Welcome to Sunday Dinner XYZ.
I love to cook and take others on culinary journeys. It is the most vivid way I’ve found to share my creativity and viscera with the outside world. I’m lucky that this summer Gabe and I have been able to host many nights of socially distanced food and drink in our modest backyard in Santa Fe. But, with the shadow of contagion revisiting yet again, it seems that periods of quarantine may come and go like the seasons, though unfortunately much less predictable.
With that reality in mind I want to try sharing my love for food, conversation, and community in a different way. Welcome to Sunday Dinner XYZ - a cozy email with recipes and a few interesting snippets meant to deliver delicious meals and warm conversation into your Sunday evenings.
The recipe this week is one I’ve been making for years - an Indian Saag Paneer. It is a hearty spinach/greens dish, rich with spices and perfect for the cooling evenings as autumn unfolds in Santa Fe.
Saag Paneer Recipe
Ingredients
Here is a Sprouts shopping list for this recipe.
ghee (this is clarified butter, and gives a rich, nutty taste to the dish)
1 medium onion, finely chopped into small pieces
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 green chili, minced
8oz bag of spinach or assorted greens, washed
8oz paneer (a hearty Indian cheese, can be found at Sprouts), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup of whole, plain yogurt
2 tsp garam masala
Equipment
Large cooking pan or pot
Blender or food processor
Directions
First prepare your mis-en-place. Mince your onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper. Keep each ingredient in a separate pile, ready to add to the dish like the image below (onions and paneer cubes not shown).
Next we’re going to brown the paneer. Paneer is a very hearty cheese that holds up well in heat - it keeps its shape and doesn’t melt into a gooey mess.
In your large pan add enough ghee to coat the bottom of the pan. Turn on medium heat, and wait for the ghee to get hot.
Carefully add the paneer cubes and let sit until brown on one side (about 2 minutes).
Then with a spatula or pair of tongs, flip each cube so that it browns on the other side.
Repeat until cubes are uniformly browned. When finished, transfer to a plate with a paper towel to soak up excess grease.
Next we’ll saute the onions. Add a bit more ghee to the same pan, and return to medium heat. When hot, add your finely chopped onions. Stir occasionally, and don’t let them brown too much.
Next add the minced ginger, garlic, and chili all at once. Stir and let cook. Notice the fragrance of all the ingredients coming together. Start to season the mixture with a few pinches of salt.
Now add the spinach or other assorted greens. Turn the heat down a bit, and add a few splashes of water to help the greens wilt. Stir constantly to make sure heat get distributed to all the leaves. The next two photos show how this step starts and finishes.
Next we’re going to turn this mix of greens, onions, garlic, ginger, and chili into a fine, puree-like blend. Carefully add the hot mixture to your blender or food processor, and puree until finely chopped. You can decide how much texture you want to leave in tact. Add a few splashes of water to help break down the mixture.
Now, in the same pan you’ve been using, add a bit more ghee and turn on the heat again. Once hot, add the garam masala and stir, letting fry for a few seconds to release aroma and flavor. Then put the spinach mixture back into the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Add a few tablespoons of water. Stir, mix thoroughly, and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
To finish, stir in yogurt over medium low heat until well mixed. Taste a bit and adjust salt - maybe add a little more until the flavor pops in your mouth. Then add paneer cubes. Mix, and your meal is ready to eat.
I love to eat this nice, hearty vegetarian meal with rice, or naan if I can find it. If you want to get fancy and drink wine with this meal, I’d recommend a red Malbec because the hearty, oak flavors pair well with the aromatic spices in this dish.
Happy Sunday. If you do indeed make this dish, let me know how it turned out!