Verdino

Baby spinach is picked young, so the leaves are small and soft with thin stalks that need no trimming. They wilt in seconds in a hot pan and have a milder, less earthy taste than mature spinach. Verdino packs its leaves unwashed, as the bag explains, because washing before packing shortens their life.

It sits with our fresh produce, and the leaves go with almost everything else in a basket, from dals to paneer.

Wash the leaves well in cold water and drain before use. For palak paneer, blanch the whole bag for a minute, cool it in iced water and blend to a smooth green purée before adding it to the onion and tomato base. Stir a handful into dal or a potato sabzi in the last minute of cooking, fold it into an omelette, or eat it raw in a salad with lemon and a pinch of chaat masala.

Keep the bag in the fridge salad drawer and use it within a day or two of opening. Spinach that starts to soften is still good for cooking. For greens that keep longer, see frozen vegetables.