Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons plus 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces paneer, (Indian cheese, store-bought or made from the recipe below), cut into 1-inch cubes, see Note*
1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (~1-inch thumb), peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green Serrano chile, finely chopped (seeds removed if you don't like it spicy!)
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth
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Directions: |
Directions: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 1½ tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Sauté 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 ½ cup of water, stir, and cook ~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.
*Note: Paneer is very easy to make at home, and the recipe below is quick, easy, and delicious. If you'd like to buy it, this cheese can sometimes be found in better supermarkets or in specialty Asian markets.
Paneer: Homemade Indian Cheese
Ingredients:
Cheesecloth
8 cups (½ gallon) whole milk (or 2%)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed (see Note*)
Directions:
Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth (criss-cross the layers), and set it in your sink.
In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom (a nonstick pot works really well for this purpose). This will take a little while, so be patient!
Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (the greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!
*Note: If the milk doesn't separate, juice some more lemons and add another tablespoon or two. Boost the heat again and the milk should separate.
Stir in a motion that gathers the curds together rather than breaks them up. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow the cheese to drain for about 5 minutes. Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (this will ensure your block of cheese is nice and smooth!) and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move it to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.
Yield: Makes 12 ounces of cheese. |
This recipe for Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Cheese (Recipe courtesy of Aarti Sequeira, The Food Network) is from