Fresh spinach wilts and turns dark green, and its volume shrinks noticeably, when steamed in a covered pot over medium heat with its own moisture or a few drops of added water for 2–3 minutes.
Why Does It Cook So Quickly?
Because spinach leaves are thin and have a high water content, heat quickly collapses their cell walls and softens them; the thicker stems need slightly longer than the leaves. That is why separating the stems from large-leaf spinach beforehand helps it cook more evenly.
Is Extra Water Needed?
Spinach that is put straight into the pot without being rinsed and drained carries enough moisture on its leaves to steam, so extra water is usually unnecessary. Steam that forms when the lid is closed helps the upper leaves cook evenly, too. If you are cooking a large amount of spinach, it may not all fit together in the pot; in that case, add the rest after the first batch wilts and shrinks. Stirring so that all the spinach comes into contact with the heat shortens the cooking time.
What Happens If It Is Overcooked?
Steaming for longer than 3–4 minutes turns spinach from dark green to a slightly khaki shade and makes its texture overly soft, almost mushy. Longer cooking also causes some of the vitamins in spinach to pass into the water and be lost.
Is the Timing Different for Frozen Spinach?
If frozen spinach is added directly to the pot without thawing, it first takes about 3–4 minutes to thaw, then loses its excess water by boiling for another 2–3 minutes; the total time is slightly longer than for fresh spinach and is generally 5–7 minutes.
How Should You Drain It?
If steamed spinach will be used especially for a börek (Turkish savory pastry) or cake filling, press it well in a colander to remove excess water; spinach used without draining can make the dough or filling watery and ruin its consistency.
Should It Be Steamed in Butter or Olive Oil?
Spinach steamed in butter has a softer flavor, while spinach steamed in olive oil stays lighter and more fluid; both cook in the same amount of time, and the choice depends entirely on taste and the recipe.
Is Baby Spinach Different?
Baby spinach, with its thin, young leaves, wilts somewhat faster than regular spinach, in about 1–2 minutes; the thinner leaves transfer heat more quickly. This type of spinach is usually eaten raw, but it can also be used after briefly steaming.
When Should You Add Salt?
If salt is added before the spinach goes into the pot or at the very beginning of cooking, it draws more water out of the leaves and may lengthen the cooking time somewhat. So add salt after cooking, once the spinach has been drained; this keeps the cooking time short and makes it easier to control how evenly the salt is distributed.
Does Microwaving Change the Steaming Time?
In a heatproof container with a cover, spinach wilts in about 2 minutes in an 800-watt microwave; this method is a little faster than using a pot because the steam works directly on the leaves without escaping from the container. However, spinach cooked in the microwave may wilt less evenly than spinach cooked in a pot, so stirring once halfway through is recommended.
Comments (2)
Dondurulmuş ıspanağı çözmeden doğrudan tencereye atsam toplam süre ne kadar uzar, taze ıspanağa göre kaç kat fazla zaman almalı?
Dondurulmuş ıspanak önce çözülüp sonra suyunu kaybetmesi gerektiğinden toplam süre taze olana göre yaklaşık iki katına çıkıyor, aşağı yukarı 5-7 dakika civarında bekleyin.
Tereyağım yoktu, zeytinyağıyla buğuladım ve 3 dakikada gayet güzel pörsüdü; tada pek fark yaratmadı ama daha hafif oldu.
Zeytinyağıyla da gayet iyi sonuç alınıyor, memnun olmanıza sevindim. İkisi de aynı sürede pişiyor, hangisini kullanacağınız gerçekten sadece tat tercihi.