Palak Corn Recipe
Palak Corn (also known as Corn Palak) is a rich and creamy North Indian curry made by simmering sweet corn kernels in a spiced, pureed spinach (palak) gravy. A popular variation of the classic Palak Paneer, this dish offers a unique textural contrast between the crunchy sweetness of steamed corn and the savory, garlicky smoothness of the spinach sauce. It is a staple winter dish in India, often finished with fresh cream or cashew paste for a lush mouthfeel. Make it at home using my easy recipe.
Spinach can be used to make several Indian recipes; here are some of my favorite spinach recipes: Aloo Palak Sabzi, Palak Pakora, Palak Paratha, Palak Paneer Bhurji, and Palak Rice.
A Quick Look At This Palak Corn Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Cuisine: North Indian
- Course: Main Course / Side Dish
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Skill Level: Medium
- Equipment: Blender, Pan or Kadai, Spatula
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Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Creamy, flavorful, and mildly spiced, this curry combines the goodness of spinach and corn in a creamy, balanced sauce that’s flavorful yet free of bitterness.
- Quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes usng simple ingredients.
- Pairs well with rice, roti, paratha, or even as a side with pasta.
- Vegetarian, wholesome, and great for weekday meals.
Table of Contents
If I may say so myself, my palak paneer curry is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. After perfecting it over the years, I now have a foolproof base recipe, and I enjoy experimenting with it by adding new ingredients. It is also one of those dishes my picky-eater son enjoys.
I replaced paneer with corn this time and made this corn palak recipe.
About Palak Corn
Palak Corn (Makai Palak, Spinach Corn) is a mildly spiced, rich, and creamy North Indian-style curry. It is served in many Indian restaurants, but it is also easy to make at home.
It is made by blanching the spinach and then pureeing it. The pureed spinach is cooked with onions, tomatoes, cream, and spices, and then corn kernels are added to the ready curry.
The sweetness of corn balances the mildly bitter taste of spinach very well in this restaurant-style dish.
You can make palak corn for everyday meals, house parties, festive meals, or lunch boxes. I like to serve it with any Indian bread, such as butter naan or lachha paratha, or with a mildly spiced pulao, such as veg pulao, jeera rice, or shahi pulao.
Ingredients
Spinach (Palak) – You can use either fresh spinach or frozen spinach in this recipe. If you are using frozen packets, then thaw them to room temperature before using. Also, use half the quantity of frozen spinach as you would fresh, since it is already blanched and has lost moisture. You can also use baby spinach in place of regular spinach.
Corn – Use fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels. If using frozen corn, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes to plump up the kernels.
I used frozen corn, but to make it more interesting, you can roast a corn cob over direct flame until it is charred, then shuck it and add the roasted kernels to the gravy.
You can also use canned corn. Just make sure to drain and rinse them with water to remove the metallic brine taste before adding to the curry.
If using fresh corn kernels, then boil them in water until they are tender. Then use them in the curry.
Baking Soda – Adding a pinch of baking soda during blanching helps retain spinach’s vibrant green color. Try this tip.
Spice Powders – I used only a few basic spices, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt in this palak corn recipe. You can also add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, dry mango powder (amchoor), and red chilli powder if you wish.
Other Ingredients – You will also need green chillies, cooking oil, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, red onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes, unsweetened heavy cream, and lime juice (or lemon juice).
Adjust the chilies as per your taste. I used Indian green chilies, but you can use any variety you have available.
I used canola oil, but you can use any cooking oil, such as light olive oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil.
If you live in India, you can use fresh cream (malai) instead of heavy cream.
For The Tempering – A tempering of ghee and garlic gives palak corn curry a very nice flavor. I used ghee, garlic, dry red chilies, asafetida (hing), and cumin seeds.
Palak Corn Video Recipe
How To Make Spinach Corn Curry
Blanch The Spinach
Step 1: Heat 3-4 cups of water in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and 200 grams of spinach leaves, then cook for 2 minutes. Press the spinach with the back of a ladle to submerge it in water. The spinach will look a lot at the beginning, but as it cooks, it will release water and shrink drastically.
Step 3: Drain the water through a mesh strainer, then run the spinach under cold water. This process of boiling the spinach and immediately dipping it in cold water is called blanching. This process helps retain the spinach’s bright green color.
Make Spinach Puree
Step 4: Put the blanched spinach in a blender with 2-3 green chilies, and blend until smooth. Add a few tablespoon of water, if needed, to help blend the spinach. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times using a small silicone spatula when blending.
Make The Curry
Step 5: Heat 4 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Step 6: Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 3-4 dried red chilies and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Step 7: Add 1 cup of finely chopped red onions and 2 teaspoon of chopped garlic, and cook until the onions turn translucent, stirring frequently.
Step 8: Add 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Tip – You can blend the masala in a blender at this stage for a creamier gravy.
Step 9: Now, add 2 teaspoons of coriander powder and ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder, and cook for an additional minute.
Step 10: Now add the palak puree from the blender to the pan and cook for a minute.
Step 11: To finalize the curry, add the following ingredients to the pan and mix well.
- 200 g of softened corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
If the curry appears thick, add a little warm water and mix well.
Bring the curry to a boil.
Step 12: Then, add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened heavy cream and mix well. If you plan to make this curry for everyday meals, you can skip adding the cream. It will still taste delicious.
Step 13: Check for salt and add more if needed.
Switch off the heat.
Add 2 teaspoon lime juice and mix well.
Temper The Curry
Step 14: Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat.
Step 15: Add the following ingredients once the ghee is hot, and cook until the garlic is light brown.
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 dry red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Step 16: Pour the tempering over the curry and mix well. Serve hot.
Tip: Instead of mixing the tempering into the curry, transfer the ready curry to the serving bowl, then pour the tempering over it. It will look great when you serve it to your guests.
Palak Corn FAQs
It is very easy to make this curry vegan for your dietary preferences. Just replace ghee with any cooking oil and use cashew paste or coconut milk instead of unsweetened heavy cream.
To make gluten-free palak corn, omit the asafetida from the recipe. All the other ingredients are already gluten-friendly.
Heat a charcoal piece over a direct flame until it is red hot. Keep a small bowl inside the curry bowl, and place the hot coal in it. Pour a teaspoon of ghee on top of the coal and immediately close the lid of the main bowl. Let the curry absorb the smoke for 10-15 minutes without disturbing it. Now open the lid and remove the coal piece and the small bowl using a pair of tongs. Gently mix the curry and serve.
Palak corn curry can be made 3-4 days in advance. Just transfer the cooled curry to an airtight container and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the curry in the microwave or a pan until piping hot. Reheat only the amount needed, as multiple reheats might spoil the curry.
Other Vegetarian Curry Recipes We Recommend
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Palak Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 grams fresh spinach (palak)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2-3 green chilies
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 dry red chilies
- 1 cup finely chopped red onions
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 200 grams corn kernels (check notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
For Tempering
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 dry red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Instructions
Blanch The Spinach
- Heat 3-4 cups of water in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and 200 g spinach leaves, then cook for 2 minutes. Press the spinach with the back of a ladle to submerge it in water. The spinach will look a lot at the beginning, but as it cooks, it will release water and shrink drastically.
- Drain the water through a mesh strainer, then run the spinach under cold water. This process of boiling the spinach and immediately dipping it in cold water is called blanching. This process helps retain the spinach’s bright green color.
Make Spinach Puree
- Put the blanched spinach in a blender with 2-3 green chilies, and blend until smooth.
- Add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, to help blend the spinach. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times using a small silicone spatula when blending.
Make The Curry
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and dried red chilies and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until onion turns translucent, stirring frequently.
- Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Tip – You can blend the masala in a blender at this stage for a creamier gravy.
- Now, add coriander powder and garam masala powder and cook for another minute.
- Add spinach puree and cook for a minute.
- Add corn kernels, salt, and ½ cup water, and bring the curry to a boil.
- If the curry looks thick, add some warm water and mix well.
- Add heavy cream and mix well. If making this curry for everyday meals, you can skip adding the cream. It will still taste delicious.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Switch off the heat.
- Add lime juice and mix well.
Temper The Curry
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add garlic, dry red chilies, asafetida, and cumin seeds. Cook until garlic is light brown.
- Pour the tempering over the curry. Mix well and serve hot.
yummy and drooling…..simply a great and healthy combination…sorry dear could not catch up long time, now am back on track
This is just WOW!!! I love a combo of spinach n corn anytime… 🙂