Red Spinach, often called lal saag, brings a deep maroon-tinted leaf and a slightly sweeter, earthier flavour than regular green spinach, and it is a familiar sight in Bengali, South Indian and Southeast Asian style stir-fries and thoran preparations. Its reddish-purple pigment comes from natural plant compounds rather than any dye, and those same pigments cause the cooking water or oil to turn a deep pink-red as the leaves soften in the pan, which surprises first-time cooks but is completely normal. Nutritionally, red spinach is broadly similar to green spinach in its vitamin and mineral profile, though the pigments responsible for its colour bring their own additional antioxidant compounds that green spinach does not carry in the same amounts.

It can generally be swapped into recipes calling for regular spinach, though the colour will bleed into gravies and rice dishes, so it suits stir-fries and lentil preparations better than dishes where a green colour is expected. The stems are more delicate than green spinach and wilt faster, so store the bunch loosely wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a perforated bag in the fridge rather than left exposed. Rinse the leaves gently in a bowl of water rather than under a hard tap to avoid bruising them.

For more greens to pair with it, explore our green leafy vegetables range on QuicKart, delivered fresh with free delivery across the UAE.