Thoroughly wash spinach leaves under running water to remove any soil. Drain well and chop roughly. If stems are tender, you may include them, otherwise discard hard stems.

Heat oil or ghee in a saucepan or kadai on medium flame. Add chopped garlic and sauté for about 30–40 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add the chopped onion, stir and sauté until onions become soft and translucent (about 1–2 minutes).

Add the chopped spinach to the pan. Stir for a minute until spinach begins to wilt. Add salt and black pepper powder, mix well.

Pour in water or vegetable stock. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce flame and simmer for 3–4 minutes so spinach cooks well.

Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly (so hot liquid does not damage blender). Then blend the contents until smooth using an immersion blender or mixer-grinder.

Return the blended soup to the pan and simmer on low heat for 1–2 minutes. If you like a slightly creamy soup, add a small splash of low-fat milk or coconut milk now and stir.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot as a light meal or starter.