Spinach in Yogurt Sauce

A creamy Indian-style spinach dish made with fresh spinach leaves cooked in a seasoned yogurt sauce, tempered with aromatic spices like mustard seeds, cumin, and curry leaves.

4 servings
17 min

Ingredients

  • tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ small onion
  • 1 pound spinach
  • 1 small green chile
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • 10 leaves fresh curry leaves

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add spinach, chile, 2 tablespoons water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.

    12 min

  2. 2.

    Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook mustard seeds until they begin to pop and/or turn gray, then add cumin seeds and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until cumin seeds brown, about 30 seconds more. Add curry leaves (if using), covering skillet immediately for a few seconds, then stir spice mixture into spinach mixture. Season with salt. Serve warm.

    5 min