Saag Paneer

So delicious, this recipe tastes better than any saag paneer I've had at any restaurant. Preparation is easiest if you first pre-measure your spices into 2 little bowls (I use coffee cups), one for each of the two paragraphs below. The cooking goes fast. My family enjoys this meal so much that I always double the recipe!

Ingredients

2 T. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

Pinch of cumin seed

2 cardamom seeds

1 stick of cinnamon

2 or 3 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1 t. each fresh ginger and garlic

1 small fresh tomato, sliced

1 t. black pepper

1 box frozen spinach, chopped (thawed, and not drained)

1 t. salt

1 t. cumin powder

½ t. turmeric

1 t. ground coriander

½ t. garam masala (optional) – recipe below

1 C. whipping cream (heavy cream), or substitute ½ C. buttermilk + ½ C. plain Greek yogurt

1 t. tomato puree

¼ C. fresh cilantro, chopped

16 oz. paneer, plain or breaded (I prefer breaded.)

Instructions

Heat oil in a large sauté pan and sauté chopped onion until light brown.  Add cumin seed, cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, garlic, sliced tomato and black pepper and sauté about 30 seconds.  Add chopped spinach and sauté for 1 minute.

Add salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala.  Mix well with spinach while it is sautéing.  Add cream, tomato puree, cilantro and cubes of cheese (paneer). Cook it well, stirring so it doesn’t scorch. When cream boils, cook another 1 ½ minutes over high heat.  Serves 6.

Serve over rice – basmati rice preferred. (Goes well with baked breaded chicken breasts as an added side dish, if you feel the need to eat meat.)

(When eating, you will want to avoid the bay leaves, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick and whole cloves.)

To make garam masala: 1 T. + 1 t. cardamom seed

                                         2 three-inch cinnamon sticks, crushed

                                         2 t. whole cloves

                                         1T. + 1 t. black peppercorns

                                         3 T. cumin seeds

                                         3 T. coriander seeds

Dry roast in heavy skillet on low temp 5-10 minutes until brown.  Cool, then grind into powder. (Can use electric coffee grinder or blender.) Keep in a jar. Good for several months.