Khoresht Esfenaj

What is it?

Spinach is cooked down with onion and turmeric until it darkens, then simmered with meat until the two come together. The best-known version, esfenaj-o-aloo, adds dried yellow plums, which soften into the sauce and provide the sourness.

Versions differ. Some households use dried lime or lemon instead of plums, some add a little leek or spring onion, and the amount of spinach relative to meat is not fixed.

The Persian table

It is served with rice, and is one of the lighter, quicker khoresh — a weekday dish more than a gathering one.