MIDDLE EASTERN SPINACH WITH SPICES AND YOGURT

Middle Eastern Spinach with Spices and Yogurt image

This is a wonderful way to eat your spinach. You find variations of the dish from Turkey through the Middle East. I love the subtle spices and the cool yogurt spooned over the hot spinach.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 30m

Yield Serves 3

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 clove (1/8 teaspoon ground)
2 allspice berries (1/8 teaspoon ground)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds or cumin seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, cut in half, green shoots removed (more to taste)
Salt to taste
1 cup drained yogurt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 12-ounce bag baby spinach, washed

Steps:

Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat and add the clove, allspice berries, and coriander seeds or cumin seeds. Heat, shaking the pan, until the spices begin to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes, then grind in a spice mill. Add the cinnamon, and set aside.
In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste, and stir into the yogurt. Set aside.
Place the baby spinach in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water, and chop coarsely.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until they begin color (2 to 3 minutes), then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the spices to the oil. When they begin to sizzle, cook for about 30 seconds and add the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through and coated with the oil and spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt over the top. This is very nice served with Arabic bread.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 174, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 510 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams