Saag Paneer – Creamy Seasonal Greens with Tofu and Spinach

Seasonal GreensWeekend meal prep is essential for me to survive a busy week. One of the dishes I made over the this weekend is Saag Paneer, actually Saag Tofu.

All things considered, I should really call this recipe, available greens and paneer. In a seasonal kitchen I guess all of this goes hand in hand. The batch that I am finally sharing today is made with a combination of beet greens, kale and a smattering of spinach thrown in for good measure.

Saag Paneer

I recently made this at a class at the Hilltop Hanover Farm.  

It is such a popular recipe for my classes. So I took the time to write it up.

Saag Paneer 3_650My recipe, like most of my recipes is a simpler, gentler take with mostly what I have on hand and a lighter touch with the cream. The greens, well they keep their pale green color due to minimal cooking with very little water and of course the use of dark and hearty greens such as kale greens.

Saag PaneerNow, let me tell you a secret, this version is actually a dairy free version, mostly because I tend to often have tofu around in the house, and coconut milk more readily around than cream. Given all the coconut based recipes I cook up, you probably knew that right? I add in a nice dose of lemon to finish, offering flavor and brightness.

Another saag recipe is my recipe for saag chicken. A good recipe with tofu is this chili tofu recipe.

If you like chickpeas you can try substituting chickpeas instead of the paneer or tofu in this recipe. While you are at it you can watch my

Recent chickpea video on youtube

Now onto the recipe,

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Saag Paneer – Creamy Seasonal Greens with Tofu and Spinach

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

A vegan version of the classic saag paneer, made with tofu and coconut cream with several variations.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups assorted seasonal greens
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (see notes for this recipe)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced hot pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (canned or 2 fresh tomatoes)
  • 1 cup cubed tofu or paneer
  • Salt to taste
  • Lemon or lime to finish
  • Optional chopped red onions to serve

Instructions

  1. In a large pot bring about 1/2 cup of water to boil with 1 teaspoon salt and add in the greens and cook until soft and wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Cool slightly and blend to a puree with the coconut milk.
  3. Heat the oil and add in the whole cumin seeds and wait until the seeds begin to sizzle and add in the red onion and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add in the ginger, garlic and the minced hot pepper and stir well.
  5. Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes are soft and mixed into the remaining ingredients.
  6. Stir in the tofu or paneer and stir well.
  7. Stir in the greens and add in the salt and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, adding enough water to ensure a smooth and soft consistency. I
  8. Mix well. Squeeze in the juice of the lime or lemon.
  9. Garnish with the red onions and serve.

Notes

1. You can skip the first step of pureeing the greens if you want and chunky texture, in this case you can chop the greens finely and add in after the tofu and continue with the recipe. 2. You can substitute heavy cream for the coconut milk and paneer in lieu of tofu.

https://spicechronicles.com/saag-paneer-creamy-seasonal-greens-with-tofu-and-spinach/

 

 

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