Saag Paneer Sam’s way

Ingredients for sauce  

  • 250g paneer
  • 500g of baby spinach leaves
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 red chili
  • 1.5 teaspoon of grated ginger
  • 1.5 teaspoon of grated garlic
  • 4 tablespoons of ghee
  • 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds
  • 3-4 cardamon pods
  • lime juice

Ingredients for chhonk

  • 2 tablespoons of ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions

  1. Melt the ghee in a pan, add the coriander seeds and the cardamon pods, toast until starting to brown (2mn)
  2. Add onion, cook until translucent (undisturbed)
  3. Add ginger and garlic and cook for one minute
  4. Add the spinach leaves in bunch and allow to wilt
  5. Add chilli, lime juice, salt, mix and let cool
  6. Blend until you get a rough-ish consistency, water will be added when reheated
  7. Add spinach blend to a pan on low heat, add 120g of water so that the texture becomes swirlable
  8. Add paneer and fold into mixture. Try not to break paneer, but you want it to be coated in sauce. Cook on low heat for 2-3mn and add chhonk

Making the chhonk

  1. Melt the ghee in a small pan on medium to high heat
  2. Add the cumin seeds. When they start to pop/sputter, remove from heat (1mn)
  3. Add the asafoetida and the paprika, add the chhonk to the saag
  4. Eat with chapati or rice!