Quick · 5–15 min

Coconut Creamed Tongan Spinach

Name: Coconut Creamed Tongan Spinach
Prep time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 1 pound baby spinach, Tongan spinach (bele plant); 8 oz full-fat coconut milk (canned), fresh pressed; 1 tbsp soy sauce, Japanese organic; 1 ½ inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated or minced; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; ½ tsp black pepper

Sal grows the Tongan spinach (bele) at home and makes this dish when the plant is full of tender leaves. Fresh pressed coconut milk is warmed with ginger and spices, then stirred through the lightly steamed greens.

Sal’s pick · the fruithunter · 12 years plant-based

@fruithuntersco

Hands-on: 12 min
Hands-off: None
Total: 12 min
Dishes: 2

7gprotein229cal12gcarbs20gfatper serving · $2.35

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Skillstove

Method

1
Wash the Tongan spinach well and pull the leaves from any tough stems.
2
Peel the ginger, then grate or mince it finely.
3
Pour the coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Add the ginger, soy sauce, cayenne, and black pepper. Warm over low heat, stirring now and then, until steaming but not boiling.
4
While the sauce warms, set a steamer basket over an inch of simmering water in a large pot. Add the spinach, cover, and steam just until bright green and wilted.
5
Lift the spinach out and let it drain for a moment. Give it a gentle squeeze to remove extra water, then chop roughly.
6
Stir the spinach into the warm coconut sauce until every leaf is coated.
7
Taste and add a little more soy sauce or pepper if you like. Serve right away while it is warm.

Storage

Keep leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low heat so the coconut milk stays smooth.

Good to know

Do not boil the coconut milk. Gentle heat keeps it creamy and smooth.
Asafoetida is strong, so a little goes a long way. It adds a savory, garlicky flavor.
Cut the cayenne to half a teaspoon if you want a milder dish.