Saag Paneer
ou’ve probably heard of saag paneer, a popular dish that’s a staple on Indian menus across the United States and the United Kingdom. But that’s not the saag paneer I know. That dish of puréed spinach and cheese is actually palak paneer (palak means spinach in Hindi).
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 ounces kale, mustard greens, or fenugreek greens (methi), or a combination
- 10 to 12 ounces baby spinach (10 to 12 cups)
- 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger
- 2 fresh Indian or Thai green chiles
- 4 cloves garlic, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 8 ounces paneer
- 5 tablespoons ghee, divided
- 4 small dried red Indian chiles, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Naan, paratha, rice, or cumin rice, for serving (optional)
- Pick the leaves from 10 to 12 ounces kale, mustard, or fenugreek greens, discarding any tough stems. Tear or chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. Place in a large pot. Add 10 to 12 ounces baby spinach and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
- Peel 1 (1-inch) piece ginger and coarsely chop. Trim 2 fresh green chiles. Add the ginger, green chiles, and 2 of the garlic cloves to the blender and blend until smooth, adding a little water to help blend if needed.
- Finely chop 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups) and the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Cut 8 ounces paneer into 3/4-inch cubes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 2 of the dried red Indian chiles. Cook until the onion is softened and golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Add the puréed greens, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, and stir to combine. If the mixture is very thick, add up to 1/2 cup boiling water to thin. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as needed, for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
- Add the paneer and stir to combine. Cover and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons ghee in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 dried red Indian chiles and cook for a few seconds. Pour over the saag paneer. Serve with naan, paratha, rice, or cumin rice if desired.