Saag Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese And Greens Curry) With Instant Naan

Nothing can compare to those carefree school days. Of course, kids have issues of their own to sort out when young. But all the huge issues that boggled us back then, seem almost inconsequential in the light of real life problems right now.

I have very sweet memories of school. Like any school kid, I looked forward to recess and lunch breaks more than the actual classes. When the weather was good, we ate lunch on a grassy knoll near our playground. And no, it was neither a safety issue nor were we breaking any rules. Life was simpler in those days. The way we ate lunch was like this. We would form groups and sit in a circle. Everyone would set out the best thing in their lunch boxes at the center of the circle and it was free for the picking. The very best of friends never ate their own lunches. They swapped lunch boxes, just like how we shared notes, pens, stories and jokes. I wonder how the schools of today would react to kids eating from each others’ lunch boxes.

My mom’s aloo parathas were in huge demand. So were her masala omelette sandwiches on crispy buttered toasts. One of my friends even had her mom call her up for one of her eggplant recipes. There were girls from traditional Malabar Muslim families whose mothers and grandmothers magically produced a huge spread every morning before school. One was known for her biryani, another for a kind of stuffed banana snack and yet another for a spicy fish fry. We shared them all along with laughter and some good-natured teasing. And if you are wondering, we didn’t include the boys in our lunch sessions in those tween days because frankly, boys were sweaty and smelly…eew!

When I moved to junior college, I had a few North Indian friends. That is when I had my first taste of an authentic palak paneer (paneer in a spinach gravy). And frankly, I didn’t care for it much. Weren’t all North Indian curries supposed to be rich and creamy and red? What’s with the green, dude?

I could tell she didn’t like it much either, because she shared my lunch that day. But we carefully picked and devoured all the soft paneer slices. A few days back, I was shopping at our local Indian store and I had just bought a pack of paneer. That’s when I spotted this fresh bunch of colorful amaranth leaves. And just like that, out of nowhere, I remembered in vivid detail this particular incident. I came home with both the greens (saag) and paneer and decided to give saag paneer another try.

I knew the traditional recipe was just not going to cut it. So I improvised and tweaked a Tamil recipe for a slightly spicy spinach preparation using ginger, garlic, tomatoes and chilies. Traditionally, one would use a touch of tamarind as well, but the tomatoes I used were sour enough. The paneer is pan-fried and dunked in this delightful spinach curry.

This was eaten with some instant or quick naan breads. Naan is traditionally time-consuming to make, but I have been tweaking Anjum Anand’s no-yeast recipe for a while now. I’ve used wholewheat flour this time, but you could use all-purpose flour or a combination of both. This doesn’t make a chewy naan like a yeast dough would, but it is still a decent effort and a great alternative to chapatis even on week-nights. The naans stay soft for a long time as well, excellent for sopping up rich curries such as this.

The meal was simply out-of-this-world amazing. The mister declared it the best paneer curry I’d ever made. Enough said. So buy or make some paneer, grab a bunch of the freshest greens you can get (spinach, amaranth leaves, mustard greens, collard greens, Swiss chard, beet leaves, etc will work) and make this saag paneer.

Find recipes for both saag paneer and the quick/instant naan below.

SAAG PANEER {INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE WITH GREENS}

You will need:

• Paneer – 1/2 lb, cut into 1″ cubes
• Oil – 2 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin – 1/2 tsp
• Onion – 1, finely chopped
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, finely chopped + extra (for garnish)
• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
• Green chilies – 2 small, chopped
• Tomatoes – 2, chopped
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Spinach or amaranth leaves – a big bunch, cleaned and thinly chopped
• Salt – to taste
• Water – 1 cup
• Amchur powder – 1/4 tsp
• Cilantro – a few leaves, to garnish

How to:

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a deep skillet or pan and pan fry the paneer cubes, turning them over so that they are golden on all sides. Keep aside on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
• Add the rest of the oil. When it is hot, add cumin seeds. When they start to brown slightly, add onions, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute till onions are translucent, ginger and garlic are aromatic.
• Add tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy and the oil starts to separate at the sides.
• Then add turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin and garam masala powders and mix well. Stir for a few seconds.
• Now add the chopped greens and stir around till it starts to wilt. Season with salt, add the fried paneer, water and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes or so, open the lid and reduce the gravy to your liking.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, sprinkle amchur powder on top and garnish with chopped ginger and cilantro leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice or naan bread. Recipe follows.

QUICK INSTANT NAAN

You will need:

•  Flour – 2 cups (I used wholewheat flour, you can use all-purpose flour or a combo)
• Baking soda – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Yogurt – 1 cup
• Ghee/Butter/Oil – to brush while cooking the naan
• Sesame seeds – to top the rolled dough (optional)

How to:

•  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add oil and combine lightly with your fingers. Add yogurt and start working to form the dough. If it is too sticky, sprinkle a little bit of flour, if it seems dry, sprinkle some water.
• Knead well to form a smooth dough. Lightly brush with oil and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll out each dough ball on a lightly dusted work space. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and run over with the rolling-pin once to set them in the dough.
• To cook the naan, heat a griddle on high heat. Brush lightly with ghee (or butter or oil). Lightly brush water on the rolled dough and place it on the pan, water-brushed side down. Drizzle some ghee on the naan, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 30-40 seconds. You will see puffy bubbles appearing on the naan. Flip it over and cook the other side.
• Once done, remove to a bread basket and cover lightly to keep warm. Repeat till all the dough is used up.
• Serve hot with curry and raita.

Notes:

• Use a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flours or only either of these flours in this recipe.
• I have added 1 tsp baking soda to enure a fluffy, soft naan. If you feel it might give a faint after-taste to the naan, try using 3/4 tsp baking soda.
• While rolling out a ball of dough, keep the rest of the dough covered so as not to dry it out.
• Top the rolled dough with chopped garlic or cilantro leaves also. You can also leave it plain.
• Unlike a chapati or roti, do not press too much on the naan with the ladle, it will simply flatten it. Be patient while cooking the naan, giving it time to cook and puff up nicely.

This naan recipe basically takes the same amount of time as making regular chapatis. The yogurt and baking soda ensure the naan will puff up and stay soft. I hope you try it.

And don’t forget some healthy saag paneer, but made with a spicy and tangy twist. You’ll love it!

Share some of your earliest food memories with me in the comments. Is there any recipe that you revisited recently and put your own spin on it to suit your taste? Do share.

Here is a classic Chicken Tikka Masala recipe to enjoy with your homemade naan breads.

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