Kale and Spinach Saag Paneer

Kale can be quite crunchy and reluctant to give up its structural integrity even when cooked to a mush. But, the texture and flavor it brings to the original spinach recipe, called Saag Paneer, is wonderful.

For smoky spiciness, and since fusion cuisine is my signature and preferred style, I brought in some chipotle in adobo sauce plus some lemongrass to spice up this Indian staple.

Paneer can be homemade or store-bought. Several online resources show a step by step procedure for making paneer at home-- it does take time, so, plan ahead. However, many Indian stores sell packaged paneer which works just as well.

Sometimes I saute the paneer cubes before adding it to the mix, but I omit this step here-- the clear blandness it brings balances the spiciness of the kale and spinach mix.

Ingredients
4 cups finely chopped fresh kale
2 cups chopped frozen spinach, thawed

spices and flavoring:
1 chipotle chile, finely chopped, in about 1 Tbsp of adobo sauce
a bit of crushed lemongrass or 1 tsp of lemongrass powder
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ to ½ cup heavy cream
1 cup cubed paneer (more if preferred)

salt to taste
1 Tbsp ghee or coconut oil or olive oil

Preparation

1. Pressure cook kale and spinach with some salt
2. Blend the kale and spinach to a mush
3. heat oil/ghee in a pan, add the spices and flavoring ingredients, mushed kale+spinach, stir well and allow to simmer gently
4. Slide in the paneer (sauteed or plain) and simmer a bit more
5. Off heat, stir in heavy cream, a little at a time, to desired consistency and flavor
6. Optional Tempering: heat ghee or oil in a pan, break some dried red chiles and add to the hot oil, add some cumin seeds; remove from heat and add to the dish before serving

Mushroom and Paneer in Tamarind Curry

Mushrooms and Paneer. Two of my favorites. No one else in the house likes these. So, I don't get to make it often. But, when I do, I relish it and am grateful for each bite.

While I do make Paneer on and off with milk and lemon juice, more often than not I go for the store-bought Paneer blocks, just like Tofu blocks. They are firm and solid and hold up well in cooking.

The curry gravy part is made-up, as usual. Which is the most compelling reason to share it here.

Ingredients
5 or 6 Cremini mushrooms, chopped into chunks
10 to 12 Paneer cubes, pan-fried much like pan-fried tofu
½ cup red, green bell peppers, chopped
¼ large red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt to taste
½ tsp brown sugar (optional)

For the curry paste:
½ tsp Tamicon® tamarind paste
1 Tbsp grated ginger
2 green chilies. chopped
¼ large red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup stewed tomatoes
1 Tbsp coriander powder
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro


Preparation

1. Combine the curry paste ingredients in a food processor and blend to a fine paste
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the curry paste, chopped onions, and a pinch of salt cook over medium heat till the rawness of onion fades and oil separates, about 5 minutes
3. Add the bell peppers, mushrooms and paneer cubes, water as needed, cover and simmer till vegetables are just cooked, not mushy
4. Stir in the brown sugar, if using, adjust salt to taste and serve warm with fragrant jasmine or basmati rice, or home-made naan or paratha or simple roti.

Collard Greens Masiyal/Saag

Keerai Masiyal (mashed cooked spinach) with spices and tempering was one of the staples I grew up with. Creamy mashed cooked spinach in North Indian style, known as Saag, as well as Spinach masiyal can be bland or spicy as they lend themselves well to combining flavors. Most greens can be made into masiyal, not just spinach- Swiss Chard Masiyal is another favorite in my kitchen.

I had a few wonderful leaves of collard greens left over after making some Collard Greens Dolma, much like Swiss Chard Dolma. Collard greens need to be cooked longer in boiling water to get tender enough to be appealing as dolmades.

I love the pressure cooker and use it often for cooking beans and lentils and dals and anything else that needs to be soft and mushy. Collard Greens Masiyal comes out perfectly in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients
2 to 3 green chilies, chopped
3 cups chopped collard greens, washed
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped ginger (more, if preferred)
⅓ cup cooked green lentils, mashed
½ tsp Tamicon® tamarind paste
1 tsp brown sugar
1 cup sauteed paneer cubes
2 Tbsp freshly grated coconut (or frozen grated coconut)
½ cup evaporated milk (optional)
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine the collard greens, onions, chilies, ginger with just enough water in a pressure cooker and cook till collard greens are mushy
2. When ready, open the pressure cooker lid, add the cooked green lentils, tamarind paste, brown sugar and salt to taste and allow to simmer till thickened to a saag/sauce consistency
3. Stir in evaporated milk, if using, for extra creaminess; add the sauteed paneer cubes, garnish with grated coconut and curry leaves and serve warm with rice or naan

Shahi Paneer Korma

Paneer is the only cheese I had during childhood. It is a simple bag cheese made by curdling warm milk with some lemon juice. It is more common in North Indian cuisine so I didn't get to try it much in the typical South Indian meal my mom cooked.

Shahi ("Royal") Paneer Korma is rich and creamy and fragrant and flavorful, befitting its name, or should I say, hence its name...

It is rather easy to make if paneer is readily available. Else, plan ahead to make the paneer first. It is fairly easy but takes time.

As always, fusion cuisine being my signature, this is not an 'authentic' recipe. When I open a can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce I find ways to incorporate it in other recipes. And that's how it found its way into this Shahi Paneer Korma recipe, adding a wonderfully interesting flavor.

Ingredients
For the Korma:
¼ cup raw almonds, soaked in water for ½ hour and peeled
1 small red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
2" Indian cinnamon bark
3 cardamom pods
2 Tbsp coriander powder
3 chipotle chilies in 1 Tbsp adobo sauce
½ cup stewed tomatoes
salt to taste

Paneer cubes
1-2 Tbsp oil

Optional: heavy cream or evaporated milk

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan and pan-fry the paneer cubes till browned on all sides but not crisped
2. Combine the korma ingredients and blend into a fine smooth paste
3. Stir in the korma blended sauce with the pan-fried paneer and simmer at medium low heat till the rawness of the onions and garlic are gone; add up to a ¼ cup water at a time if the korma looks too dry
4. Add salt to taste and allow to simmer till flavors meld, about 20-25 minutes
5. Stir in heavy cream for extra richness, or some evaporated milk; I usually leave it out
6. Serve warm with home-made naan or paratha or plain brown basmati rice

Paneer Kofta Curry

This Paneer Kofta in spicy gravy is my mom's recipe and is slightly different from my brocolli kofta.

Paneer is home-made cheese, usually no salt added, made from curdling milk with lemon juice.

Koftas are sort of like croquettes, usually shaped into small balls, deep fried and served in rich sauce. Koftas can be made with any favorite vegetable or minced meat.

Basically, chop or grate the veggie or paneer and squeeze out excess water, if any. Add some all-purpose flour or corn flour (I add chickpea flour sometimes which makes it a bit dense, like pakkoda) as a binding agent, so as to make a simple dough that can be shaped into balls. Deep fry in oil. Make a rich sauce or gravy and drop these koftas in, simmer gently and turn off heat. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving to make sure the koftas absorb some of the richness of the gravy.

p.s: Koftas can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days before if not making the sauce right away to serve; or can be frozen for a few weeks before use. Just thaw lightly before adding to the sauce.

Ingredients:
For Paneer Kofta:
1 cup crumbled paneer
¼ cup flour, more or less
salt to taste
1 tsp chilli powder

For the sauce/gravy:
dry toasting:
1 Tbsp white poppy seeds
1 star anise
2 cardomom pods
2 cloves
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
1-2 indian bay leaves
2 2" piece of chinese/indian cinnamon bark
Plus:
1/4 cup dry or fresh grated coconut
1-2 jalapenos or serrano
1" piece ginger, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup coconut milk (optional, use water if preferred)
2 Tbsp oil
Garnish: Spring onions, cilantro chopped

Preparation

1. For Kofta: Combine the paneer kofta ingredients and knead to a simple dough, and shape small balls roughly 1-2" diameter
2. Deep fry in oil, drain excess oil, set aside
3. For Curry/Sauce/Gravy:Dry toast the sauce/gravy spices, then grind them to fine powder, set aside
4. Combine the rest of the sauce ingredients (except coconut milk), grind to a fine paste
5. Heat oil in a pan, sauté the ground paste, add the water or coconut milk, some salt, and the powdered spices, simmer over medium-low heat
6. When sauce is simmered to desired consistency, adjust flavors and drop in the paneer koftas
7. Simmer for a few minutes more and turn off heat, garnish as desired, cover and allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving with rice or naan