Koraisuti palak (Spinach with green peas)

The fresh market now looks like a celebration. All the fresh vegetables and fruits are so inviting. I always buy more than I planned to. Most of the year, peas come in cans or from the frozen section. One of my best childhood memories is shelling peas in the winter mornings, and popping a few in my mouth while doing so. Like little green pearls they were, and I completely indulged in their fleshy sweetness. Therefore, when I saw the fresh peas on the market stands, I couldn’t resist to buy. Bengal, with so many rivers crisscrossing it and ponds dotting it, gave leafy vegetables a very prominent place in its cuisine. Everyday staple food consists of at least a leafy vegetable item. I do not get most of the greens in Slovenia, and therefore often buy spinach instead. This time I just wished to celebrate the fresh peas with the spinach. Most Bengali vegetarian dishes use very little spices and let the vegetables retain their own flavors and form a subtle delicacy. This dish was no different. A bit of cumin seeds and ghee, and that was pretty much it. While eating it with steaming hot rice, one can easily reach the winter lunches and chatter in a Bengali household.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

 

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 2)

300g spinach

1/2cup green peas

1sp cumin seeds

Ghee, salt

METHOD:

1.      Tear the spinach leaves and soft stems. Wash well and drain.

2.      In a wok, heat 1tbsp ghee. Add the cumin seeds and let crackle.

3.      Add the spinach leaves and green peas. Add salt.

4.      Cook covered on medium heat until the leaves wilt and start leaving moisture.

5.      Remove cover. Cook until the moisture almost dries (5-8 minutes)

6.      Garnish with ghee. Serve with steaming rice.

Chicken spinach roll

I was planning for long to make this spinach chicken roll. I had this idea of using spicy spinach stuffing and glazing the roll with honey, and was eager to see how both would work. I love using ginger, tomato and shallots with spinach, so decided to make the stuffing like that. Then I selected blue cheese because I love its flavor. The stuffing was spicy. And I loved how the blue cheese imparted its flavor without making the roll cheesy. The lemon in the glaze gave a perfect hint of tartness. As the sweetness with the first bite melted into savory flavors, I loved my creation.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 6)

500g chicken breast

500g spinach

1cup chopped tomato

1tbsp ginger paste

2 green chilies

1/2cup chopped shallots

100g blue cheese (bleu cheese) crumbled

2tbsp breadcrumbs

1tbsp honey

2tbsp lemon juice

4tbsp sour cream

Cayenne pepper

Butter

Salt

METHOD:

1.      Heat butter in a wok, add the chopped shallots, tomato, chopped green chilies, and ginger paste. Cook on moderate heat for 5 minutes.

2.      Coarsely chop the spinach and add it in the wok. Season with salt.

3.      Cook on low-moderate heat till the water from the spinach dries. Set aside.

4.      In a pan, heat butter and add the breadcrumbs. Do until golden brown.

5.      Flatten the chicken breast to 1/2cm thickness.

6.      Smear the flattened breast with butter and then sour cream.

7.      Add the spinach mixture in a layer.

8.      Sprinkle breadcrumbs and blue cheese crumbles.

9.      Roll the chicken breast tightly.

10.   Mix the honey and lemon juice.

11.   Smear the outside of chicken with it. Season with cayenne pepper.

12.   Bake at 200°C for 40 minutes.

13.   Let it stay for 5 minutes and then cut into slices.

14.   Serve with roasted veggies.

Spinach lasagna

I like lasagna and decided to make some variations from the classic one with meat sauce. Making a spinach sauce was good idea. A search over the internet displayed many recipes most of which use mushrooms along with spinach. I, however, decided to use only spinach. Sour cream gave a nice creamy taste and texture. It was creamy, juicy and cheesy crunchy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pack lasagna sheets (500g)
500g spinach
500g sour cream
250g cheese (Parmesan or Gouda or any other light cheese)
1/2cup breadcrumbs
125g butter
150g four
1lt milk
Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg

METHOD:

1. Cook the lasagna as per instructions on the packet if required.
2. Heat oil in a wok and add the breadcrumbs.
3. Let it brown a bit with constant stirring.
4. Add the spinach, salt and pepper.
5. Cook until the spinach is dry and it wilts to form a mass.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In the mean time, heat butter in a separate pan.
8. Add the flour and let it brown stirring continuously.
9. When it starts frothing, add the milk slowly stirring continuously. Take care so that no lumps are formed.
10. Add freshly ground pepper, salt, and nutmeg when it starts boiling.
11. Cook for 10 minutes more or until it reaches a creamy consistency.
12. Now mix uniformly the sour cream with the spinach when the later is a bit colder.
13. Grate the cheese.
14. Make a deep baking tray ready with baking paper.
15. Arrange a layer of lasagna sheets.
16. Add a layer of the creamy spinach and the white sauce. The amount of creamy spinach should be more than the white sauce.
17. Make several layers (3-4 with these quantities).
18. Cover it with another layer of lasagna sheets. Smear it with white sauce and sprinkle cheese generously.
19. Bake it in preheated oven at 180˙C for 45 minutes.
20. Take out from oven and let it stand for a few minutes before serving.

NOTE:
Do not add too much of the white sauce in each layer so that the taste is not too floury.