Bengali Spinach

• Raw almonds, peanuts or pistachios, with skins – 2/3 cup (100 g)

• Warm water – 2 cups

• Ghee or sesame oil

• Black mustard seeds – 1 tsp

• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

• Fenugreek seeds – 1/8 tsp

• Jaggery or dark brown sugar – 1½ tbsp

• Scraped, fined shredded or minced fresh ginger root – ½ tbsp

• Seeded and minced hot green chilies – 1 tsp

• Fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and coarsely chopped, or two 10-ounce (570 g) – 2 pounds (1 kg)  packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and pressed dry,

• Freshly shredded coconut, lightly packed – 1/3 cup (35g)

• Salt – 1 tsp

• Heavy cream – 2 tbsp

• Freshly ground nutmeg – 1/8 tsp

• Butter and lemon twists for garnishing.

1. Soak the nuts in warm water for 4 hours or overnight.

2. Drain and slip off the loose skins. Wash in fresh water, then drain.

3. Heat the ghee or oil in a 5-quart/liter nonstick pan over moderate heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the ginger, chilies, spinach, nuts, coconut and salt, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and turn the spinach over with two forks, so that the cooked leaves on the bottom change places with those on the top. Add water if necessary, and cook for another 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the cream and nutmeg and heat for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately. Garnish each serving with a pat of butter and a lemon twist.