Saag Paneer (Spinach with Paneer)

This Saag Paneer is unlike any that you have had in restaurants. The one that you eat in restaurants is laden with heavy cream and butter but this is super healthy with an aromatic and undiluted taste of fresh spinach. It is not only low-fat but rich in Iron and Protein. I have nothing against using cream for curries occasionally but for a home cooked, everyday meal I don't add cream or butter, like to keep it as natural as possible.

So to get that richness, I like to add Channa dal to it to get the creamy texture and additional protein to this dish. So its low in fat and tastes even better this way. This is how an authentic North Indian home cooked saag Paneer looks like.

Saag Paneer

RECIPE: Saag Paneer
Ingredients
20 Oz Baby Spinach
1 Cup Channa Dal
2 Large Tomatoes, chopped
1 Green Chilli (optional)
5-6 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1" piece of Ginger, chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 Cups Water
12 Oz Paneer, low-fat (preferred)

To make Tarka (seasoning):
1 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter or just plain butter)
1/2 Large Onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted and powdered
1 tsp Coriander seeds, roasted and powdered
1/2 tsp paprika powder, for garnish

Method

1. Wash the Channa dal with plenty of running water and drain.
2. Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and garlic coarsely. Does not have to be perfect since you will blend it all later.
3. In a pressure cook add dal, baby spinach, tomato, green chilli, garlic, ginger, salt to tatse and turmeric powder with 2 cups of water.
4. Pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles and then lower the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the steam escape.
5. While that is cooking, lets chop up the ingredients for the tarka (seasoning) and have them all ready.
6. For Tarka: Roast the cumin and coriander, let cool and grind them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.
7. Chop the onions and garlic. Set aside
8. Heat a Tbsp of ghee in a big skillet or pan and add the onions and garlic to it. Let brown for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
9. Add all the spices and saute for about a minute.
10. Now to assemble it all together, open the pressure cooker and make sure the dal is cooked through. If not cook some more.
11. Now take a hand grinder and coarsely grind the spinach-dal mixture.
12. Now add the minced spinach-dal puree to the tarka and let it heat through. Check for seasoning.
13. Add paneer and let simmer for a few minutes till the mixture bubbles and the paneer is heated through. Garnish with a dollop of butter and paprika powder. Serve with Rice, roti or naan.

Step-by-step process,

Channa Dal

Wash the Channa dal with plenty of running water and drain.

Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and garlic coarsely. Does not have to be perfect since you will blend it all later. In a pressure cook add dal, baby spinach, tomato, green chilli, garlic, ginger, salt to tatse and turmeric powder with 2 cups of water.

Pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles and then lower the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the steam escape.

While that is cooking, lets chop up the ingredients for the tarka (seasoning) and have them all ready.

For Tarka: Roast the cumin and coriander, let cool and grind them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

Tarka Ingredients

Chop the onions and garlic. Set aside. Heat a Tbsp of ghee in a big skillet or pan and add the onions and garlic to it. Let brown for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Ghee or Clarified butter

Add all the spices and saute for about a minute. The aroma from the spices alone is worth the effort. This smells so awesome already. 

Now to assemble it all together, open the pressure cooker and make sure the dal is cooked through. If not cook some more. Take a hand grinder and coarsely grind the spinach-dal mixture.

Now add the minced spinach-dal puree to the tarka and let it heat through. Check for seasoning.

Add paneer and let simmer for a few minutes till the mixture bubbles and the paneer is heated through. Garnish with a dollop of butter and paprika powder. Serve with Rice, roti or naan.

I had forgotten how good it tastes and to my surprise my kids have been asking me to make it again after they polished it off the first time around (I wish I could show you their dinner plates from that night :). So please give it a try and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.