Spinach In Coconut Milk with Indian Spices

If you want a quick and easy dish with that Indian flavor then this is the dish for you.  The blending of the spices with the coconut milk will satisfy that Indian food craving you are having. It did for me.  I just woke up with this huge hankering for some kind of dish with a thick sauce with the characteristic Indian flavor.  I was thinking Spinach Palak Paneer but I did not feel like using any cheese, or cheese substitute or even tofu to mimic the sauce or texture (I am plant based).  I also read in one source they customarily blend the spinach to fine texture when cooking this dish.  I did not want to go through that.  I just want my Indian flavored sauce with my favorite vegetable spinach and over quinoa which I perfectly cooked, at last, yesterday.  I am happy to say this dish satisfies all the criteria I was looking to attain.  You will love this dish and do not be surprise you might eat the whole thing.  It was so good and addictive I ate it for breakfast and for my morning break.  

Spinach In Coconut Milk with Indian Spices

• 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup water
• 2 red dry chilies, crumbled
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 lb spinach (Note 2)
• salt to taste
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 stalks cilantro

In a saute pan heated to medium high heat, add the garlic, ginger, onion and some of the water (Note 1). Continue heating and adding the water till the three ingredients are cooked.  Then heat till only a little bit of the water is left then add the chilies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and coconut milk.  Continue to heat at medium heat till the taste of the spices are blended.  Add the spinach and continue to heat till the spinach is wilted. Garnish with the tomato slices and cilantro.  Serve over rice or quinoa or with Naan bread.  Enjoy.

Notes:

1.  I am observing the plant based approach so I skip oil in sauteing but you can use some oil in sauteing the garlic, ginger and onion.  If you are doing this, skip the water.  

2.  You can increase the amount of spinach to 2 lbs but you will have relatively less sauce.  I prefer my spinach to swim in plenty of sauce.