Greens With Onion, Ginger, and Black Pepper

Rinse the greens with cool water, being sure to rinse off any dirt or grit. Shake off as much excess water as will come off in a few good shakes over the sink, but there's no need to dry them more than that (the water that clings to them will add moisture to the pan while they cook). Chop the greens and set them aside. (Alternatively, you can chop the greens first and rinse them off in a bowl of water and lift them out, much like salad greens.) Peel and chop the onion; peel and chop the garlic. Heat the oil or melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat (you'll need a big vessel to hold all the raw greens and be able to stir and combine them with the aromatics—they'll cook down to less than a sixth of their original volume). When the oil or butter is hot, add the onions, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and garlic are softened and the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the greens, stirring them frequently, until they start to wilt, about 3 minutes. Cover the pot and cook until the greens are completely wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Quicker cooking greens like chard or spinach will be ready now. Heartier greens will become sweeter and even more deeply savory if you cover them and cook them an additional 15 minutes. Add a tablespoon or so of water to the pot if the greens start to stick to the pan.