Comforting spinach and chickpeas

SABANEKH BIL HUMMUS A soothing and homely stew with a deeply restorative quality, this is a dish I always turn to when I’m in need of comfort. Traditionally the spinach is cooked until its colour has darkened and, personally, I prefer the fl avour that way, even if it doesn’t look as vibrant. This tastes even better after a few hours, so I like to make it ahead of time and serve it with rice or chunks of crusty bread

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons light olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for around 10 minutes, until it starts to soften.

Step 2

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over a low heat for a minute or so, until their aromas are released. Grind the seeds in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and add to the onion with the garlic, allspice, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon pepper. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chickpeas and stock. Cover and simmer for around 30 minutes, or until the chickpeas are plump and soft.

Step 3

Add the spinach (you may need to add it in batches and wait for each batch to wilt), lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Cook for 5–10 minutes, depending on how you like your spinach, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice if you want.