Halwai August 22, 2025

Ingredients:

• 8 baking cups – buttered on the inside
• 1/2 kg – baby Spinach leaves
• 3 tbsp – Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 – white onion, minced
• 2 – crushed Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 cup – all purpose flour
• 1 cup – low fat Milk
• pinch – cayenne pepper or Red Chilli powder
• 2 tbsp – grated parmesan cheese
• 200 gms – ricotta, cottage or goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 – large eggs, whites separated

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the buttered baking bowls/cups on a baking tray and refrigerate for 10-15 mins and then re-brush with butter.
  3. Wilt the spinach leaves mildly in a medium heated pan with a soft drizzle of water. Set aside to drain in a colander. Then roll and pat in a clean towel to remove excess water.
  4. Mince/ grind the leaves.
  5. Fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil in another pan.
  6. Add the flour and cayenne and fry for 4 mins.
  7. Whisk in the milk and simmer till it thickens. Set aside in a large bowl to cool. When cool, add the parmesan, the other cheese, salt and pepper.
  8. Mix in the egg yolks and spinach. Set aside.
  9. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks in a clean dry large bowl.
  10. Fold the spinach batter into it lightly, don’t over mix.
  11. Spoon the mixture into the baking cups and tap gently on the kitchen table to release any air pockets.
  12. Run a thin dry clean knife all around the edges of each cup and set them on the baking tray on the medium shelf in the oven.
  13. Bake for 15 mins or until well-risen and golden brown on top.

Recipe courtesy of Lil’ Chef