Spinach Borani

This creamy dip is a great starter or even vegetarian side dish. Served with freshly baked bread it is easy to sit around and eat the whole bowl!

This dish is made simply with thickened yogurt and quick cooked spinach and pan-fried onions. The sumptuousness of the dish belies the simplicity of the ingredients. It takes a little patience as the yogurt must be strained for at least 30 minutes, and the onions and spinach are cooked and then cooled before mixing in, but all the steps are easy enough, and the end result made me say, “damn, that’s good!”

1 1/2 cups plain full-fat yogurt
2 pounds spinach
2 tablespoons sunflower or extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon water

Optional Toppings
1 tablespoon saffron water
2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped lightly toasted walnuts

Bread, for serving

1. Drain the yogurt to thicken it: Line a sieve or colander with cheesecloth or a cotton cloth. Moisten the cloth with water. Set the sieve or colander over a bowl and add the yogurt. Set aside, loosely covered, to drain for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, trim the tough stems from the spinach. Wash the spinach thoroughly in several changes of water and drain well. Coarsely chop and set aside. (It will look like a lot! Remember, greens always cook down)

3. Heat the oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, lower the heat to medium, and fry the onion until translucent and touched with color, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a plate and set aside. Raise the heat under the skillet to medium-high and add the spinach, turning it to expose it to the hot surface. If the spinach was completely dry when added to the pan you may want to add about 1⁄2 cup water and cook, pressing and turning the spinach, until it is well wilted and deep green, 4- 5 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a bowl to cool slightly. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze it thoroughly, a handful at a time, to press out excess water.

4. Transfer the spinach to a bowl, add 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and mix well. Turn the thickened yogurt out into a bowl; you’ll have about 1 cup. Add the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and the water to loosen the yogurt slightly and stir. (Save the whey for another purpose or discard.) Add the yogurt to the spinach and stir gently to mix them a little, but not into a smooth blend, leaving the mixture with patches of white and dark green. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Strew on the fried onions, sprinkle with the saffron water and toasted walnuts if you wish, and serve with bread to dip.

From Persia: A cook’s travels through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan by Naomi Duguid