Yakhnet Sabanekh
يخنة السبانخ·(yakh-net sa-ba-nekh)
The Daily Yakhni: Weeknight Stews
If there is one dish that defines the rhythm of a Lebanese weeknight, it is this lemony, garlicky spinach stew. While weekends are for elaborate roasting and stuffing, Tuesday night belongs to the tanjara—the trusty, heavy-bottomed pot. The scent of 7-Spice hitting hot ground beef, followed by the pungent sizzle of a garlic and cilantro takleya, is the universal signal to first-generation kids everywhere that dinner is ready. It is fast, unapologetically practical, and demands nothing more than a mound of vermicelli rice to soak up the brilliant, acidic broth.
Ingredients
- olive oil3 tbsp
- pine nuts1/4 cup
- yellow onion1 med
- lean ground beef1 lb
- Lebanese 7-Spice2 tsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- garlic cloves6 med
- fresh cilantro1 large bunch
- frozen chopped spinach24 oz
- beef broth1 1/2 cup
- fresh lemon juice1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Toast the pine nuts.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and stir constantly until golden brown, then remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- 02
Build the savory base.
Return the pot to medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the diced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until deeply browned and no pink remains.
- 03
Bloom the spices and aromatics.
Sprinkle the 7-Spice, salt, and black pepper over the beef, stirring to toast in the rendered fat for 60 seconds. Add exactly half of the minced garlic and half of the chopped cilantro, sautéing for 1 to 2 minutes until highly fragrant.
- 04
Simmer the stew.
Drop the frozen blocks of spinach directly into the pot and pour in the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low, simmering for 15 to 20 minutes and stirring occasionally to break up the thawing greens.
- 05
Execute the takleya.
In the final five minutes of simmering, heat a tiny splash of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat and quickly sauté the remaining garlic and cilantro just until wilted. Turn off the heat under the stew, pour in the sizzling takleya along with the fresh lemon juice, and stir well.
- 06
Serve immediately.
Ladle the warm stew over bowls of hot vermicelli rice and top generously with the toasted pine nuts.
Notes
The 7-Spice Substitute.
If you cannot find Sabaa Baharat at a local Middle Eastern market, mix 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Make it meatless.
Swap the ground beef for two 15-ounce cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas, sautéing them exactly as you would the beef to coat them in the spices.
From Cook Lebanese in America.