Spiced Water Spinach Recipes

SPICY SAUTéED SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, chiles, garlic, and mustard seeds. Cook, stirring often, until garlic begins to brown and mustard seeds pop, about 1 minute. Add spinach to skillet by the handful, allowing it to wilt between additions. Cook, tossing often, until spinach is tender, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

MIDDLE EASTERN SPINACH WITH SPICES AND YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat and add the clove, allspice berries, and coriander seeds or cumin seeds. Heat, shaking the pan, until the spices begin to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes, then grind in a spice mill. Add the cinnamon, and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste, and stir into the yogurt. Set aside.
• Place the baby spinach in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water, and chop coarsely.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until they begin color (2 to 3 minutes), then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the spices to the oil. When they begin to sizzle, cook for about 30 seconds and add the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through and coated with the oil and spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt over the top. This is very nice served with Arabic bread.

FIVE-SPICED CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large saucepan on medium heat, add butter and sweat the onions. Season with five spice, salt and pepper. Deglaze with vinegar and add spinach and cream. Cook on low heat to reduce liquid by 50 percent. Check for seasoning
• PLATING Use a very large platter and place down vegetables first and lamb on top. Carve lamb and display on the vegetables. Serve the spinach and jelly in separate bowls.

SPICED WATER SPINACH

Steps:

• Trim stem ends of water spinach, then slice remaining stems and leaves crosswise 1/4inch thick.
• Heat oil in wok over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook panch phoron and whole chiles, stirring constantly, until seeds begin sputtering, about 30 seconds. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until it begins to turn golden, about 15 seconds.
• Add water spinach a handful at a time, stirring. Add salt and cook, stirring, until most of liquid that spinach gives off is evaporated, about 6 minutes.
• Available at Indian markets and Kalustyan's (212-685-3451).

SPICED POTATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large pot, cover the potatoes with cold water, add some salt then bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion and cook until the onion has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes. Stir in the curry powder, then add the spinach and tomato. Cook and stir until the spinach has wilted and all the flavors have merged together, about 2 more minutes. Serve warm.

SPICED SPINACH & POTATO PASTY PIES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan that has a lid or in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the cumin seeds in the oil for a few seconds until they start to crackle, then stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute more. Mix in the curry powder and cook for another minute. Stir through the potatoes until completely coated in the spice mix and cook for 4 mins.
• Pour about 75ml water over the potatoes and season with salt. Put the lid on and cook over a medium-high heat for 6-8 mins, until the potatoes are just cooked and most of the water has been absorbed. Add the spinach, cover the pan and cook for a minute. Remove the lid and cook for another 5 mins until the spinach is completely wilted and there's no liquid in the pan. Turn off the heat and season with the garam masala. Leave to cool. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• To assemble the pies, mix the egg with the turmeric and a pinch of salt in a bowl and set aside. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin and cut out four circles about 12cm wide, arranging them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put a quarter of the potato mixture into the middle of each pastry circle, leaving a border. Re-roll the pastry offcuts, then cut out four more circles, about 8cm wide. Brush the borders of the larger pastry circles with the spiced egg, then drape the smaller circles over the potato filling. Pinch the borders to seal. Brush the pies with more of the spiced egg and scatter over a pinch of cumin seeds. Will keep frozen for up to two months. Defrost fully before baking.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake the pies for 30-35 mins until deep golden. Leave to cool a little, then enjoy warm or leave to cool completely and eat like a pasty with mango chutney or lime pickle. Will keep chilled for two days in an airtight container.