Spiced Lentils with Spinach

Preheat a heavy pan over medium heat and pour in oil. Allow the oil to warm up, then carefully add sliced onions to the pan. Cook and stir the onions constantly in the hot oil until they start to transform into a golden brown color, approximately 10 minutes. Introduce minced garlic into the pan with the onions; continue to cook and stir until the aroma of garlic fills the air, roughly 1 minute more.

Combine chicken broth, lentils, half a cup of water, crushed garlic, ground coriander, salt, cumin powder, chili powder, grated ginger, cinnamon sticks, turmeric, ground cloves, and cayenne pepper into the pan with the onions; stir until well combined. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then cover the pan with a lid and lower the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer gently until the lentils become tender, around 35 minutes.

Transfer a handful of spinach leaves to a microwave-safe bowl and add one-quarter cup of water. Place the bowl in the microwave oven and heat it for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook the spinach in short intervals until heated through, approximately 5 minutes more. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let the spinach cool down for about 5 minutes; carefully pour out any remaining water from the bowl and squeeze as much moisture as possible from the spinach.

Combine the cooked spinach with the lentils in the pan and cover it again. Allow the mixture to simmer gently until heated through, roughly 10 minutes.