Spinach

palak

Greens cooked soft, the colour of a good winter.

What it is

Spinach cooks down to a soft, dark green base — the palak of palak paneer and the everyday saag of winter greens. Tender and quick, it wilts to a fraction of its raw volume, blended smooth or left with some texture.

Where it comes from

Used across the subcontinent, spinach belongs especially to winter greens cooking, sometimes blended with other leaves. In the north it partners paneer; across the plains it is everyday nourishment.

What it's called

Spinach · palak (Hindi) · palong shak (Bengali). Broadly, saag can mean various cooked greens, not only spinach.

In the kitchen

Wilted and blended into a smooth base for palak paneer, or cooked down with spices as a simple saag, or folded into dals and lentil dishes. Added and cooked briefly — long cooking dulls its colour. A bright anchor (paneer, a butter finish) lifts the green.

What we know about the claims

Spinach is rich in iron, folate and vitamins — a genuinely wholesome green. No caution beyond the usual thorough washing.

Choosing and buying

Everywhere, fresh or frozen. Frozen chopped spinach is a fine convenience for a blended base; fresh for dishes with more texture.