Spinach rolls

This is my adaption of my mother’s Spinach Rolls recipe; one of my childhood favourites. If you like lemon, you’ll love its lemony tang.

This zesty dish can sit happily in the fridge for a few days before serving and will improve with time as the flavours infuse.

It makes 4 generous servings. Simply increase ingredient quantities to accommodate more people.

If making the rolls seems too much trouble, below is the same recipe made in a goulash style.

Ingredients

1½ cups hydrated dark TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 bunch spinach or silverbeet, washed, stemmed and blanched
½ cup white basmati rice
800g can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch asafoetida
1½ Massel Ultracube beef style stock cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place hydrated TVP, rice, 1 stock cube, mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl and mix together using your hands.
Make sure the stock cube is broken down and consistently distributed throughout the mixture.
Add in some pepper to suit your taste.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and gently fry the asafoetida.
Remove from heat.

Combine half of the tomatoes with half of the tomato paste and pour into the bottom of the saucepan and set aside.

Take strips of spinach and place about 1½ generous dessert-spoons full of the mince preparation toward one end of the strip, then roll up, tightly.
Place rolls into saucepan one at a time packing them in tightly to help them hold their shape.
Do this until all the spinach is used up, layering the spinach rolls into the saucepan as you go.
These ingredient quantities will usually create 2 layers in a large saucepan.

Combine the remaining tomatoes, tomato paste, and ½ stock cube with the water and pour over the top layer of rolls.
Squeeze in the lemon and place a butter plate on top of the rolls, pressing down a little.
Place the saucepan back over the heat and bring to boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover the saucepan with a lid, allowing steam to escape.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes.
Carefully open the lid and remove the plate.

Serve the rolls, spooning tomato sauce over them to finish.

Spiced mince with spinach

Even though it looks more appetising in its rolled form, preparing it as I have here is a quick and practical alternative that can be made in advance.

Ingredients

1½ cups dark TVP mince (re-hydrated)
4 cups raw spinach or silverbeet, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
½ cup steamed white basmati rice
800g can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch asafoetida
1½ Massel Ultracube beef style stock cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat olive oil in saucepan.
Add asafoetida and spices.
Fry until fragrance releases.
Add all the other ingredients to the saucepan.
(Make sure the stock cubes are crumbled well and dissolve completely into the diced tomatoes.)
Bring to boil.
Lower heat and simmer until spinach is cooked through.
Season to taste (I like a few good shakes of ground white pepper).