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India's Delicious Creamed Spinach

Posted Mon, Mar 09, 2009, 10:55 am PDT
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Saag paneer, a type of creamed spinach with chunks of sauteed fresh cheese, is one of the most popular and delicious Indian vegetarian dishes. Onions, garlic, and ginger are sauteed and added to the previously steamed and chopped spinach. Then yogurt and half and half cream are added to give the dish a creamy flavor and texture. 

Paneer is a fresh, firm Indian cheese that is cut into cubes and sauteed before it's added to the creamed spinach. The cheese provides protein and a wonderful texture to the dish. The paneer can be found in Indian grocery stores. As substitutes you can use cubed, firm tofu, or ricota salata cheese (a firm style of ricotta) or you can serve the creamed spinach by itself. Saag paneer is usually served with steamed basmati rice, an aromatic nutty-flavored rice--one of my very favorites. Enjoy!

Saag Paneer Recipe
(makes 4 servings)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled, and minced or grated
1 pound frozen, chopped spinach
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup half & half cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter (optional)
6 ounces paneer, ricotta salata, or firm tofu, cut in small cubes (optional)
 

1.  Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter or oil in a large frying pan. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger and sautee over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent.

2.  Add the spinach and salt and stir. Cook approximately 5 minutes over medium-low heat, while continuing to stir.  

3.  Add the yogurt and half and half cream and cook another 5-7 minutes, while continuing to stir. The yogurt and cream should be well absorbed by the spinach.  

4.  If adding the paneer, ricotta, or tofu, cut them in small cubes (1/2-inch for the paneer and tofu, and 1/4-inch for the ricotta salata as it has a stronger taste).

5.  Heat the extra (optional) butter or oil in a clean frying pan and lightly brown the cubes. Add to the creamed spinach and cook 3 more minutes. 

6.  Serve with steamed basmati rice. 

 

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4 Comments

  • 1. Posted by sweetypagrawal on Tue, Apr 07, 2009, 11:58 am PDT

    Okay while I haven't tried this recipe, I don't know any indian recipe that doesn't incorporate other spices such as chili peppers (cayenne), tumeric, cumin, (ground) coriander, etc....Try adding garam masala (found in indian stores), cayenne, tumeric, ground cumin and coriander and you should have a pretty tasty dish. But if you plan to make this using the above recipe, it will likely be bland in comparison to real indian dishes. My personal recipe uses tomatoes and not cream or yogurt. Many indian home cooks don't put the cream in because it would be too rich for an everyday meal. And while rice is commonly served with it, so is bread, such as naan or roti (both available in Indian markets, frozen or fresh).

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  • 2. Posted by innovativeimagesbyjohn on Fri, Apr 17, 2009, 11:37 am PDT

    I agree with the last comment. Without the kick from the spices, this would be pretty bland. I use cream and tomatoes, but no yogurt. But, using yogurt is an interesting idea. Might give it a little tang. I serve it with basmati rice and naan.

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  • 3. Posted by spiquet2000 on Wed, Jun 10, 2009, 5:27 pm PDT

    this recie doesn't have any nutritional info??

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  • 4. Posted by Immu on Mon, Jul 06, 2009, 2:53 pm PDT

    This recipe is quite different than how I learned to make it. I use cumin, chopped onions & tomatoes, 1 chopped jalapeno pepper, chilli powder, crushed garlic & ginger. I don't use yogurt or cream or butter because it'll be too rich and fatty and I can never eat it with rice - that's for sure! It is mostly eaten with homemade roti or naan (both of which can be bought at Indian grocery store). I also heat up the oil and fry the chopped garlic till golden brown and pour on top of the saag paneer (this process is called bhagaar). When I'm ready to serve it, I use chopped cilantro to decorate it.

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