Arabian Spinach Food

EGYPTIAN STYLE SPINACH (SABANEK)

Steps:

• Wash spinach well and cut into small sized strips. I usually take a few leaves, and slice together into strips, leave the stem, not problem. (This does not have to perfect, you just want to get them into longer, smaller strips.) Set aside.
• Boil stew meat in water with the two sliced onion and two bouillon cubes. Cook until tender approximately 2 hours.
• Strain out meat and pour broth into a large bowl.
• In that same pot used for cooking meat, add chopped onion, garlic and butter and sauté until soft.
• Add tomato paste, all spices, and stir around until well coated.
• Add pureed tomatoes, ½ cup water and approximately 2-3 cups of broth. (You can add or decrease broth, depending on how thick you'd like it to be, check while cooking and add more or less broth. End result should be thick, but watery enough to be like a thick sauce -- hope that makes sense.).
• Bring to a boil, add spinach and simmer for 20- 30 minutes on low heat.
• Serve in bowls next to plates of rice and browned fideo noodles or with pita bread for scooping.

MIDDLE EASTERN SPINACH WITH SPICES AND YOGURT

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 three 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 add just enough 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. Stir until they begin color (two to three 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, two to three minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and spoon the yogurt over the top.

JIDDO'S FATAYER SABANEGH (SPINACH TRIANGLES)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together yeast, sugar and hot water; set aside until bubbles form on the yeast's surface. Stir in salt and olive oil. Place flour in a large bowl, then stir in yeast mixture and bring mixture together to form a soft dough. Working on a lightly floured surface, use your hands to knead the dough until it's satiny smooth and soft, about 15 minutes. Cover dough with a clean towel and set aside to rest.
• Coarsely chop the spinach. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add spinach. Cook spinach 2 minutes, or just until wilted; drain very well and return to the pot. Add onions, lemon juice, garlic, basil, mint, and garlic salt. Cook and stir spinach mixture 2 minutes more to blend the flavors.
• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Meanwhile, cut the dough into golf-ball size pieces and roll into 5-inch diameter disks about 1/4-inch thick. Place 1 tablespoon of spinach filling in the middle of each disk. Be sure to stir the spinach mixture frequently so the juice doesn't separate. Fold up three sides of the disk to make a triangle, leaving a small hole in the center to release steam while baking.
• Bake 10 to15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and cool on racks.

ARABIAN SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for about 5 minutes until softened.
• Add the garlic and cumin seeds, then fry for another minute.
• Add the spinach, in stages, stirring until the leaves begin to wilt.
• Stir in the chick peas, butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat until just bubbling, then serve hot.