Woooo…Finely…Its winter…
Soups have become a part of our meal in winters.
Many of the families prefer to have Spinach soup which is rich
in iron and other minerals. So let’s make healthy Spinach Soup. It is consumed half an hour before the meal. It is very healthy
and nutritious.
Spinach or Palak is best available
during winter months. Fresh, tender spinach leaves (baby spinach) can be
eaten raw either in salad and vegetable burgers or as juice. When buying spinach, make sure that the
leaves and stems are crispy and dark green in color.
Avoid spinach whose leaves and stems appear yellowish or pale
green and are wilted and bruised, as the spinach has started to turn or is
already bad. Also, make sure that there is no slimy coating as this is an
indication of decay.
If you are purchasing prepackaged spinach,
check if there is any water or condensation inside the package or whether the
leaves appear wet or mushy. Buy the package that seems to be free from all
this.
Health
Benefits of Palak Spinach)
1. Spinach is a rich source of vitamin A and reduces the risk of
eye diseases, like night blindness, itching eyes and eye ulcers.
2.
Spinach is also rich in potassium and low in sodium. The
former is known to lower the blood pressure while the latter is known for
increasing it. Therefore, spinach, included in a regular diet brings the blood
pressure down to normal levels.
3.Studies
show that spinach lowers the cancer risk by 34%, particularly breast cancer,
cervical cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer and stomach cancer. Components
like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, tocopherol, chlorophyllin, folic acid and
fiber are considered beneficial in fighting against cancer cells.
4.
It is
advisable for pregnant women to include spinach in their regular diet as folate
found in it is needed by the growing fetus for development of a new nervous
system. Also, vitamin A present in spinach is required for the lung development
of the fetus as well as during breast feeding.
5.
Spinach
is store house for many phyto-nutrients that have health promotional and
disease prevention properties.
6. It is also good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
7.
Spinach leaves are an excellent source of vitamin K.
Spinach
/ Palak Soup
·
Onion - ⅓ cup, chopped
·
Tomato - ½ cup, chopped
·
Potato- 1 small.
·
Ginger - ¼ inch piece
·
Garlic clove - 1
·
Lemon juice- 1-2 tsp.
·
Spinach - 2 cups, packed
·
Clarified butter - 1 teaspoon
·
Garlic - 1 teaspoon, grated or paste
·
Butter- 2-3 tbsp.
·
Salt - to taste
·
Pepper powder - ¼ teaspoon
·
Milk - ¼ cup
Method-
Tender, crispy, dark-green leaves are one of the
favorite ingredients of chefs all around the planet.
By adding little butter I
have made it little creamy still it is low in calorie unlike other creamy soup.
1)Well clean PLAK / Spinach leaves properly and
remove the very dirty and wilted ones. They should be rinsed in salt water for about 30 minutes
in order to remove dirt, and any insecticide residues. I keep the stalks of
spinach too.
2) Wash the tomatoes and ginger also. Cut the
spinach leaves, tomatoes and ginger into big pieces and put them inside the
cooker along with 2-3 table spoon water to boil.
3) Take out the boiled mixture and let it cool
for 5-10 minutes.
6) Then make the
smooth puree of it into the blender.
7) Pour 3-4 cups of water into the mixture
and sieve it with a strainer in a steel bowl.
7) Heat the Butter in
a pan on medium heat. Once hot then add pureed mixture.
9) Add salt and
pepper.
10) Let it simmer for 5
minutes.
Our Spinach soup is ready.
Turn off the flame and put 1-2 tbsp.
of butter, lemon juice into it and mix well.
Serve the hot and fresh spinach
soup with soup sticks to your family members after garnishing each bowl.
Enjoy your super enriched Spinach
Soup.
