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Dairy
Easy
4 Servings
Allergens 
1 Hour
Diets
A couple summers ago I was having lunch at a cute little café in Tel Aviv, where they had this brilliantly emerald-green herbed rice, and I could not get out of my head how much fresh lift and complexity the herbs gave the otherwise simple dish. I wanted to take that factor way (way) over the top and came up with this version, which blends earthy-sweet spinach with cilantro, mint, chives, and jalapeños plus punchy garlic and a sprinkle of fennel-y pistachio dukkah— kinda like an arroz verde with Middle Eastern flair.
3/4 cup packed fresh baby spinach, washed
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving, washed
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, washed
1/2 cup packed fresh chives, washed
1 medium serrano chile, jalapeño, or long-hot chile, stemmed (seeds removed if you want less heat, or omit entirely)
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled, such as Mr. Dipz Peeled Garlic
1/4 cup Gefen Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for serving
1 and 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Haddar Kosher Salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 and 1/2 cups Fennel Seed Pistachio Dukkah (recipe follows)
Labaneh or plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
1/4 cup Gefen Sesame Seeds
1 and 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios
3/4 teaspoon Haddar Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the sesame, fennel, and coriander seeds until lightly golden, about two minutes. Transfer the seeds to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan over medium-low heat, add the pumpkin and sunflower seeds and toast until lightly golden, about two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the pistachios with the toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Pulse until just broken down.
Transfer the mixture to a container with a fitted lid and add the toasted sesame, fennel, and coriander seeds plus the salt and cardamom. Mix with a spoon and cover.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the spinach, cilantro, mint, chives, chile (if using), and garlic with 1/2 cup of water. Blend until smooth and bright green. Transfer the sauce to a large measuring cup and add enough water so that the mixture totals three cups. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the rice and toast until just translucent and fragrant, about five minutes. Season with the salt and pour in the sauce and water mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and allow the pot to come to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat but keep the pot covered to steam the rice for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the rice with the lemon juice, season with more salt if needed, and fluff with a fork.
To serve, spread the rice over a shallow serving bowl and scatter the dukkah over the top. Finish with cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with labaneh or yogurt, if desired.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.
Excerpted from Tahini Baby: Bright, Everyday Recipes That Happen to Be Vegetarian by Eden Grinshpan. Copyright © 2025 by Eden Grinshpan. Published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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