Coconut Curry Creamed Spinach

Frequently Asked Questions

• What’s the best type of spinach for this recipe?

  Mature, curly (also called Savoy) spinach is best for this dish. The leaves are deep green and slightly hearty, with an assertive flavor that balances well against the rich cream. It can be sold pre-bagged or in bunches. Spinach will taste a little sweeter and the leaves will be more tender when harvested in cooler weather compared to mature summer spinach. If using mature spinach, trim the stems to at least three inches; any more stem than that may make the cream sauce overly strong.

• Can I use baby spinach?

  There are three main types of spinach — flat-leaf, Savoy (also called curly), and semi-Savoy. Flat-leaf spinach is smooth and sweet with very tender leaves. There are many varieties of flat-leaf spinach; some are sold in bunches and are hearty enough to cook for this dish, but baby spinach is the flat-leaf spinach you’ll usually find at the grocery store sold for salad greens. Those young, very tender leaves are best served raw or only very slightly cooked, so we advise against using baby spinach for this dish. 

• Can I use frozen spinach to make this recipe?

  Choose fresh over frozen spinach for this recipe. Fresh spinach melts into the coconut milk and takes on a silky texture, whereas frozen spinach becomes stringy and coarse in this dish.