(Saag Paneer)
Editor's note:These instructions are excerpted from Julie Sahni's bookClassic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking.Sahni also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
Indian cheese(paneer)is a delicacy all Indians—particularly vegetarians—love. Popular all through the north from Bengal in the east to Gujarat and Punjab in the west,paneeris cooked in an onion-and-cumin-laced spinach sauce. I add sweet red peppers, as the brilliant red peppers and ivory-white cheese pieces look stunning against the glazed moss-green sauce.
Ingredients
For 4-6 persons
Step 1
1. Lay thepaneer,farmer's cheese, ortofupieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and let dry for 10 minutes (this will enable them to hold their shape better during cooking).
Step 2
2. Puree the spinach and green pepper together in a food processor or blender. The puree should be as fine and velvety as you can make it.
Step 3
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy, nonstick pan over medium heat. Dust thepaneerpieces lightly with flour and add them to the pan. Fry them in batches, turning and tossing them until they turn light golden (about 2 or 3 minutes per batch). Watch carefully to ensure that they do not burn. Take them out and put on a dish and set aside.
Step 4
4. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the same pan, along with the onion. Fry the onion, stirring constantly, until brown (about 20 minutes). Add the ginger and fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add the turneric and green chilies, stir for a few seconds, then add the spinach puree along with 1/2 cup water, salt, and sweet red peppers. Mix well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Add the friedpaneerpieces, mix again thoroughly, and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir in thegaram masala.
Step 5
When ready to serve, heat thoroughly and, if desired, fold in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to glaze and mellow the sauce.
• Indian cheese is available at many Indian markets. To make it from scratch: Bring 8 cups whole milk to a boil. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and reduce heat. Keep liquid at a gentle boil until white curd separates from yellow whey, then remove from heat and pour through a colander lined with cheesecloth. Hold colander under cold water and rinse the curds, then gather corners of cheesecloth together and twist to remove excess liquid. Hang the bundle to drain for an hour, then place it on a work surface and weigh it down with a heavy object (such as a large pot filled with water) for half an hour. Remove the cheesecloth and cut the cheese into small cubes. Keep refrigerated, submerged in water, until needed, up to 4 days.
• Garam masala, an aromatic north Indian spice blend that includes cinnamon and cloves, is available online atwww.ethnicfoodsco.com.
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Reviews (22)
Back to TopGood stuff. Made with Tofu.
Rpcl
1/20/2013
这是如此的美味。我做了很多改进ns because of what was available in my kitchen, but the result was fantastic deliciousness. i blended the spinach with sour cream since i didn't have milk or tofu. i only had a red pepper so i skipped the chili and green peppers and used cayenne pepper instead. i used 2/3 a jar of trader joe's masala sauce. i also roasted garbanzo beans with sliced onion and 5 garlic cloves (which i dusted with curry powder) and added them to the simmering spinach. i let the dish simmer much longer than suggested to allow the flavor to develop. would definitely make this again and again!
msgaia
los angeles, ca
1/3/2012
This was okay - not the best I've had. Would make it again but there is no need to lay out the pieces of paneer if you're using store-bought and when pureeing the spinach and green pepper some liquid will be required for a smooth consistency. Recipe as written comes across a bit more complicated than necessary.
tochefs
Toronto
7/14/2011
I was very pleased with this recipe. I am new to Indian cooking. About a year ago my husband took me to India palace and ordered the Lamb Saag for me. It was love at first bite. This didn't taste exactly like their saag but from what I understand Curry and Garam Marsala recipes vary so there is no real way to no and I doubt they're going to give it up. I used 2 teaspoons of Trader Joe's Curry then added a dash more ground cloves and cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar. I also cooked it with chicken instead of making the paneer (which I'll be trying next time) so I think that effected the flavor a good bit. I think lamb would probably absorb the flavor better because it's not as dense as chicken. I added about a TBS of heavy cream but I think that's about all the changes I made. I would also suggest doubling it up if you have men eating unless you pair it with naan and something else. This recipe only fed 3 people instead of 6 but we only had basmati rice with it. I also did not add any of the red peppers. Anyway, my husband and I loved it! We will definitely be eating this often. I recommend it!
schoeneaugen
Greer, SC
6/11/2011
All due respect to other reviewers, those who were complaining that it's not palak paneer or saag paneer, the recipe isn't claiming to be. Also, it's very annoying when people change the recipe drastically and then complain that it didn't produce the results they wanted. The dish uses Indian spices, so it's probably fairly authentic. I thought the flavor was good, probably needs a little salt; you can't go into a recipe with expectations that it will be like something else you've tried. That's unreasonable.
meevenson
Chapel Hill, NC
3/2/2011
this is classical Indian dish but the recipe is all wrong, type palak paneer and you will get a great recipe for thye same
hushmoin
Chennai
8/20/2009
Im indian and this recepie is nowhere close to the authentic recepie which origitaes in Punjaab , North India . For example we dont use any green or red pepper with spinach , just add cut ginger ,few cloves of garlic,one small onion ,one tomatoe,one chillie in a blender along with blanched spinach.Heat oil,add turmeric,little garam masala and add the puree .. finish it by adding the panfriend paneer and some cream and finish with salt . This is faster and tasteir .
Anjalii
India
7/7/2009
The best recipe for palak paneer I've found is on the Manjulaskitchen.com web site. I've made paneer but have had no luck frying it and I don't believe the recipe needs it. We also found great tofu at a local Vietnamese store where it is made fresh every day. I just pat it dry, cut it appropriately, and then fry it in very very little oil in a teflon pan. I have a couple of Julie Sahni's cookbooks and have found them to be excellent.
garytuck
Portland, OR
6/10/2009
HELP! Is it just me or is it really not possible to make paneer with ULTRA pasteurized milk? I used to make it all the time, but I tried TWICE with whole milk and ended up with about 2 tablespoons of solids out of an entire gallon of whole milk. The only thing I could figure out is that the milk was ultra pasteurized instead of pasteurized. Am I nuts here? I mean, paneer is super easy to make - I KNOW it is! Help! I want the paneer - I don't want tofu - but living in a very small town in the middle of somewhere it's impossible to find ANY Indian food or ingredients, I'm not going to get it unless I make it myself...
amygerman
Amherst, NE
6/10/2009
Wow, I don't know what some folks did, but I feel sure they made a mistake. I have used this as one of my hallmark recipes for years-- the kind I no longer order at a restaurant because it's much better made at home. One restaurant I frequented years ago formed the basis for my saag cravings, and this recipe nails it. I've never tried this without making the cheese myself-- it's extremely simple, and its mildness is key to bringing together the flavors of the recipe, since they are subtle and must meld together just right. Be sure to use kosher salt-- regular salt will, indeed, make it terribly salty. And last, I don't know how you properly crush ginger, I would grate it for sure, or it won't incorporate.
ninabuck
5/3/2009
After reading the reviews, I didn't use any bell peppers, couldn't find ginger. I used fresh cheese and maybe a little extra garam masala. I think the garam masala is what can make or break this dish. I have a really good one that was given to me. I cooked the spinach with butter and garlic, the flavor comes through well. My one complaint is way too much salt! I added a teaspoon and it's crazy. Add little by little.
katieclary
Mexico
10/19/2008
herez a video(of original dish) to help you all who love palak paneer! :)
Anonymous
Seattle,WA
5/27/2008
I was expecting the Indian dish Palak Paneer. This is nothing like anything I've ever had at any Indian restaurant. It was very smooth but had no real flavor.
ogdensmom
8/27/2007
I have never done so much to make something that tasted so unimpressively mediocre. I love Saag Paneer and this dish tastes nothing like it. The bell pepper and the ginger do not make interesting or tasty additions to this dish. Even as a basis for a dish, this recipe is a total loss. I just made it since I had some tofu, spinach and peppers, I wish I had read the reviews first.
Anonymous
San Francisco
6/3/2007
I love Indian food but this recipe was bland and unsatisfying. My husband and I forced ourselves to eat it because it was healthy, but that was the only redeeming quality of the dish. I agree with others that it could be a starting point, but only if you know what to add (I don't obviously). I substituted the paneer cheese with tofu. Perhaps the cheese would add something to the dish. I don't recommend this recipe; I would not make it again.
LeahAnnegg
Santa Barbara, CA.
3/26/2007
