Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Curry
The Japones Chile (Capsicum Annuum) is similar in appearance to the De Arbol. Though the walls of the Japones are thicker. Dried Japones Chiles are medium hot and good with Asian dishes. On the heat scale, this chile is 5-6. Scoville heat units 15,000 to 35,000.
Suggested Use:
Japones Chiles are medium hot and frequently found in spicier Asian and Oriental dishes. Used in Thai Basil Curry dishes and Hot Peanut Sauces. Crush a few pods and add them to your next stir fry.
Ingredients:
2 lbs spinach (if using fresh, use about 5-6 cups chopped)
1 big red or yellow onion (about 1.5-2 cups), quartered and thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic
3 tomatoes chopped (or 1 cup of Tomato Puree) – Optional**
4 tablespoon of oil
1/2 teaspoon of methi/fenugreek seeds
1.4 tablespoon of Kasuri Methi (These are dried methi/fenugreek leaves available in Indian Grocery Stores) – Optional
1.5 cups of Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese cut into cubes (make Paneer at home or buy the ready made ones from the Indian Grocery)salt to taste
1 teaspoon red chili powder/paprika/cayenne (optional)
4 green hot peppers, slit (Optional) 1 tablespoon heavy cream for garnish – Optional
a drizzle of lemon juice, if you are not using tomatoes
**Note: The use of the tomatoes is optional. If you do not use the tomatoes, you will have a more green Palak Paneer. If you are not using tomatoes, use some lemon juice at the end of the cooking.
Instructions:
Serves 6-8 as a side dish.
If you are using fresh spinach leaves, wash spinach until all dirt runs out. Take 1 cup of water in a large pan, add the spinach, garlic and half of kasuri methi and boil it covered at low heat till the spinach leaves change color to darker green, about 7-10 minutes.
Or if you want to retain the crisp green color of the spinach, blanch spinach for a couple of minute and run under chilled water. Skip the above step of cooking the spinach.
Cool it and blend it to a puree in the blender along with the green peppers.
Heat the oil, add the methi/fenugreek seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add the onions. Fry till the onions are glazed and starting to brown. Add the tomatoes (if you are using tomatoes), chili powder and the salt. Cover and fry till the tomatoes are soft and mushy and the oil leaves the sides of the pan.
If you are not using tomatoes, pour in the spinach blend, green peppers and the rest of the kasuri methi .If you are using tomatoes, add the spinach to the pan only after the tomatoes have cooked as mentioned in the above step.
Cover and simmer at low heat for another 15 – 20 minutes. Take care at this time because the spinach will pop and bubble as it boils.
Uncover and stir in the Cheese/Paneer cubes. Cover and cook for another 1o minutes.
Garnish with a swirl of heavy cream just before serving.
Serve as a side with bread or over rice.
From scurry.com