Saag Paneer Recipe

Method11 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: For this stovetop recipe, use young, mild spinach and your chosen second greens. Remove tough stems and rinse at least three times, then drain. For bitter kale only, blanch in 3 cups boiling water with 2 tbsp lemon juice for 3 minutes, cool in fresh cold water and drain completely. Discard all rinse, blanch and cooling water.

   Uses 120 g baby spinach leaves (about 4 cups) · 120 g mustard greens, choy sum or baby kale (about 4 cups) · Separate greens-rinsing and kale-cooling water; discard · 3 cups optional kale-blanching water; discard · 2 tbsp lemon juice for optional kale blanching

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat ½ tbsp from the divided ghee or oil supply in a non-stick pan. Fry the 250 g cold paneer cubes over medium-high heat until golden underneath; turn and brown the other side. Set the fried paneer aside.

   Uses 250 g paneer, cut into cubes · ½ tbsp from the divided 1½–2 tbsp supply

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the remaining 1–1½ tbsp ghee or oil in the curry pan. Add the 85 g sliced onion, slit green chilies (1–2), ginger and 3 peeled garlic cloves. Sauté for 7–8 minutes until the onion loses its raw aroma.

   Uses Remaining 1–1½ tbsp from the divided fat · 85 g onion (about ¾ cup), sliced · 1–2 slit green chilies · One ½-inch ginger piece, peeled and thickly sliced · 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir in ¾–1 tsp coriander powder, optional ⅛ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp cumin powder. Add the 60 g tomatoes and either ¼ cup yogurt or the separate ¼ cup extra tomatoes. Cover and cook until the tomatoes break down and the onions are completely soft.

   Uses sautéed onion and aromatics · ¾–1 tsp coriander powder · ⅛ tsp optional turmeric · ½ tsp cumin powder · 60 g sliced tomatoes (about ½ cup) · ¼ cup plain yogurt · ¼ cup extra tomatoes, instead of yogurt

5. 5

   Step 5: Add 50 g sliced carrot or baby turnip and sauté for 2 minutes to bring out its sweetness.

   Uses soft tomato-onion base · 50 g sliced carrot or baby turnip (about ⅓ cup)

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the washed, drained spinach and chosen second greens. Cook or sauté for 5–6 minutes until wilted and cooked, adding a little extra water only if the pan dries.

   Uses carrot and cooked aromatic base · washed drained spinach and second greens · Extra cooking or thinning water only as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Reserve one cooked green chili if you want to control the heat. Add ¼ cup blending water to the cooked greens and blend to a slightly coarse purée. Cool fully before using a countertop blender, or use an immersion blender in the pot. Taste and blend in the reserved cooked chili only if wanted. Add a little extra water if the purée is too thick.

   Uses cooked greens and base, excluding any reserved cooked chili · Up to one cooked chili reserved from this cooked base · ¼ cup blending water · Extra cooking or thinning water only as needed

8. 8

   Step 8: Return the purée to the pan, add ½ tsp salt and simmer over medium heat for 6–7 minutes until the greens no longer smell raw. Loosen with a little extra hot water only if needed.

   Simmer saag · 7 minUses coarse cooked greens purée · ½ tsp initial salt · Extra cooking or thinning water only as needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Add ¾–1 tsp garam masala and most of the fried paneer, reserving a little paneer for garnish. Taste before adding the optional ½ tsp sugar or 1 tbsp kasuri methi; omit kasuri if the greens taste bitter. For the cream finish, stir in ¼ cup heavy cream. For homemade cashew (12) cream instead, powder 12 cashews and blend smoothly with their separate ¼ cup water or milk, then stir in that cream. Cook for 3–4 minutes until aromatic. Adjust only with the separately listed extra salt, garam masala or selected cream if needed.

   Uses seasoned simmered saag · Fried paneer except the unspecified garnish portion · ¾–1 tsp garam masala · ½ tsp optional sugar · 1 tbsp optional kasuri methi · ¼ cup heavy cream · 12 cashews for homemade cream · ¼ cup water or milk for homemade cashew cream

10. 10

    Step 10: For the tadka, put 1 tbsp butter or ghee and 1–2 large sliced garlic cloves in a small pan over very low heat. Let the garlic infuse for about 2 minutes without browning, then add 1–2 dried red chilies and fry until crisp.

    Uses 1 tbsp unsalted butter or ghee for tadka · 1–2 large sliced garlic cloves for tadka · 1–2 dried red chilies for tadka

11. 11

    Step 11: Turn off the tadka heat. Stir in ⅛ tsp asafoetida and ½–¾ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or flakes, then pour over the cooked saag paneer. Add the reserved fried paneer garnish and squeeze lemon juice to taste at serving. Ready rice or flatbread is an optional accompaniment.

    Uses finished creamy saag paneer · garlic-chili tadka · Only the fried paneer retained for garnish after adding the main portion · ⅛ tsp asafoetida · ½–¾ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or chili flakes · Juice from the serving lemon, as desired