Episode 4: How to make Saag Paneer

Once you make the paneer as we did in episode 3 (for

beth jack

and all our friends in this community), you have a core ingredient that can be used in many dishes. We used our last batch of fresh paneer in a a spinach-paneer dish known as saag paneer. In this video, I’ll walk you through the process of making one of the healthiest and tastiest paneer options. Loads of spinach combine with paneer in a gravy-less sabji that is best accompanied by some sort of bread (roti, naan, etc.). Smash the paneer in your plate with the bread, soak up some spinach, and enjoy alongside other less-heavy sabji dishes like bund gobi matar (cabbage and peas), which we will show you how to make in an upcoming video. Paneer dishes are special-guest, special holiday, or special event day meals.

My wife said to me (and I’m not humble bragging…she really said this), “this is the best saag paneer you’ve made so far.” I was so happy. I think in the past I’ve overdone it with the garam masala or tomatoes (probably b/c I used a canned tomato option instead of fresh, which can bring a heavy tomato-ey vibe to the whole thing). I’ve also been the kind of guy who says, “you can never have too much garlic…”.

But you can. You can have too much garlic.

This time I kept the garlic (and the ginger) in check. I used just enough of both (quantities are specified in the video). Also, I used only fresh tomatoes — two nicely ripened, but modestly-sized medium vine-ripened tomatoes. I used just a smidge less than half-teaspoon of garam masala.

When we tasted the saag paneer, the earthy tones of the fresh milk paneer came through alongside a nuanced spinach. You could taste both flavors without one overpowering the other. The core ginger-garlic was an accent, and the tomatoes gave just enough acid without overtaking the whole thing.

It was like a symphony of spinach, paneer, ginger, garlic, and - to top it off - cilantro, which provided the final herbal bit that brought it all together.

Ok, so there’s a bit of paneer left (the ginger-infused stuff we made the other day). I’ll be using that to make a paneer bhurji dish with green and red peppers, onions, and spices. "Bhurji" in Hindi means "scrambled," so "egg bhurji" or "paneer bhurji" essentially translates to "scrambled eggs" or "scrambled paneer" respectively, referring to an Indian dish where the main ingredient is scrambled with spices and vegetables. It’s one of my favorites and it goes incredibly well as a sabji with simple roti or inside of a kathi roll (paratha wrap sandwich). So much paneer. So much goodness. All from a single gallon of $4 whole milk.

I hope you enjoy!

Please comment, like, subscribe and share with your friends and family, or anyone that loves Indian food (or is just curious about it). Send me your requests and I’ll make a dish for you in my next video cooking lesson. Next up - Tandoori Salmon for my old Wesleyan and San Francisco friend (and Skylark Deejay) — Kyle Maple.