Saag Paneer
Serves: 6
Clair Leannon
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
39
Spice
35
Sweetness
48
Sourness
45
mins
Prep time (avg)
5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
6 cups
Whole Milk1 cup
Lemon Juice (fresh)1 cup
All-Purpose Flour2 tbsps
Vegetable Oil910 g
Baby Spinach4 cloves
Garlic2 tsps
Ground Coriander1 tsp
Ground Cumin1 tsp
Turmeric4 tbsps
Unsalted Butter1 medium
Onion (finely chopped)Directions:
1
Make the cheese: Line a colander with a double layer of damp cheesecloth; put in the sink
2
Bring the milk to a simmer in a wide nonreactive pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon
3
Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons salt
4
Continue to stir gently until large curds form and separate from the whey, 1 to 2 minutes
5
Strain through the cheesecloth-lined colander, discarding the whey
6
Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and twist to squeeze out any excess whey (run the sides of the bundle under cool water if it's too hot to handle)
7
Tie the ends of the cheesecloth around a wooden spoon handle and lay the spoon over the colander, letting the bundle dangle; let drain, 10 minutes
8
Untie the bundle and twist the cheesecloth again, squeezing out any more whey
9
Lay the bundle on its side on a plate
10
Top with another plate and weigh it down with a large can
11
Refrigerate until a firm cake forms, about 1 hour; unwrap and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, or up to 2 days
12
Fry the cheese: Cut the cheese into 3/4-inch cubes
13
Toss in the flour until well coated, shaking off any excess
14
Heat about 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering
15
Carefully add the cheese and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes
16
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels
17
Season lightly with salt and set aside
18
Make the spinach: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil
19
Working in batches, cook the spinach until just tender, about 30 seconds
20
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of salted ice water
21
Drain and squeeze dry, then chop and set aside
22
Pulse the ginger, garlic, jalapeno, coriander, cumin, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until finely chopped
23
Whisk the yogurt, 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl
24
Heat 2 tablespoons butter and the vegetable oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat
25
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes
26
Add the ginger mixture and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 5 minutes (add a splash of water if the mixture is sticking)
27
Reduce the heat to medium low; add 1/2 cup water and scrape up any browned bits, then add the cooked spinach and stir until heated through, about 4 minutes
28
Stir in the yogurt mixture and simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes
29
Add the fried cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute
30
Season with salt
31
Photograph by Anna Williams