I just realized…this post can totally do double duty as a St. Patrick’s Day post.
Because green!
I was a skeptic the first time I tried saag (with paneer, a fresh indian cheese) many moons ago. It’s not super, um, visually appealing let’s say. But the flavour. The flavour, guys!
I can’t even remember where I tried it first, but I feel like I’ve been let down by many bona fide indian restaurants in the years since that first taste.
This recipe first came to me at a book club meeting. We read a book with an indian theme so we went ahead and planned an indian themed potluck. My friend Joanne brought the original slow cooked version of the recipe and it was flipping delicious.
Guys, for real, this one’s a triple threat.
It’s quick, it’s healthy and it’s jam packed with flavour.
I’ve made it a few times now and have tweaked the recipe to work as a 30 minutes stovetop meal.
I’ve used my microplane to grate the garlic and ginger, but mincing both would be fine and dandy.
Baking the tofu is a step that you could skip if needed. I find pre baking with a little salt and pepper gives it a bit more flavour and improves the texture, giving it a ‘meatier’ feel. If you can find indian paneer, use it. It’s awesome. I’ve also made this with haloumi cheese that I cubed and panfried first. Also damn yummy.
The following is a little step-by-step.
Serve with your choice of brown or white rice and if you’re really feeling the indian vibe, make a batch of our homemade naan to go along with.
Erin
Indian Saag with Tofu
Serves | 6 |
Prep time | 10 minutes |
Cook time | 20 minutes |
Total time | 30 minutes |
Website | Adapted from the Slender Kitchen's Healthy Saag Paneer |
Ingredients
- 1 packet extra firm tofu (drained and cut in to 1" cubes)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 3 tablespoons ginger (minced or grated)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 can coconut milk
- 600g frozen chopped spinach
- 150g fresh spinach (washed)
Note
Using the fresh spinach toward the end of cooking gives the dish a more vibrant green colour. If prepping this dish in advance, hold off on adding the fresh spinach and blending until you're almost ready to serve.
Directions
1. | Pre-bake your tofu to give it a firmer, chewier texture, pre-heat oven to 400F. Toss tofu cubes with a pinch of salt and pepper and bake on a lined baking sheet for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside. |
2. | In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for about a minute. Add garam masala, coriander, cumin and cayenne and sauté for another minute until fragrant. |
3. | Add salt tomato sauce, coconut milk, and frozen spinach. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the spinach is thawed. |
4. | Add fresh spinach, cover and cook for about 2 minutes until spinach is wilted. |
5. | Using an immersion or countertop blender, blend until spinach leaves are broken up into small pieces. |
6. | Add tofu and serve with rice and naan. |
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