Saag Paneer (also called Palak Paneer) is one of my absolute favorite Indian dishes. You’ve surely seen the classic vegetarian entree at your local Indian restaurant or in the ethnic aisle at the grocery store, but did you know how easy and satisfying it is to make it at home? I got this recipe from Masala: Indian cooking for modern living and fell in love with the hearty meal all over again.
If you can’t find paneer (a traditional farmer-style Indian cheese), know that it’s really simple to make and probably much better for you too. You’ll find a lot of recipes online and will only need a few basic ingredients, such as whole milk and lemons, and some cheesecloth. Give yourself a few hours extra and you’ll have some fresh curds to dice and saute.
The Saag Paneer we most often see in the US is made with spinach though this recipe introduced me to the many other ways the dish is prepared in India – here mixing kale and Swiss chard. You could also use mustard or even beet greens if you wished.
I’d have a really hard time saying which of the two main components I prefer in this dish: the meltingly soft and spicy greens, or the firm and slightly chewy chunks of cheese… Truth be told they form an amazing duo and no doubt need each other to shine.
A squirt of lemon is all you need to bring out the wonderful flavors, and of course some warm and crusty naan bread to scoop it all up!
This is one hearty and scrumptious way to eat your greens…
| Category: | Entree |
| Cuisine: | Indian |
| Yield: | Serves 4 |
2. Remove the paneer with a slotted spoon, then toss the onion, ginger and garlic into the pan. Cook for five minutes until they soften and start taking on colour, then add the cumin seeds, green chilli, turmeric and chilli powder and sauté for another five minutes.
3. Roughly slice and add the greens, along with 500ml of hot water and the salt. Let the greens cook, uncovered, until they wilt, then turn off the heat.
4. When the contents of the pan have cooled sufficiently for your food processor or blender, tip the greens in and blitz to a smooth paste with the remaining 125ml of water (or use a hand blender.) You should get a thick, creamy and bright green mixture.
5. Pour the saag back into the pan and place over a medium heat. Drop the paneer in, along with the garam masala or fenugreek leaves. Warm the mixture for five minutes until the paneer softens and bubbles start appearing.
6. Scoop into a bowl and finish with a swirl of cream and a few coriander leaves. Serve with lemon or lime to squeeze over.
225-250g of paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2.5cm of fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 green chilli, chopped
½ tsp of ground turmeric
½ tsp of chilli powder
100g each of black kale, leafy greens and Swiss chard, washed well
625ml of hot water
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of garam masala or a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves
Light cream
Coriander leaves
Lemon or lime halves
