Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer

*Adapted from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/saag-paneer-spinach-with-indian-cheese-recipe-1927603

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cayenne

Kosher Salt

3 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tbsp oil *we used canola

12 oz paneer cut into cubes *recipe called for 1 inch cubes, but we made the cubes dice-sized so there would be "more." Highly recommend that.

(Paneer=Indian cheese, either store bought of made from recipe below)

16 oz package fresh spinach (can use frozen, see below)

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

About 1 tbsp minced ginger (about 1 1-inch-thumb ginger if fresh) *we have a jar of minced ginger and love the convenience of that

4 cloves garlice, minced *Come on. Do at least 6. Don't be an idiot.

1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped, seeds removed to cut spice *We did VERY LITTLE chile, maybe less than 1/4 of it. Up to you.

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp ground coriander *we didn't have this and weren't sad about it

1 tsp ground cumin

OPTIONAL:

(1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth) *we did NOT do this

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp salt, and 3 tbsp oil. Gently drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss (if you made your own paneer, take care not to break the cubes). Let the cubes marinate as you do the next step.

2. Take your spinach and mash it up in a food processor, get it pretty smooth/into very small bits. If you don't have a food processor, just get to chopping! Very fine, please. If you are using frozen spinach, thaw it in the microwave 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth.

3. Heat a large nonstick pan/skillet over medium heat, add paneer, let sit for a couple minutes, then toss. Point being to get some nice brown color on as many sides the paneer as you can. When you have achieved a good coloring all around, take the paneer out and set aside on a plate.

4. Add 1 1/2 tbsp oil to the pan. Add onions, ginger, garlic, chile. SUPER IMPORTANT: saute this mix until it is evenly toffee-colored. DO NOT SKIP THIS OR SKIMP ON THIS! It is the FOUNDATION of the dish! Be patient, should take around 15 minutes. And if you see it getting dry, add water or chicken/veggie stock as you go.

5. Add the garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it smells more "melodious," about 3-5 minutes. 

6. Add the spinach, stir well. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water or stock, stir, cook about another 5 minutes with the lid off.

7. Add the paneer and mix. ADD BUTTER FOR A LITTLE ADDED CREAMINESS. Cover and cook for a few minutes until everything is warmed through. *We didn't cover it and warm everything back up because we were too hungry and it smelled too good. It didn't make a difference to us. But if you wanna be thorough, go for it.

7. OPTIONAL: Turn the heat off and add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes

8. Serve over rice! Maybe with some homemade naan...maybe we a mango lassi with rum...follow your bliss!

NOTES:

The spices in this dish are so lively and the paneer, which soaks up all that spiced oil, is just delicious. We found that we did not miss the creaminess that the yogurt would bring--the spinach is just so bright and lush. We did throw in some butter when we were mixing everything together, I would recommend that. Why not! 

Basically, this is a super easy dish that tastes complex. SO good.

You may want to make a double batch...we had no leftovers.

If you want to MAKE YOUR OWN PANEER:

INGREDIENTS:

cheesecloth

8 cups whole milk

1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

-Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth and set it in your sink

-In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium hear, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom. Be patient!

-Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!

-Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor.

-Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow it to drain for 5 minutes.

-Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (to ensure the cheese is smooth) and set another plate on top. Weigh the 2nd plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the fridge and let sit about 20 minutes.

NOTE FROM DAN:

We did a vegan version of this with tofu instead of paneer and coconut milk instead of yogurt (and some sambal for more heat!). Combo with this recipe:

https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/vegan-saag-paneer/