Elderfield Spinach with Coconut Milk

Name: Elderfield Spinach with Coconut Milk
Ingredients: 100 gm. of fresh young spinach leaves; 2 tbsp. olive oil - use other oil if you don’t have this; 1/2 medium onion (approximately 75 gm), peeled and finely sliced; 1/2 tsp. fresh chilli, finely diced; 1 tsp. garlic purée (or freshly grated); 1/4 tsp. of ginger purée (or freshly crushed); Salt to taste; 200 ml. of coconut milk, I use a light version. You can use 50-70 gm. of solid creamed coconut dissolved in 200 ml. of water.; 1 1/2 tbsp. grated cheese (optional for topping)

Spinach with Coconut Milk

Steven Lister

IndianMainStarterVeganVegetarian

Inspired by memories of a side dish served with a great meal that one of my good friends cooked several years back, I had to make something along similar lines. As I remember, it was a creamy little dish with spinach and coconut and a few extra spices/herbs. So here is my version of that dish. The amounts given are per serving, as an ample starter.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

100 gm. of fresh young spinach leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil - use other oil if you don’t have this
1/2 medium onion (approximately 75 gm), peeled and finely sliced
1/2 tsp. fresh chilli, finely diced
1 tsp. garlic purée (or freshly grated)
1/4 tsp. of ginger purée (or freshly crushed)
Salt to taste
200 ml. of coconut milk, I use a light version. You can use 50-70 gm. of solid creamed coconut dissolved in 200 ml. of water.
1 1/2 tbsp. grated cheese (optional for topping)

Instructions

Wash the spinach, squeeze excess moisture out and chop roughly.
Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok to a medium hot, add onion and fresh chilli. Fry for a few seconds and add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute, just to soften them.
Add the Spinach leaves and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the other ingredients to soften.
Add salt and stir it in.
You can serve it with a sprinkling of cheese on top, melted in a microwave or normal oven.
Alternatively, add a little coconut milk, stir it in and cook until the sauce has thickened. This should not take more than a few minutes on the high heat.
Serve it as part of a main meal, or with some crusty bread or toast as a starter.
Optional Extra: You can sprinkle it with a cheese of your choice (preferably something mild that will melt in the heat once the lid is closed) and then close the lid. The heat will melt it into the spinach.

Notes

Leftover Spinach (last picture); blend it with a little water, adjust seasoning, give a 'tarka' or tempering with mustard seeds and chilli powder and serve with Boiled Rice or Nan.