Saag paneer

General

• Serves 4
• Preparation 30 mins
• Cooking 10 mins

Ingredients

For spinach puree

0.55 lb spinach or 5 to 6 cups roughly chopped spinach
1 to 2 green chilies or 1 Serrano pepper or 1 to 2 Anaheim peppers - chopped
1 to 2 small to medium garlic cloves - roughly chopped (optional)
1 inch ginger - roughly chopped
709.76 ml water for blanching spinach
709.76 ml water for ice bath

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter) or butter
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 small to medium sized onion
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 4 to 5 small to medium garlic cloves
• ⅓ cup finely chopped tomatoes or 1 small to medium sized tomato
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper or paprika
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
• 118.29 ml water or add as required
• ¼ or ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder - add more if required
• 7.05 to 8.80 oz Paneer or tofu
• 2 tablespoons low fat cream or 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves (dry fenugreek leaves) - optional. kasuri methi is crushed and added right towards the end. just before adding cream.
• salt as required

For garnish

• 1 to 2 teaspoons cream (low fat or heavy cream or cooking cream) or butter for garnish - optional
• ½ to 1 inch ginger - julienne
• lemon or lime wedges or slices

Procedure

Making spinach puree

1. Rinse the palak or spinach leaves very well in running water. Tender stem are fine. If the stems are stringy, then discard the stems.
2. Boil 3 cups water in a pan or microwave or electric heater. Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the hot water and stir. When the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame. Add the spinach leaves in the hot water. Let the palak leaves sit in the water for about 1 minute.
3. After 1 minute, using a pasta tong, take the leaves.
4. Immediately add the palak or spinach leaves in a pan or bowl containing ice cold water. This method helps in preserving the green color of the spinach. Just add 8 to 10 ice cubes to 3 cups water to get cold water. Allow the spinach leaves to be in the cold water for a minute.
5. Then drain the ice cold water. Add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies.
6. Make a smooth palak puree. No need to add water while making the puree. Keep the spinach puree aside.

Sautéing onions and tomatoes

1. Heat oil or ghee or butter in a pan or kadai. If using butter, melt it a low flame making sure that the butter does not brown.
2. Add the cumin and let them splutter.
3. Then add the tej patta or Indian bay leaf.
4. Add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions become golden.
5. Then add the finely chopped garlic. Saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute the tomatoes till they soften.
7. Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida/hing.
8. Mix very well.

Making the paneer

1. Then add the palak puree and mix well.
2. Add about ½ cup water or as required. Mix again.
3. Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or more till the palak or spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.
4. Stir and add garam masala powder.
5. Stir again and then add the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes.
6. Mix very well and switch off the heat. Be quick as we don't want heat the paneer for more 30 seconds to 1 minute. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense.
7. Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of low-fat cream. If using heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it. Stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the gravy uniformly.
8. Pour the palak paneer in serving bowls. While serving you can top it with some butter or cream.You can also drizzle a few drops of lime or lemon juice on top along with ginger julienne on the palak paneer.