Homemade Saag Paneer
This Indian classic can be made at home for your whole family to enjoy. The creamy spinach with the Indian flavors of turmeric, coriander and cumin, is a comforting winter supper. If you are feeling adventurous, try making the paneer at home the night before. (Adapted from Aarti Sequeira)
  • CourseMain Course
  • CuisineIndian
Ingredients
  • 1tsp Turmeric
  • 1/2tsp Cayenne
  • Kosher salt
  • 3TBS plus 1 1/2vegetable oil
  • 12ounces Paneer(Indian cheese, either store-bought or made from my recipe, recipe follows), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 16-ounce Package frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 Onionfinely chopped
  • 1 Gingerpeeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon), 1-inch thumb
  • 4cloves Garlicminced
  • 1 Serrano chilefinely chopped (seeds removed if you don’t like it spicy!)
  • 1/2tsp Garam masala
  • 2tsp Coriander
  • 1tsp Cumin
  • 1/2Cup Yogurt, plain
  • 2Cups Basmati Rice*Cooked
Paneer (Homemade Indian Cheese)
  • Cheesecloth
  • 8Cups Milk, whole
  • 1/4Cup Lemon juiceplus more as needed
  • 8Cups Milk, whole
  • 1/4Cup Lemon juiceplus more as needed
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil.
  2. 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.
  3. Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high. Chop it up very finely with your knife.
  4. 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.
  5. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Saute the mixture until it’s brown, which should take about 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step. If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
  6. 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, 3 to 5 minutes.
  7. Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.
  8. 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, gently so that it does not break up. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve along or over steamed basmati rice.
Paneer
  1. Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth, and set it in your sink.
  2. In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom. This may take a little while.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander.
  5. 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.
  6. 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 and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.