Foodstuff: International flair

Man, you guys are psyched on Indian food at home!

I can’t tell you how many people came up to me over the past two weeks to let me know they were planning to make the chicken tikka masala recipe from my previous column. As promised, here’s Part Two of our Indian feast, an excellent stovetop recipe for saag paneer, which pairs beautifully with the poultry.

This recipe for Indian-style spinach and cheese is by Aarti Sequeira and can be found on the Food Network website. I suggest starting to cook it when your chicken has about two hours left in the slow cooker (I have mentioned: This is a project).

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SAAG PANEER
Serves 4-6
1t turmeric
1/2t cayenne
Kosher salt
3T, plus 1 1/2T vegetable oil
12 ounces paneer Indian cheese cut into 1-inch cubes
16-oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced (about 1T)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green serrano pepper, finely chopped*
1/2t garam masala
2t ground coriander
1t ground cumin
1/2c plain yogurt (not Greek), stirred until smooth

In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, one teaspoon salt, and three tablespoons oil. Drop in the cubes of paneer, and gently toss, taking care not to break them. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

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Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish for five minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes, flip each cube of cheese. Fry another minute or so, or until the cubes are golden brown, then move the paneer from the pan to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Sauté the mixture until it’s evenly toffee-colored, which should take about 15 minutes**. If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.

Add the garam masala, coriander, and cumin. Sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cooks out, and it all smells melodious, 3-5 minutes.

Add the spinach, and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about five minutes with the lid off.

Turn off the heat. Add yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well-mixed with the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover, and cook until everything is warmed through, about five more minutes. Serve.

COOK’S NOTES

* I always remove the seeds but keep them in if you like it spicy!

** Cooking the onions takes WAY longer than 15 minutes (about 30 for me). Add water periodically to keep them from burning and factor in extra cooking time.

As with the tikka masala, the key to this recipe is not to rush it. Let the onions cook down, let the spices meld together, and let the whole thing develop flavor. Serve with rice and naan. This also freezes beautifully, so be sure to portion out some leftovers for a gourmet lunch later on, and pat yourself on the back for your ability to deliciously plan ahead.

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who can’t wait to find out who is going to cook this recipe — hit her up! She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.