Spinach Curry with Cheese (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Components
01 -
Spinach, fresh (1¼ pounds/20 ounces)
02 -
Paneer, diced into small cubes (8 ounces)
03 -
Oil or ghee (4 tablespoons)
→ Aromatics and Spices
04 -
Half a medium onion, chopped finely
05 -
Minced serrano peppers with seeds removed (1-2)
06 -
Minced fresh garlic (8-10 cloves)
07 -
Dill, freshly chopped (2 heaping tablespoons)
08 -
Kosher salt (½ teaspoon)
09 -
White pepper (½ teaspoon)
10 -
Cayenne pepper, if you want heat (⅛-¼ teaspoon)
11 -
Dried fenugreek leaves, if available (1-2 teaspoons)
→ Dairy
12 -
Whole milk or 2% milk (¾ cup)
13 -
Heavy cream (½ cup)
→ For Serving
14 -
Naan bread or basmati rice
# Instructions:
01 -
Drop spinach into salted boiling water and cook for just 1 minute. Then quickly move it to an ice water bath. After it's cool, drain it well and squeeze out all the extra water. Put it aside for later.
02 -
Warm up 1 tablespoon of ghee in a big skillet over medium heat. Brown the paneer cubes in small batches until they turn golden, taking about 3-5 minutes. Add a tiny bit of salt and set them aside.
03 -
Put the other 3 tablespoons of ghee in the pan and cook the onions with serrano peppers for 9-11 minutes till they're see-through. Throw in the garlic and let it cook another 1-2 minutes.
04 -
Toss the dill, prepared spinach, and milk into the pan. Let it come to a boil, then puree everything until it's smooth. Pour it back in the pan, add your seasonings, and let it simmer. Mix in the cream and cook for 3-5 minutes till it's as thick as you want. Lastly, add the paneer and crumbled fenugreek leaves.
# Notes:
01 -
You can use baby spinach or the regular kind with equal success.
02 -
For a twist on saag paneer, try mixing spinach with mustard greens, collard greens and some kale.
03 -
Make it as hot as you like by adding more or less serrano peppers and cayenne.