Spinach
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open-content textbooks collection
Spinach is a green vegetable used as an
accompaniment to main dishes, and as an ingredient in many
other dishes (the term florentine in a recipe
indicates the presence of spinach). Young leaves can be
eaten raw in salad, tacos,
and burgers.
Frozen spinach goes well on pizza.
Plain cooked spinach is best served steamed or boiled
in a minimum amount of water for no more than five
minutes. The bulk of the leaves reduces enormously in
cooking. Allow about 100 g
per serving and use the biggest pan you have. Serve with lemon
juice, or perhaps with salt.
Spinach is a common ingredient in
Indian
cuisine, where it is known as saag. Try sprinkling
the raw leaves with garam
masala before cooking for a slightly different and low
sodium alternative to salt.
Warnings
- The oxalic acid
contained in spinach can react with the calcium
contained in milk
to produce an icky scum on your teeth. You may wish to
avoid serving milk with spinach.
- The oxalic acid
contained in spinach can be harmful. About 10 pounds
of spinach is fatal.
- The oxalic acid
contained in spinach is bad for cast iron pans and
carbon steel pans. Spinach will turn black when cooked
in such pans.
- The oxalic acid
contained in spinach can prevent your body from
absorbing iron and calcium. To improve iron
absorption, spinach should be eaten with foods that
contain vitamin C.
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