Spinach with channa or black eyed peas or ...

And was glad I did when I came across this very simple recipe because I’d cooked a batch of black eyed peas and froze the ones I wasn’t using for the moment in four of those convenient tubs — which meant I wasn’t left wondering what to do with the half can of black-eyed peas left over from this recipe when I cooked it for myself alone.

I made this dish with poi/poi bhaji/Indian spinach/Bassela alba (to give the plant its correct botanical name) that I grow in my backyard. I wish I’d had more of that poi to make it according to the original recipe for four people because it tasted so good.

I ate mine like “tapas” with whole-wheat hops before going to a cocktail reception where I knew, from past experience, that the nibbles, though tasty, wouldn’t satisfy the inner woman. In fact it’s going to be my standby for “belly-timber” before an event when I’m not sure of the catering arrangements.

So, today I give you two lists of ingredients, one to serve four, the other to serve one (if you are catering for two simply halve the one or double the other). The original recipe specified channa, I used black-eyed peas, you could use whatever pulse takes your fancy or that you happen to have on hand in your kitchen closet/larder/pantry. Here’s what you’ll need to make:

Spinach with channa or …

(Serves 4)

(Serves I)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon EV olive oil

4 pegs garlic, minced

1 peg garlic minced

1/2 onion, diced

1 teaspoon diced onion

10 oz frozen spinach

2 1/2 ozs frozen spinach

1 can channa, drained and rinsed

OR 12-15 Leaves poi

1/2 teaspoon gheera

1/2 cup tub black-eyed peas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon gheera

1/8 teaspoon salt

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat.

Add the onion, cook until the onion is translucent (about four minutes) —or you can cook it longer if you fancy your onion caramelised, then add the garlic, cook 1 minute more (do not allow the garlic to burn).

Stir in the channa (or black-eyed peas or whatever).

Add the drained, chopped frozen spinach or torn poi leaves, the gheera and the salt, stir only until poi is wilted or the frozen spinach is warmed through. For a final elegant touch you can add a splash of red wine.

Heat the mixture and serve with whole-wheat hops or Crix whole-wheat crackers or similar.

When serving this as “tapas” serve with a bowl and spoon to pile the mixture on the hops or cracker.