• Start by pressing the saute mode in Instant Pot
• Add 2 teaspoon of oil to the inner pot on medium setting.
• Once it’s hot, add cinnamon sticks, chopped ginger-garlic and saute for 2 minutes until they turn light brown.
• Now add chopped onions and continue to saute until they turn translucent.
• Add the spices one by one - red chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder.
• Add spinach leaves, frozen green peas and continue to stir well.
• Now add the rinsed Basmati Rice, water, salt and give a good stir.
• Press ‘Cancel’ to stop sauteing and close the instant pot lid.
• Press the ‘pressure cook’ setting and set the timer for 4 mins high pressure.
• After the timer expires, do a natural pressure release. Remove the lid, add lemon juice, and lightly fluff rice with a fork.
• Spinach Rice is ready! Serve it hot paired with raita.

Stovetop Method

• First cook the basmati rice and be ready with it. You can use an Instant pot pressure cooker for that or cook over the stovetop. I mentioned in the lemon rice how to cook basmati rice on the stovetop.

  Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium flame and add 2 teaspoons of oil.
• As the oil heats up, add cinnamon sticks and the chopped ginger-garlic mix. 

  Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn light brown in color. 
• Now add chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent.

  Add the spices one by one as you continue to saute: red chili powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder. 
• Add spinach leaves, frozen green peas. Stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked Basmati Rice, and salt to give a stir. Close the lid, cook on medium-low flame for 1- 2 minutes.

  Add lemon juice and fluff up the rice gently with a fork.