Spinach Curry: A Winter Seasonal Spinach Reinvention

Ingredients−2servings+

• Quinoa1 cup
• Water2 cups
• Olive oil2 tablespoons
• Soaked chickpeas200g
• Cumin powder1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder2 tablespoons
• Black peppera pinch
• Vegetable broth2 cups
• Spinach300g
• Salt1/2 teaspoon
• Coconut milk150ml
• Salta pinch

Directions▶ Start cooking

1. Place 1 cup of quinoa, lightly rinsed with water, into a pot.
2. Pour 2 cups of water into the pot with the quinoa and bring to a boil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.⏱ 15m
3. In another pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add 200g of soaked chickpeas and sauté.
4. Add a pinch of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of cumin powder, and 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder to the chickpeas, mix well, and continue to sauté.
5. Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the sautéed chickpeas for topping.
6. Pour 1 cup of vegetable broth into the remaining chickpeas, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for about 8-10 minutes.⏱ 10m
7. Remove only the soil attached to the roots of 300g of spinach and trim the root ends to use them whole.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to boiling water and blanch the thoroughly washed spinach for about 20 seconds.
9. Submerge the blanched spinach in cold water to cool it down.
10. Squeeze out the water from the blanched spinach and finely chop the stems.
11. Place the blanched spinach, chickpeas, and 1 cup of vegetable broth into a blender and blend until smooth.
12. Pour the blended spinach curry into a pot, add 150ml of coconut milk, and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat to finish.
13. Adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed.
14. Serve the finished spinach curry in a bowl, garnish with quinoa, the reserved chickpeas, finely chopped chard stems, and enjoy.

Tips

• Spinach roots are rich in anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory effects and protect cells damaged by inflammation. Remove only the soil attached to the roots and use them whole.
• If spinach is cooked for too long, nutrients can be destroyed by heat, so it's best to blanch it lightly before eating.
• Blanching spinach with salt helps balance potassium and sodium and prevents water-soluble nutrients like vitamins from leaching out.
• Chard stems are good to use as a topping.

🧑‍🍳 Recipe analysis notes

Supplementary notes from the video analysis. Please check the original video before cooking.

⚠️ Where this goes wrong

• Blanching the spinach too long destroys nutrients and dulls the color, so don't go past 20 seconds.
• Chickpeas that weren't soaked enough or are undercooked make the curry gritty and hard, so soak them well and cook them until soft.
• When you blend the curry base, the spinach and chickpeas need to go completely smooth with no lumps for a silky texture.

🔄 Substitutions

• Rice, barley, or couscous can replace the quinoa in the same amount.
• Plain water or kombu stock works in place of the vegetable stock, in the same amount.
• Lentils or white kidney beans can replace the chickpeas in the same amount.

🎚️ Adjusting the taste

• Add the salt little by little while tasting, and adjust the amount to your liking to keep it on the less salty side.
• Use regular milk instead of coconut milk, or use less of it, for a lighter, less rich curry.
• If the turmeric or cumin tastes too strong to you, cut both down to half.

✔️ Verification notes

• Quinoa is done when it turns translucent and the little tails pop out after boiling — check for that.
• Press a chickpea between your fingers: if it mashes easily, it's cooked through.

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