Name: Spinach in Yogurt Sauce
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings (as part of a large meal)
Ingredients: 3 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided; 1/2 small onion, chopped; 1 pound spinach, coarse stems discarded and leaves finely chopped; 1 small fresh green chile, such as serrano, Thai, or jalapeño, slit lengthwise with stem end intact; 2 tablespoons water; Salt; 1 cup plain yogurt (not Greek-style); 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes; 10 fresh curry leaves (optional)

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Spinach in Yogurt SauceJohn Kernick

Pachadis are lightly cooked South Indian salads, often involving yogurt. This was my grandmother's recipe, and it remains a feature of my core repertoire because it's so simple and unusual at the same time. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

Cooks' Notes:

•Indian ingredients can be mail-ordered from Kalustyans.com.
•Chile can be removed during cooking when the dish is spicy enough for your taste.
•Spinach-yogurt mixture, without spiced oil, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat before proceeding with recipe.

Recipe notes

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