Nargesi with Spinach and Eggs

An Iranian spinach and onion skillet with eggs cooked in wells until whites and yolks are fully firm.

Preparation: 15 min · Cooking: 20 min · Total: 40 min · 2 servings

Ingredients

• 720 ml Washed chopped fresh spinach
• Large eggs — 2
• 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
• Small onion, peeled and chopped — 1
• 0.25 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare spinach and eggs separately

   Wash and chop spinach, then measure 720 ml. Slice 1 small onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Keep raw egg handling separate from washed produce and ready-to-eat garnish utensils. Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.

   Keep raw egg handling separate from washed produce and ready-to-eat garnish utensils.

2. Cook the onion golden

   Soften and brown onion in the measured 1 tbsp oil over medium heat, checking from 10 minutes until golden and soft. Avoid burning; timings vary with the pan.

   Avoid burning; timings vary with the pan.

   Cook the onion golden: 600 seconds

3. Reserve one-quarter for garnish

   Move ONE-QUARTER (1/4) of the cooked onion to a clean dish for garnish before adding garlic or spinach. Leave three-quarters in the pan; no extra onion or frying oil is required.

   Leave three-quarters in the pan; no extra onion or frying oil is required.

4. Warm the garlic and turmeric

   Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 0.25 tsp turmeric to the remaining onion. Stir over medium-low heat from 30 seconds until fragrant without burning.

   Stir over medium-low heat from 30 seconds until fragrant without burning.

5. Wilt spinach in stages

   Add spinach in stages over medium heat. Sauté from 5 minutes until wilted and excess water is reduced, then season with salt and pepper. Do not leave a pool of liquid beneath the eggs.

   Do not leave a pool of liquid beneath the eggs.

6. Place eggs in shallow wells

   Make 2 broad shallow wells in the spinach and place 1 egg into each. Cover with a normal fitted lid over low heat; use comparable shallow pans for larger quantities rather than deeper piles of spinach.

   Cover with a normal fitted lid over low heat; use comparable shallow pans for larger quantities rather than deeper piles of spinach.

7. Cook both whites and yolks firm

   Check from 5 minutes and continue until BOTH whites and yolks are fully firm, with no runny centres. Use 71°C as the household egg-dish centre target where measurable; the visual firm-yolk requirement still applies.

   Use 71°C as the household egg-dish centre target where measurable; the visual firm-yolk requirement still applies.

   Cook both whites and yolks firm: 300 seconds

8. Garnish from the reserved onion

   Garnish with the clean reserved quarter of cooked onion and serve hot. Half uses 360 ml spinach, 1 egg and 0.5 onion; fourfold uses 2880 ml spinach, 8 eggs and 4 onions. Keep the garnish reserve one-quarter at every scale.

   Keep the garnish reserve one-quarter at every scale.

Tips

• Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.

Common mistakes

• Use clean utensils and separate raw ingredients from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate perishables at 4°C or colder; discard after more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 32°C.

Substitutions

• Keep the specified ingredients, preparation states and measured quantities; no unmeasured substitution is approved for this master.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder; use within 2 days, never beyond ingredient use-by limits. These are selected household limits, not validated shelf life. Cool cooked food promptly in shallow portions and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.

Reheating

Reheat once until steaming throughout and 74°C in the centre; do not rely on surface warmth.

About this recipe

An Iranian spinach and onion skillet with eggs cooked in wells until whites and yolks are fully firm.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.