I love spinach, especially in curries. One of my favourite side dishes is sag aloo. I have tried many recipes but, until now, have been disappointed. This recipe is not a traditional sag aloo but it is delicious and, for me, is exactly what I want to accompany an Indian meal.
Full of nutrients and delicious taste, spinach is a winter superfood. But what’s the best way to eat it? Here are a few tips, courtesy of Care2 website.
- It’s wiser to choose tender baby spinach leaves. The larger the leaves, the more mature they are and more likely to be tough or stringy.
- Spinach leaves that are placed under direct light in the stores have been found to contain more nutrients than those stored in darkness.
- Cooking spinach actually increases its health benefits! Just half a cup of cooked spinach will give you three times as much nutrition as one cup of raw spinach. That’s because the body cannot completely break down and use the nutrients in raw spinach.
- As an exception to the advice above, research studies show that taking spinach in juice form is actually the healthiest way to consume it. Blend spinach with other vegetables or fruits to create a delicious glass of juice.
- There’s a compound in spinach called oxalic acid, which blocks the absorption of calcium and iron. An easy way to solve this problem is to pair spinach with a food high in vitamin C.
- Freezing spinach diminishes its health benefits. The way to get the best from the leaf is to buy it fresh and eat it the same day.
- Do place spinach on your ‘organic shopping’ list, because the leaf tends to be sprayed heavily with pesticides that don’t come off with normal washing.
- Everyone talks about the benefits of spinach in nourishing the eyes and building bones. What few know is that it also very good for digestion. Spinach eases constipation and protects the mucus lining of the stomach, so that you stay free of ulcers. It also flushes out toxins from the colon.
- Another lesser known benefit of spinach is its role in skin care. The bounty of vitamins and minerals in spinach can bring you quick relief from dry, itchy skin and lavish you with a radiant complexion. Regular consumption of fresh, organic spinach juice has been shown to improve skin health dramatically.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-surprising-health-facts-about-spinach.html#ixzz2UwrG42ip
Well, here is the recipe. Hope you like it.
Spicy potatoes and spinach Serves 2-4 (depending on using as a main or side dish)
- 400g waxy new potatoes (I used Charlotte), cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 x 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick, halved
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp ginger paste (or 1 inch root ginger peeled and grated)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp hot chilli powder
- 200g chopped canned tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 200 ml warm cooking liquid (reserved from potatoes)
- 1 bag washed and ready to eat baby leaf spinach
- Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes or until just tender.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan or wok and add the fennel seeds and cinnamon stick. Cook for a few seconds then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Fry over a medium heat for about 5 – 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and just turning colour.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir fry for about 30 seconds then add the tomatoes. Increase the heat and cook until the tomato juice has evaporated.
- Cook the spinach as per instruction on packet. Drain and squeeze out excess juice then chop roughly and add to the tomatoes with the potatoes and 200 ml of the potato cooking water. Season with the salt. Mix well and when warmed through, serve.
Tasty Advice 