Spinach and mushroom is an easy, delicious, healthy, wholesome, and nutritious food. It is very similar to Palak Paneer (Spinach Paneer). Though spinach sauce is very similar in both spinach mushroom saag and palak panner, mushroom adds a whole new flavor to this dish. This recipe is so easy that it comes together in less than 30 minutes. It is also a great make-ahead dish to serve for parties or events. It goes well with naan, rice, paratha, or chapati.

The first time I tried this dish was at a restaurant that served this on their menu. I never thought that this combination would taste so great. Since then, I have made this dish several times, and I have never been disappointed. I am sure you will love this recipe as much as I do.

Details of the recipe ingredients:

1. Spice powders: I use homemade spice powders in all my recipes. The advantage of using homemade spice powder is that is we can dry roast the spices in low heat for a long time and then make it onto the fine powder. This process enhances the flavor and taste of the dish and also gives a beautiful aroma. I can smell and tell the difference between store-bought and homemade powders.

When it comes to onions and tomatoes for Indian cooking, I always prefer fresh ones. Tomatoes that go well with the Indian curries are plum tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and tomatoes on the wine.

2. Cooking the mushrooms:

I have shown two versions in the video. One is where I add quick-sauteed mushrooms to the spinach curry. Another option where I add the mushrooms to the spinach and boil it for 1 to 2 minutes. Either way, the main idea is not to cook mushrooms too much as the water content that releases from the mushroom can make this dish soggy. Also, overcooked mushrooms can be rubbery and hard to eat. Each variety of mushrooms has different cooking times. But in general, mushrooms do not take more than 5 to 6 minutes to cook. 

3. Cooking the spinach:

In this recipe, I have sauteed the spinach with onions before grinding. Please make sure not to saute the spinach for a long time. Cooked spinach shows an increase in the absorption of vitamins A and E, protein, fiber, zinc, thiamin, calcium, and iron, along with essential beta carotenes for better immune systems and healthier skin. The best part is that cooking spinach drastically reduces the amount of oxalic acid found in one serving that can be toxic if consumed for a long time.

Some other ways to cook spinach are blanching in the boiling water for 1 minute and transferring it to ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Blanched spinach is perfectly cooked, will kill harmful bacteria, and the spinach does not lose its nutrients.

Ingredients, Alternatives, and Tips:

Ghee (clarified butter): It is one of the most common ingredients used in Indian cooking. Ghee gives a unique flavoring to the dish. It can be replaced with butter or oil. The smoking point of ghee is really high, so the ingredients should be added quickly to the sautee.

Veggies: I have used baby spinach in this recipe. Mature spinach works great for this recipe too. Follow the instructions above to saute the spinach. Some of the other greens can be added to the spinach. 

Instead of grinding the spinach with onions and tomatoes, it can be finely chopped and added to the dish.

Spices: The main spice powders are chili powder and coriander powder. Nutmeg is one spice that goes well with spinach. It enhances the flavor of spinach. Some of the other spice powders that can be added are amchoor powder (dry mango powder), cinnamon powder, clove powder, and cardamom powder. 

Cream: It is important to cream the dish to balance the spices. In this recipe, I have used light whipping cream. It is common in the Northern part of India to use the cream at the end to finish the dish and garnishes. In the southern part of India, coconut milk is used. Depending on your preference, light cream or coconut milk can be used. Some of the other alternatives are cashew milk, soy milk, creamy almond milk, etc. Storage Instructions:

Spinach and mushroom saag can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Because of the heavy cream, it can go wrong within a short time. If planning to make it ahead of time, it is better to skip the cream and add it before serving.
Curry with chopped onions and tomatoes are not best for saving in the freezer. But the curry with onion and tomato puree stores well for a longer time. Spinach and mushroom saag made by pureeing onions and tomatoes can freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Main steps of this recipe:

1. Sauteeing the veggies: In this step, I have sauteed all the veggies (onions, cilantro, spinach, and tomatoes) with cumin and ginger paste in 1 Tbsp of oil. I have added 1 more cup of water to the veggies and let it come to a boil so that all the veggies can cook well. 
2. Making puree: By adding one cup of water, puree all the above ingredients. Make a smooth paste so that it can cook evenly. 
3. Cooking the puree to make saag: Cooking the puree in 1 Tbsp of ghee brings a lot of flavor to the dish. Alternatively, butter can be used too. This is the time to add all the spices (salt, turmeric powder, nutmeg powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. Adjust the water at this time and add more if you need. Cook this for 10 to 12 minutes. The longer the cooking time, is better it tastes. 
4. Sauteing the mushrooms: Sauteeing the mushrooms in 1/2 Tbsp of ghee brings a lot of flavor to the dish. Adding the raw mushrooms to the curry is not recommended for this dish.
5. Mixing the mushrooms and spinach: Once the mushrooms are added to the dish, it doesn’t have to cook for a long time. 1 to 2 minutes of cooking is enough.
6. Garnishing: Garnish with cream and cilantro. Can also use some nuts and raisins to garnish.

Process

Take 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 Tbsp ginger paste, and saute for few seconds.
Add 1 cup of diced onions, 1/2 cup of cilantro, 3 cups of spinach, and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 big diced tomato, and saute for an additional minute. Add 1 cup of water, let it come to a boil.

Once it cools down, transfer it to a blender, and make a smooth puree. In a wok or a 3-quart pan, take 1 Tbsp of ghee, and add the puree. Add 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder, 3/4 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and 1/2 cup of water. Mix everything well and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Take 1/2 Tbsp of ghee in a separate pan, and saute 1 cup of sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the sauteed mushrooms to the spinach curry and mix it all well. Add 1/4 cup of light cream. Garnish with more cream and cilantro.

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