Persian · breakfast, side

Nargesi (Persian Spinach and Eggs)

نرگسی

Nargesi (Persian Spinach and Eggs) — from maryamamiri.atreseeb's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 12:57

Video by maryamamiri.atreseeb on YouTube, in Persian · Open on YouTube

40 minServes 4438 kcal a serve
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Egg. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

About 18 g protein, 10 g fibre and 12 g net carbs a serve from a big pan of spinach with eggs: rich in vitamins K and A, folate, magnesium and iron, with no flour or sugar.

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Ingredients 8

Method

The cook speaks Persian; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Cut the onions into thin strips and separate them. 0:57
  2. Warm the oil in a wide frying pan, add the onions, stir once, then let them fry gently until light golden. 2:05
  3. Meanwhile wash the spinach, keeping the thin stems, and leave it until the water has drained off completely. Chop it coarsely; it shrinks a lot. 3:23
  4. When the onion is golden, stir in the turmeric, lower the heat so it does not burn, then add the black pepper and fry briefly. 5:46
  5. Turn the heat up high and add the spinach. Stir until it collapses and its water cooks off quickly; high heat stops it stewing in its own juice. 6:35
  6. Keep cooking until the spinach starts to fry and brown, scraping the bottom of the pan. Season with the salt. 8:22
  7. Make 4 hollows and crack an egg into each (or stir them through). Cover, turn the heat to low and cook a few minutes until the eggs are just set. 9:55
  8. Serve straight from the pan, with a pinch of paprika on the eggs if you like. 11:03

Tip. Eaten for breakfast, a light lunch or supper with fresh bread, yoghurt and doogh; with yoghurt alone it stays low in carbs. Serves 4 is our estimate. Use less oil if you like; the cook says the amount is up to you.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy438 kcal1,830 kJ
Protein18 g36% of a day
Fibre9.8 g35% of a day
Carbohydrate22 g12 g net · 5.2 g sugars8% of a day
Fat34 g4.1 g saturated44% of a day
Sodium940 mg41% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 11%
  • Protein 17%
  • Fat 72%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High1526%

1831 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (99%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin A High204%

1839 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (96%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Folate High191%

764 µg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (95%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Omega-3 High190%

3 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (81%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin C High123%

111 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (95%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin E High87%

13 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (59%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Magnesium High74%

311 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (95%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Iron High62%

11 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (90%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin B6 High53%

0.9 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (83%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Potassium High49%

2280 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (92%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Selenium High36%

20 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (79%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Calcium High32%

416 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (89%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Zinc High24%

2.6 mg a serve, mostly from fresh spinach (72%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin B12 High23%

0.6 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

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Vitamin D6%

1.1 µg a serve, mostly from eggs (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by maryamamiri.atreseeb; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.