Jheenga Palak – Shrimp & Spinach Curry

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: February 28, 2020

Last Updated: March 14th, 20242 Comments on Jheenga Palak – Shrimp & Spinach Curry

This delicious and quick Indian prawn & spinach curry is ready in a snap and it’s jam-packed with flavour and goodness. The juicy shrimp marries perfectly with the fragrant coconut palak/saag sauce and even better – it’s ready in 20 minutes!

A small bowl of shrimp curry and rice with a fork and spoon

More often than not, I'm not down with a lengthy wait for dinner. I want all the benefits of a tasty meal, but I'm just not prepared to put in the time. That's just how it is some days and this is when my shrimp & spinach curry is just what I need.

It delivers all the flavour I love, in a fraction of the time. It's a quick and easy curry to throw in the pan and have on the plate in around 20 minutes flat. That's much quicker than ordering take-out and way more delicious, guaranteed!

The rich, intensely flavourful spiced coconut sauce is the perfect partner to the soft, juicy prawns. I'm sure you'll love how it tastes, but also how easy it is to put together too.

A small bowl of shrimp curry and rice with a fork and spoon

What is Palak?

Palak is a Hindi word that refers to spinach - "पालक", pronounched 'paa-luk'. Not to be confused with the word saag, which means any leafy green. Palak refers uniquely to spinach.

Why it works?

It's a quick hit of curry flavour - many curries take time to develop in flavour. Seafood curries, however are typically faster to cook due to the cooking time of the seafood itself which is much shorter than meats or poultry. It's for this reason I love this curry, it's cooked like a stir fry - flavour components are added one by one to build complex layers of flavour but over a short span of time. Ready in 20 minutes. That's about the same time for the rice to be ready.

The ingredients for Jheenga Palak - Shrimp & Spinach Curry

Stuff You'll Need

Here's what you'll need to build the perfect shrimp and spinach curry - it may look like a lot, but it's all flavour building.

  • Whole spices - these are used to temper and flavour the oil to help the curry take on flavour: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds and fresh curry leaves.
  • Ground spices - coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, paprika and salt.
  • Shrimp - I like to use jumbo shrimp/king prawns as they're nice and juicy,
  • Aromatics - shallots (or onion), ginger and garlic add a little backbone to the sauce
  • Coconut milk - to add a luxurious creaminess to the curry
  • Spinach - I tend used cooked spinach for this curry, which I buy frozen for convenience
  • Garnishes - Cherry tomatoes, spring onion and lime for a zesty finish.
Frying curry leaves and whole spices in a pan
Frying shallots, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and spices in a pan
Adding shrimp and coconut milk to a spiced onion base in a pan to create a shrimp curry
Adding spinach to a shrimp curry in a pan
Adding tomatoes and coconut milk to a pan of coconut shrimp curry - Jheenga Palak.

Step by Step

Here's how to create the curry quickly and easily. As I mentioned earlier, I usually use frozen pre-cooked spinach that comes in little bundles. But I've included a method of how to cook your own spinach too.

To cook the spinach - wash thoroughly and remove any thick stems. Place into a wok or large pan, the water on the leaves will be enough to cook them. Turn on the heat and pop on a lid - leave for 30-40 seconds then stir until it's wilted. Drain the spinach in a sieve or colander coated with a clean tea towel. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then twist the towel into a ball and squeeze out all the excess liquid. Turn out onto a cutting board and chop finely and set aside.

  1. Step 1 - Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a moderate heat until hot. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds and curry leaves. Let them splutter for a few seconds until they start to pop.
  2. Step 2 - Add the shallots and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1-2 minutes more, adding a little water (1/4 cup) to avoid it burning.
  3. Step 3 - Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, paprika and salt and stir briefly before mixing in the shrimp. Stir for 30 seconds then pour in 1 cup of the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 3 minutes.
  4. Step 4 - Stir in the chopped spinach and then add about 1 cup water. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the tomatoes and then the spring onions and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
  5. Step 5 - Pour over the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk and then squeeze over the lime juice. Remove from the heat and serve!
A small bowl of shrimp curry and rice with a fork and spoon

Serving & Storage Suggestions

  • Serving - I like to serve this curry alongside lots of fluffy basmati rice or sometimes over thin vermicelli rice noodles. I will often serve more lime or lemon wedges on the side to add a little more zing.
  • Fridge - Seafood curries are best eaten as close to cooking as possible. They do lose a lot of their magic if eaten as leftovers, so for that reason I would only store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Even then, it's not going to be as delicious.
  • Freezer - I wouldn't recommend this dish for freezing. Fresh is best!

Ready to get cooking?

I love this curry for two reasons - firstly that it's delicious! Nothing gets past me on that front, it could be the fastest food in the world, but if it doesn't cut it on flavour it doesn't cut it! This curry has BAGS of personality and never fails to delight. Secondly, it's quick and easy!

The recipe is not set in stone, so I'll often change up some of the ingredients or quantities, but at its core it's the same process and results, a rich, creamy curry packed with earthy iron-rich spinach in a silky spicy sauce. It's pretty much perfect. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

A small bowl of shrimp curry and rice with a fork and spoon

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about this Jheenga Palak recipe? Let me know in the comments.

What are Jheenga?

consumed as seafood. In English, they are also known simply as "shrimp" or "prawns." Shrimp and prawns are similar in appearance and taste, but they come from different species of crustaceans. In some regions, "jheenga" may be spelled as "jhinga" or "jheengha," but they all refer to the same seafood.

What is Palak?

Palak is spinach, commonly used in various cuisines. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and is often cooked into dishes such as curries, stews, and salads for its nutritional benefits.

Is shrimp curry healthy?

Generally speaking, this curry is healthier than a meat or poultry curry. Shrimp provides protein and nutrients, but factors like added fats and sodium can affect its healthiness. When prepared in moderate portions, this shrimp curry can most definitely be part of a balanced, healthy diet.

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A small bowl of shrimp curry and rice with a fork and spoon

Jheenga Palak - Shrimp & Spinach Curry

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5 from 1 vote
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Recipe by Lee
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 3
Calories (per serving) | 468

Video Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

To cook the spinach

  • Wash the spinach thoroughly and remove any thick stems. Place into a wok or large pan, the water on the leaves will be enough to cook them. Turn on the heat and pop on a lid - leave for 30-40 seconds and then remove the lid and stir the spinach until it's all wilted.
    Drain the spinach in a sieve or collander coated with a clean tea towel. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then twist the towel into a ball and squueze out all the excess liquid from the spinach. Turn out onto a cutting board and chop the spinach finely. Set aside.

To cook the curry

  • Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a moderate heat until hot. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds and curry leaves. Let them splutter for a few seconds until they start to pop.
    Add the shallots and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1-2 minutes more, adding a little water (1/4 cup) to avoid it burning.
  • Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, paprika and salt and stir briefly before mixing in the shrimp.
    Stir for 30 seconds then pour in 1 cup of the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped spinach and then add about 1 cup water. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and then the spring onions and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
  • Pour over the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk and then squeeze over the lime juice. Remove from the heat and serve!
  • Serve with lots of fluffy rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 14g (5%) | Protein: 27g (54%) | Fat: 36g (55%) | Saturated Fat: 29g (181%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 210mg (70%) | Sodium: 1360mg (59%) | Potassium: 708mg (20%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 1390IU (28%) | Vitamin C: 148mg (179%) | Calcium: 181mg (18%) | Iron: 6mg (33%)
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