Growing Chefs! Ontario Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer

Creamed spinach with fresh cheese, this comforting Punjabi dish is hearty and satisfying.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Grapeseed oil1 pound freshly baby spinach, chopped1/2 bunch fenugreek leaves, chopped2 tablespoons ghee1/2 pound paneer, cut into 1 by 1/2 inch pieces2 onions1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger4 cloves of garlic, minced1 serrano chile, stemmed and minced1/2 teaspoon ground coriander1/2 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon garam masala1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper1/2 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
Measuring spoonsMeasuring cupsCutting boardChef knifeFood processor or blenderMedium potStrainerLarge frying panWooden spoonBowels of various sizesClean dish towelTasting spoons

Get Organized!

Gather your mise en place; get together all of the equipment needed for the recipe and gather your ingredients.

Get Prepped!

Chop the spinach and fenugreek. Cut the paneer and slice the onions.

Grate the ginger and mince the garlic and chile.

Measure out the ghee, coriander, cumin, garam masala, cayenne and cream.

Get Cooking!

Place a small amount of oil in a large pan and place over medium heat. Add the paneer and cook, turning often until brown on all sides. Once the paneer has browned, take it out of the pan and transfer it to a plate. Set aside.

In the same pan, add the ghee and sliced onions and cook until the onions have softened and begun to caramelize.

Once the onions have begun to caramelize add the ginger, chili and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook for another minute, stirring the spices into the mixture.

Transfer the onions to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan.

Add the spinach and fenugreek to the pan with a splash of water and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted down and the water has evaporated. Continue adding water and stewing down the spinach until it is very soft, about 15 minutes.

Add the cream and continue to cook until the cream has reduced and formed a sauce. Add the paneer back into the pan and warm through.