Tonight I’m recycling a recipe I have previously run in wfd, has anyone ever tried it? It’s still one of my regular dinner plans.
Saag Paneer (Spinach with Cheese)
from Aarti Sequeira (Food Network) — 4 servings
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces paneer (Indian cheese), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, see link for recipe
1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped (seeds removed if you like it less spicy)
1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade garam masala, see link for recipe
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup (or more to taste) plain yogurt, stirred until smooth
Paneer is a very mild fresh cheese sort of like mozzarella, but don't think about substituting. Make your own if you don't have an Indian grocery nearby.
In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3
tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking
care not to break the cubes if you're using the homemade kind. Let the cubes
marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.
Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high,
then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up
very finely with your knife.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan
warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should
be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer
from the pan onto a plate.
Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger,
garlic and chile. Now here's the important part: saute the mixture until it's
evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. Don't skip this
step - this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is
drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven't already, sprinkle a
little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the
raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to
5 minutes.
Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the
spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5
minutes with the lid off.
Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from
curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn
the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5
minutes. Serve.
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I’m doing tacos tonight. What’s for dinner at your place?
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