Spinach with peanut sauce

This dish is made with spinach and peanut butter, both of which are readily available in any country, so this is something I often cook when I am overseas. Be sure not to overcook the spinach and to thoroughly squeeze the excess water out for the best results.

SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins EASY V

3 tbsp peanut butter

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp mirin

200g spinach (large leaf if you can

find it) roughly chopped peanuts, to serve

1 Mix the peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce and mirin in a bowl.

2 Cut the spinach into 5cm strips, separating the leaves from the stems. Blanch the stems first in boiling salted water, then add the leaves. Drain and immediately plunge into cold water, then drain again. Squeeze out the excess water.

3 Add the spinach to the peanut sauce and mix together. Taste and add a little salt if necessary.

4 Serve the spinach on a plate and sprinkle the peanuts over the top.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan

PER SERVING 87 kcals • fat 6g • saturates 2g • carbs 4g • sugars 3g • fibre 1g • protein 3g • salt 0.2g

Inspired to try more Japanese-inspired recipes? Turn to page 100 for Barney Desmazery’s vegetable gyoza.

Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen by Harumi Kurihara (£18.99, Conran). (Recipes supplied by the publisher are not retested by us).