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South Indian Sautéed Spinach

South Indian Sautéed Spinach

By Courtney HillOctober 15, 2019

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    15 minutes
  • Rating

This simple spinach sauté, inspired by a dish called palakura vepudu, is quick to make and has a wonderfully rich aroma and flavor. The secret is infusing the dish with a tarka—spices toasted in butter to bloom their flavors and fragrances. We use cumin seeds and mustard seeds as the flavor foundation for the dish; alliums and other aromatics are cooked briefly in the tarka to soften their bite.

Tip

Don't use baby spinach for this dish, as the leaves quickly turn soggy and limp. Mature spinach is sturdier and more flavorful. Look for bunches with large, dark green leaves and snappy stems.

Ingredients
  • 4

    tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, cut into 4 pieces

  • 1

    teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1

    teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1

    jalapeño chili, stemmed and minced

  • 1

    tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 1½

    teaspoons curry powder

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1½

    pounds bunch spinach, trimmed of bottom 1½ inches, roughly chopped

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven over medium, melt the butter. Add the cumin and mustard seeds, then toast, stirring often, until fragrant and sizzling, 45 to 90 seconds. Add the garlic, jalapeño, ginger, onion, curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the spinach, turning to coat with the butter. Cover and cook until the stems are tender, about 4 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt and pepper.