Mumbai chefs share nutritious spinach based recipes

Today marks the 82nd death anniversary of Elzie Crisler Segar the American cartoonist best known for creating Popeye the Sailor Man in 1929 Over the years the oneeyed sailor has become etched in public memory for his endearing antics as well as his love for spinach which was the source of his superhuman strength Interestingly research indicates that the popularity of Popeye helped boost spinach sales and as per a 2010 study children ate more vegetables after they watched Popeye cartoonsPopeye PicWiki CommonldquoWash spinach thoroughly specifically the flatleaf variety thatrsquos freshly picked and contains a lot of dirt and debris Plunge the leaves in a large bowl of cold water swish them around and change out the water if therersquos a lot of sand or dirtrdquo says chef Harsh Shodhan He adds that larger leaves have a tougher and more prominent stem that must be pared or pulled off before cooking To retain the bright green colour he recommends steaming the greens for less than two minutesChef H ShodhanChef Reetu Uday Kugaji points out that overcooking spinach can exacerbate the bitterness She advises blanching the leaves in boiling water to which a little vinegar has been added in order to keep the spinach from darkening ldquoWhat most people donrsquot know is that spinach is quite versatile and can be used in a surprising number of ways including in delicious dessertsrdquo Kugaji emphasisesPalak ka halwaIngredientsgtgt34 cup thick palak puree gtgt15 cup mawa gtgt1 cup sugar gtgt12 cup ghee gtgt12 cup chopped almonds gtgt12 tsp cardamom powder gtgt2 tsp chopped cashewsChef Anuradha Joshi MedhoraMethodHeat the ghee and add the fresh mawa Stir for three to four minutes Add half the sugar and palak Sauteacute for two minutes Next add the remaining sugar and palak and the cardamom powder and sauteacute Once the ghee starts floating on top turn off the heat Add the dry fruits and mixBaked palak karanjiIngredientsFor the fillinggtgtSpinach leaves without stem 1 mediumsized bunch gtgt12 cup grated jaggery gtgt12 cup honey gtgt2 tsp pistachios coarsely ground gtgt6 tbsp pistachio nuts roughly chopped gtgt10 gm raisins gtgtfrac14 cup whole wheat flour gtgtfrac14 cup semolina gtgt34 cup dry grated coconut gtgt1 tbsp sesame seeds gtgt112 tbsp poppy seeds gtgt112 tsp ghee or peanut oil gtgt12 tsp green cardamom powder gtgtNutmeg powder a pinchFor the crustgtgtfrac14 cup semolina gtgt134 cups whole wheat flour gtgtfrac14 tsp salt gtgt12 tbsp sugar gtgt112 tbsp pure ghee gtgt12 cup milk or as may be requiredChef Reetu Uday KugajiMethodPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F Grease a baking sheet with a little ghee To make the filling puree the spinach and add to a nonstick pan with the honey ground pistachios and two tsp chopped pistachios Reduce until thick and cool Dry roast the coconut sesame seeds and poppy seeds separately in a heavybottomed nonstick pan until light golden brown Cool Blend into a coarse mixture Lightly roast the semolina in ghee until golden brown Repeat with the whole wheat flour Add these ingredients to a food processor and blend to a coarse paste Add the chopped pistachios and raisinsFor the crust melt the ghee in a nonstick pan Add the wholewheat flour semolina sugar and salt in a large glass bowl Make a depression in the centre and pour in the hot ghee Mix the ghee into the flour with your fingertips Continue kneading while slowly pouring in the milk a little at a time Once the dough is semisoft cover it with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to rest for at least two hours Divide the dough into 25 small portions and shape into balls Roll each ball into a circle put a small portion of the prepared filling in the middle fold over to make a semicircle and thinly flute the edges to seal Bake in the preheated oven for seven minutes on each side This recipe makes about 25 smallsized karanjisGet your Popeye fixWatch Popeye the 1980 American musical comedy starring Robin Williams Although the film initially received negative reviews it struck a chord with fans and is considered by some to be a cult classicLog on to youtubecomRead Popeye The Great Comic Books Tales by Bud Sagendorf a compilation of the best Popeye comic book stories collated by comics historian Craig YoeLog on to amazoninListen Blow Me Down a Fleischer Popeye Podcast which revisits the theatrical cartoons from 1933 to 1942Log on to spotifycom