So many Indian food recipes, yet so little time. Here is one of the greats. One who needs no introduction. My favorite, saag paneer. Mic drop.
This one is for all of those kale skeptics out there whose hearts and minds (and stomachs) I couldn’t change with my last post for kale and saag paneer. And hey, I get it. Kale is a hard sell.
I don’t have to tell you how much I love saag paneer. Literally, if I could marry it, I would. No question. Hard stop. But, alas, I cannot. So here I am sulking and instead divulging to you this fantastic saag paneer recipe that will get your taste buds grooving.
I’ve always been a frozen spinach kind of gal. It’s SO much easier storage-wise, but I’ve made this dish a lot and I just made it for the first time with fresh spinach and my mind was BLOWN. I don’t want to be dramatic here, but the flavor and texture of the spinach was so much brighter and better with the fresh spinach than with frozen. Don’t get me wrong, I still love frozen spinach. I’m just saying, if spinach is going to be the star of the show in the dish you’re making, opt for the fresh spinach. I’m a fresh spinach convert and I don’t know how I feel about it at the moment. Someone should probably check in with me in a couple of days to make sure I’m okay.
ANYWAY, if you don’t have any paneer, don’t fret! You can always sub in some sautéed mushrooms for a saag mushroom twist, or if you’re not a shroom fan, you can sub in a firm cheese (like halloumi) or some tofu and treat it just like the paneer (fry it up and all).
Hopefully you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and if not…your loss!
This is best served over rice and alongside fluffy naan or chapatis.
Saag Paneer:
Ingredients:
- 1lb fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 tsp. dried fenugreek (kasuri methi) (optional)
- 4 TBS ghee (butter can also be substituted in)
- 10 oz paneer, cut into cubes
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder (1/4 tsp if not a spicy food person)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 can coconut milk
Directions:
Step 1: Add the chopped spinach and dried fenugreek to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, drain the spinach and squeeze out all of the liquid very well. I mean VERY well. Set aside.
Step 2: Add the ghee to a pan and set the heat to medium. Once the ghee is hot, add in the cubed paneer and fry on all sides until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 3: To that same pan, add in the onions and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions have softened and turned translucent. Then add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Add the spinach, all of the spices, salt, coconut milk, and browned paneer to the onion mixture. Stir and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes (until the coconut milk has cooked down into a thick sauce).
Step 5: Serve over rice and alongside fluffy naan or chapatis. Enjoy!
Happy Cooking!:)
The Hippie Baker 