baby leaves prior to cooking as well. You can then use a potato masher or spoon to crush them.