$1 per portion! 🪙

if you're a fan of korean food and looking to save money while meal prep, you can opt for spinach banchan! this healthy side dish pairs with many main dishes, while being cheap and flavourful.

this recipe only requires 5 ingredients: spinach, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt and makes 2 portions.

i used chinese spinach here because of its clean taste and ease to prepare!

here's an agar-ation of the measurements

- 1 packet chinese spinach ($1.80 from fairprice)

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- generous amounts of sesame oil (enough to coat the spinach)

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1/2 teaspoon salt (according to taste)

❗️I DO NOT CUT THE SPINACH BEFORE THIS.

1️⃣ wash the spinach

run the leaves under water to remove dirt

2️⃣ blanch the spinach

in a large pot of water add some salt, boil the spinach and cook for around 30 seconds to 1 min! i like to ensure the stems are a little translucent before i take it out.

3️⃣ cool and squeeze excess water

i use tongs to remove the spinach and put into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process and keep the spinach crunchy. once it is cool, put it in kitchen towels and squeeze the water out of the spinach! this helps the seasoning be absorbed by the spinach better. then, cut off the bottom part of the stems here. 🔪

4️⃣ season the spinach

combine the minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt. i rub the mixture into the spinach with my hands to ensure each leaf is coated with the flavours 😋

5️⃣ store in the fridge for 30 min or serve and enjoy!

i use this easy recipe for meal prep to bring to work with some quinoa and salmon 🫶 healthy and affordable!

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