Paneer saag
Paneer saag is a vegetarian delight classic Indian dish made with spinach and paneer. It is a dish of cooked spinach studded with cubes of fried paneer cheese. Paneer saag is a leaf-based dish eaten with flatbread such as roti, naan and paratha. It’s a well loved by vegetarians. With vegetarian protein from Indian Paneer, it also has abundance of calcium, iron, folate and also Vitamin-C.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 450 grams paneer, cut into 3cm cubes
- 500 grams fresh spinach, washed and finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 1-2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ lemon, to serve
Method
Heat ghee in a non-stick sauté pan over a medium heat. Add all the pieces of paneer and fry them, turning them over gently with a slotted spatula, until they are golden brown on all sides.
Remove the paneer with a slotted spoon and place on a plate in a single layer. Sprinkle the paneer quickly with a pinch of salt, the garam masala and keep it aside.
Again, heat ghee or alternatively oil in the same pan. I do like cooking the various elements in ghee, rather than vegetable oil though; it adds an authentic richness without blunting the flavour of the onion and garlic. When it’s hot add turmeric power, garlic and ginger paste, onion, and chillies. Fry it, stirring constantly for about a minute.
Lastly, add the spinach then salt, chilli powder and stir it for about a minute. Add some water and let it gently cook covering the pan for about 10-15 minutes in medium heat.
Then, finally add paneer and cream (optional) when spinach is gravy. Stir gently and let it cook for 8-10 minutes covering the pan. Serve this paneer saag in a plate squeeze lemon over.