…Spinach or not Spinach, that is the question…..some people like spinach in their pie, some don’t like it at all! I like my spinach cooked with garlic and onion then eat with rice. That’s why today I am going to share how we Bangladeshis cook it!

This is super easy vegan dish to make! We need nothing but spinach, onion, garlic, salt and oil. Even chili is optional if you are not a big fan of it. Unfortunately I am using frozen spinach today, as it is hard to get fresh spinach in Denmark. However, you can cook any leafy greens like kale, amaranth (except salads) in this way and I am sure it will turn out amazing!

So, slice the onion and garlic first. Take a pan and heat your vegetable oil in medium low heat. Now, what is a must in my spinach recipe is chill – dried red hot chili! Without it, my spinach dish is incomplete! However, if you don’t have dry red chili in the pantry, you can use fresh chili, but just add them when you add spinach on the pan. So the first thing I do is put my dried chili in warm oil and fry them until they are inflated.

Then put garlic slices in oil that will bring a loads of flavor to your spinach dish. One of the main essence of this easy spinach dish is the aroma and taste of garlic. So to incorporate that flavor, it is important to season the oil with garlic slices in this way. Once garlic starts bubbling and they are slightly reddish, pour your thickly sliced onion in the pan. Fry them until golden.

Now, its time to add your spinach, frozen or fresh. I usually don’t defrost them before cooking because it is really not needed as I am not baking them. When you cook with frozen spinach, it melts easily and water gets evaporated in the process. If you are using green chili unlike me, put them with spinach now, make sure to slice them slightly if you want a hint of chili in your spinach. Add your salt too at this step.

Tips 1: Seasoning with garlic and chili in warm oil enhances and spreads the flavor

Now, cover the pan with lid and let them melt completely. It is important to keep the stove in low heat, otherwise you will end up with burnt spinach. When spinach are melted after a while, uncover the pan and start stirring the spinach. You can turn your heat little high but it is also important to stir them often.

Your spinach will start to get dry, all waters should be gone by now and oil starts to get separated from pan. You can fry them extra to make it tastier. But I like my spinach dark green,not brown! So I would take them out of stove and eat them warm with rice!

Recipe: 4 Serving Prepping time: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 200 gram of Spinach 2 cloves of garlic 1 Large Onion Spice and Condiments 20ml Vegetable Oil 1 tsp fine Salt 2-3 Chili – dried or green(optional)

Instructions: 1. Slice onions and garlic first. 2. Warm oil in a pan and put garlic and dried chili first. Saute garlic until little reddish and chilies are inflated. Add onion and fry until golden. 3. Add frozen or fresh spinach and stir them a bit. Then cover the pot with lid. Keep them in low heat until the leaves are lessen in volume or the frozen spinach is completely melted. 4. Stir spinach once in a while until waters are gone and spinach starts looks darker in color and oil starts to get separated from the spinach. 5. Turn of heat and take them out of stove. Serve the spinach with rice or ruti!