The Khronicles

 The Bilingual Community Newspaper

'Η Δίγλωσση Τοπική Εφημερίδα Σας

Τα Χρονικά
    ISSUE NO. 37 MAY 2009 WWW.KO-GO.GR    


The Khronicles

A division of

Ko-Go Επιχειρήσεις

Box 332
Kokkini Hani 71500
Web address: www.ko-go.gr
editor@ko-go.gr
Telephone: 2810-762748
Fax: 2810-762816

Publisher:

Sofia Klidi

Editor:

Lou Duro

Associate Editors:

Tony & Christine Bowes

Web Editor

John McLaren

Contributors/
Columnists:

Renie Spykerman, Petra Karreman, Maria Daskalaki, John McLaren, Bob Bayes, Father Dimitris Mihouthis, Father Leonidas Hatzakis, Vasiliki Alexaki-Hronaki, Michalis Vardakis, Niki Yiamalaki, Dr. Vangelis Athousakis, Nikolaos Papadakis, Spyros Hatzakis, Jasmine Farsarakis

Translations:

Ada Vamvoukaki

Photographer:

Sami Moudavaris

Layout & Design:

George Drakakis

Printed By:

G Detorakis
 
COOKING

 By Christine Bowes
chris@ko-go.gr

 
What To Do With A Bag Of Spinach?

 Of course, if you happen to be a fan of Popeye, you already know the answer to that question. But, that's too simple. As it happened, I was in the middle of trying to decide what to write about this month, when a good neighbour gave me a big bag of spinach. Normally I would use it just as a tasty vegetable side dish, or make some small spinach pies, both of which are delicious. But, as my husband is a curry addict, and, in India, it is the most commonly consumed green vegetable, I settled on a lamb and spinach curry. My recipe has quite a bit of blending, but the resulting sauce is full of wonderful goodness and flavour.  For this version of a lamb and spinach karahi curry for six people, you will need:

300g ghee or clarified butter
2 large onions, chopped
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 inch piece of root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
150ml water1kg boneless leg of lamb cut into 4cm pieces
Salt to taste
500g fresh spinach, large stalks removed and leaves washed
4 green chillies, chopped finely, but remove seeds if you do not want the curry too hot (remember to wash your hands after handling chillies)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground turmeric
½ tbsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped


Heat the oven to 150°C

1. Heat the ghee or butter in a large casserole dish, add the onions and fry gently until soft. Into a food processor put the tomatoes and juice, water, garlic and ginger and mix until a smooth paste. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon and add to the paste in the processor. Blend until a purée is formed.

2. Add the puree to the ghee left in the pan. Add the lamb and salt and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will reduce a little and the lamb should be about half cooked. While this is cooking, put 200g of the spinach leaves into a large pan and cook until wilted. Transfer to the processor, add the chillies and blend to a smooth purée.

3. Add the purée to the lamb mixture and add the rest of the spinach leaves; cook for a couple of minutes until the leaves are beginning to wilt, cover the dish, put in the oven and cook for one hour, checking after 30 minutes that the curry is not cooking too quickly. When it is done, check the lamb and stir in the fresh coriander.

Curries always taste better when they are left overnight and then reheated gently the next day. It gives time for all the wonderful flavours to develop.

Serve this dish with either pilau rice or some plain naan breads to mop up the very tasty sauce.

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