I always love spinach (and spinach loves me as well ;P). This spinach recipe is by far my favourite.
What to Serve With Afghan Spinach?
Spinach is a great source of iron and vitamin A. It’s versatile to cook as it goes really well with cheese, creamy pasta, any curry, miso soup, or as a side dish, like the popular Croatian blitva.
I first tried Afghan spinach in Munich, Germany, where an Afghan restaurant was given high ratings. They offer spinach as a side dish and both Curry Boy and I found it tasted SUPER GOOD! Then I looked it up online and found only a few recipes, and the ingredients required are very simple.
Will Frozen Spinach Work?
If you search for ‘Afghan spinach recipe’ online, you may find most of the recipes use frozen spinach. I think the reasons behind it are:
- Frozen spinach is more budget-friendly. As you’ll see, it requires a lot of spinach to make this 2 person’s side dish. I used 10 portions of frozen spinach!
- Frozen spinach comes in handy and is convenient. No need to wash and defrost, just cook as it is!
Another Afghan spinach recipe recommends using loose frozen spinach type, but I find it’s not easily accessible. So I just bought the typical blocked type. It just takes less than 10 minutes to cook with a lid covered.
Can I Use Fresh Spinach?
Absolutely YES! But two more steps are required if using fresh spinach. First, you need to wash it thoroughly; second, sweat it in a dry pan to bring down its volume before adding to the sautéed scallions.
One day, I couldn’t buy frozen spinach so I turned to the fresh one. Each pack was 450 g. And I dry cooked it like the picture below, and it yielded for 3 portions as a side dish.
Can I Make Without Dill?
If you don’t always have dill at home, but only coriander, it is still very tasty! Although dill does add brightness to this Afghan spinach. It’s not a must. I did try using only coriander or dill, both ways suit my taste. But coriander powder is necessary. So, don’t skip it.
What to Serve With Afghan Spinach?
Like the Afghan restaurant, I paired the spinach with basmati rice , a Curry Boy’s signature dish – vegetable pulao, and a bowl of dal soup. The Afghan spinach offered brightness and dark leafy vegetable nutrients. Really LOVE this side dish.
Ingredients
Serves 2 (as a side dish)
- 10 portions frozen spinach (360 g)
- if using fresh spinach, around 300 – 400 g should be fine
- 5-6 scallions (100 g), chopped
- 20 g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- ⅓ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
How to Make Afghan Slow Cooked Spinach
- Heat a tbsp of oil and sautéed the scallions over medium heat, until tender and slightly burnt, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the frozen spinach. Cover with a lid for about 10 minutes, until it wilted.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir regularly, until the spinach looks a bit dry. Have a taste and adjust. Serve with basmati rice, flat bread or grilled meat.
