Kıymalı Ispanak Yemeği
Kıymalı Ispanak Yemeği·(kuhy-mah-luh uhs-pah-nahk yeh-meh-yee)
Tencere Yemekleri & Sulu Yemek (The Weeknight Pot)
If there is one dish that anchors the Turkish kitchen on a cold weeknight, it is this. Vegetables are never sidelined; they are slow-simmered stars. Here, a handful of lean ground beef acts not as the main event, but as a deeply savory backbone for a mountain of fresh spinach. The magic lies in the patience of the cook: frying the tomato paste until its raw edge breaks, and honoring the mandatory ten-minute rest off the heat so the rice can absorb the juices and the stew can collect itself.
Before you start
Wash and dry the spinach ruthlessly.
Trim the very bottom of the roots, but keep the fleshy pink stems to chop with the leaves for sweetness. Wash the greens in cold water until the water runs completely clear, then spin perfectly dry in a salad spinner to prevent a watery stew.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- lean ground beef1/2 lb
- tomato paste1 tbsp
- Aleppo pepper or paprika1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- mature bunch spinach1 1/2 lb
- short or medium-grain white rice3 tbsp
- hot water1 cup
- plain whole-milk yogurt1 cup
- crusty bread1 loaf
Method
- 01
Build the aromatic base.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 02
Brown the beef thoroughly.
Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat releases its liquid, the water evaporates, and the beef begins to sizzle and fry in the oil. It must brown, not boil.
- 03
Fry the tomato paste.
Push the meat to the edges and drop the tomato paste into the center of the pot. Fry for 2 minutes until it darkens and smells intensely rich, then stir in the Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and salt.
- 04
Wilt the spinach and add the rice.
Working in batches, fold the dried spinach into the beef until it wilts enough to fit the next handful. Once all the spinach is incorporated, scatter the rinsed rice evenly over the top.
- 05
Hydrate and simmer.
Pour in the hot water, which should barely peek through the greens. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender.
- 06
Honor the secret rest.
Turn off the heat but leave the lid closed. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes so the starches settle and the sauce thickens.
- 07
Serve.
Ladle into shallow bowls, crowning each with a generous dollop of garlic yogurt. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the orange-tinted juices.
Notes
Adapting for baby spinach.
If using pre-washed baby spinach in plastic clamshells, reduce the hot water to 1/2 cup. Baby spinach breaks down faster and releases significantly more water than mature bunch spinach.
From Cook Turkish in America.