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)

Image may contain Plant Furniture Dining Table Table Bowl Food Produce Meal Dish and Vegetable

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

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.