Fresh Spinach And Paneer
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Hankering for the kind of Indian food you can't get at your local "Curry in a Hurry"? That's because Indian food should be cooked at home in small batches for people you love, and that's what London-based chef and writer Meera Sodha brings to the table in her new cookbook, Made in India. Say good-bye to soggy saag paneer and welcome a fresh new era!
My grandfather was an eccentric man. He wore polished patent shoes and a sharply cut suit and smelled of jasmine behind his ears. The week he retired, he signed up for a three-month round-the-world cruise to celebrate. Before he left, he received a courtesy call from the Kitchen Head of the ship to see whether he had any dietary requirements. "I really like Indian vegetable curries," he said, and sent over a whole shipping container of Indian greens to travel with him until his return.
Spinach and paneer was one of his favorites. This is a much fresher version of the old curryhouse stalwart saag paneer. I like to eat it when the spinach has only just wilted so that it still tastes fresh and keeps its goodness.
- canola oil
- 1 pound paneer
- salt
- 2 medium onions
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 fresh green chili
- 14 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pound fresh spinach leaves
- :::paneer:::
- Put 3 tablespoons of the oil into a lidded frying pan on a high heat. Lightly season the paneer cubes with salt and fry them in the pan, turning regularly until golden on each side. Watch out, as the paneer might spit; if it does, half cover it with a lid. Remove the paneer cubes using a slotted spoon and put them to one side on a paper towel.
- :::spinach:::
- Turn the heat down to medium, put a little more oil into the pan if need be, and add the onions. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are golden. Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili, stir well, then add the cherry tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Put the lid on the pan and cook the tomatoes for 6 to 8 minutes, until they start to break down and become soft. Then add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt or to taste. Stir well and taste, adding the extra chili powder if you’d like to. The mixture should look quite paste-like now, and there should be very little (if any) liquid running from it. (If this is not the case, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
- Return the paneer pieces to the pan, stir to coat them with the paste, and heat through. Finally, add the spinach in batches, wilting down a large handful before adding another, and coating the leaves carefully with the sauce.
- Cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid on, to make sure all the spinach has wilted, then take off the heat. Serve with some lovely hot chapatis or naan.