Bengali Spinach with Mustard and Garlic

Palak is one of those greens that cooks down faster than you expect. Eight cups of chopped leaves look like a mountain in the bowl, but they collapse into a modest pile within a few minutes of hitting hot oil, which is why this Bengali style subzi works so well on a weeknight. Most of the time goes into the first step, when the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilli soften in the pan. Don't rush that part. Those few minutes give the dish its base, and the spinach then picks up all of that flavour as it wilts.

The oil matters here. Mustard oil has a sharp, pungent bite that mellows as it cooks, and it is the reason this dish tastes like a Bengali kitchen and not like a generic sauteed spinach. If you have only ever cooked with neutral oil, the first whiff can surprise you. Heat it until it just starts to shimmer and you will notice the smell settle down. Spinach is a leaf that gives off a lot of water, so keep the lid handy. Lifting it now and then to stir stops the bottom from catching, and the leaves stay bright green rather than turning olive.

Spinach is also a green with a reputation for oxalates, which is why some people are told to go easy on it in large quantities. That is worth knowing if you cook for a crowd, but for most home cooks it simply means that a cup or two of cooked palak is a happy side and nothing to fear.

Leftovers keep well for a day in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat them gently with a splash of water so they don't dry out. The dish also makes a good filling for a rolled paratha or a spoonful on top of plain rice. It is at its best with simple things: dal, a bowl of plain rice, or something tangy and cooling alongside. If you want a more filling meal, try it with Dill and Red Lentil Dal on the side, or lay a spoon of it over a bowl of Broken Wheat Pongal with Pepper and Cumin for a soft, savoury breakfast. A cooling Spinach and Mixed Sprouts Raita also sits nicely next to it, since the yogurt softens the sharpness of the mustard oil.

Taste the dish before you serve it. The salt is added by you, so adjust it to your liking, and a squeeze of lemon at the table can lift the whole pan if the flavours feel flat.