Saag Paneer

I am apparently trying to set some sort of record with the number of paneer posts I can link in a row.

I gave my recipe for paneer in the previous post because then I wanted to share what I did yesterday in my attempt to make homemade saag paneer.  Saag means spinach, so saag paneer is essentially spinach with paneer cheese.  It can sometimes, however, also be made with other dark greens, like mustard greens.  It is often made by blending the cooked spinach in a blender or food processor, but I wanted to make it sortof like creamed spinach, without blending it.

I was pleasantly surprised with my experiment, I think it came out wonderfully!  I wrote down what I did so I wouldn't forget, and promised Dan I would make it again sometime.  I served my saag paneer on its own with rice and pita bread, but I think it would be good as a side dish as well.

For the base of the seasoning, you'll see I listed a sweet lemon curry powder.  I used something called "Vietnamese Sweet Lemon Curry."  This is a curry blend that I found at my fave, Savory Spice Shop.  It includes lemongrass, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, black pepper, sugar, and some other things.  If you have those things or a similar curry powder, I recommend giving it a try, because I loved it in this dish, but it's not necessary.  You can add whatever curry seasonings you like to this dish, or you could just add a little bit of cumin and black pepper, or anything in between.

Here's what I did.

Lairdriin's Saag Paneer
12-16 1-inch cubes of paneer, plus 1/4 c. crumbled
8-10 cups baby or regular spinach, roughly chopped
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/4 c finely chopped carrot or bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp vietnamese sweet lemon curry or other curry powder (optional)
1/2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper
a pinch ground mustard
1 tsp salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 c yogurt
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp flour plus some for dredging
veg oil and butter (or ghee)

1.  Fry the cubes of paneer: Dredge them in a little flour, shake off excess, and fry in a 1/4 inch of oil on each side until golden brown.  Set aside.
2.  Cook onions, and carrot or bell pepper, in plenty of butter/ghee in a large skillet, just until soft.  Stir in garlic and seasonings and cook for one minute.
3.  Add spinach and toss with tongs to coat with the seasoned butter.  When the spinach is fully cooked, remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
4.  In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, and 1 tbsp flour.  Add this to the seasoned butter in the skillet and stir well as it heats on low heat.  When it bubbles, add the crumbled paneer and stir well.
5.  Add the veggies back into the pan.  Mix to coat with the creamy sauce.  Taste for seasoning and add salt or seasonings as necessary.
6. Add fried cubes of paneer to the pan and heat through.  Serve immediately.