Spinach Stew/Maraka’d Spinakh

​Ingredients
1 lb. Stew beef (some options are sirloin or chuck roast)
12 oz. fresh baby spinach
1 medium onion chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons salt (divided)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon or pinch citric acid
1 15 oz can of chickpeas drained or 1 cup cooked (optional)

Instructions

• Trim and cut your meat into cubes that are 1/2" to 3/4" wide.
• Add meat to pot and water a couple inches above meat. Boil for 5 - 10 minutes. Discard water.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt and water a couple inches above meat and bring to boil. Cook on medium low for 50 minutes or until your meat is starting to get tender (this time can vary depending on your meat). Discard water.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot with the meat. Add the onions and saute until the onions are translucent and tender (about 5 - 10 minutes).
• Add your spinach to the pot and stir until its wilted.
• Add 5 cups of water, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, citric acid and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on medium low for about 20 minutes.
• If you are using chickpeas, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Add more salt, black pepper, or citric acid to taste.
• ​Serve over rice. Click here for white rice recipe.

Other Notes
If you want to make this vegetarian/vegan, you can leave out the meat.
If you are eating keto/low carb diet, you can eat it without rice and leave out chickpeas.
Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh.
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Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker instructions (pressure cooking reduces time in half):
For the step when the meat is boiled for 5 - 10 minutes, use the sauté button to boil (no need to cover).
For the step where you cook the meat for 50 minutes, pressure cook on high for 25 minutes and use quick release.
For the step when you boil with tomato paste for 20 minutes, pressure cook on high for 10 minutes and use quick release.

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