Background

• Saag paneer or palak paneer is a traditional vegetarian dish of pureed leafy greens and cheese
• It is called palak paneer if made with only spinach but is traditionally made with mustard greens at the Punjabi restaurants that popularized it
• It can be made with a combination of greens including mustard or collard greens for a sharper flavor but spinach is the safest bet

Ingredients

• Tofu Paneer

• 14-16 oz super firm tofu

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• ½ teaspoon garam masala

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Spinach Gravy

• 1 lb frozen spinach (or fresh spinach that has been blanched)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste or 1” piece minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste or 2 cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or hot chile pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons fenugreek leaves (optional)
• ½ cup coconut cream

Instructions

1. Cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes and fry in neutral oil on a nonstick pan at medium heat, flipping frequently
2. Once the tofu is slightly browned, add nutritional yeast and stir to coat
3. Turn off the heat and add garam masala. Stir to coat and set aside.
4. Pureé the spinach in a blender with as little water as possible (adding hot water will make it easier to blend but needs to be boiled off later)
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat
6. Add the bay leaves and diced onion.
7. When the onion starts to brown (5 minutes), add the ginger and garlic.
8. After one minute, add the dry spices (except garam masala and fenugreek leaves) and mix.
9. After 30 seconds, add the pureéd spinach to deglaze the pan.
10. Add the tofu and cook on medium low for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens and the spinach darkens
11. Add garam masala and fenugreek leaves a few minutes before removing from heat
12. Add the coconut cream (or add coconut milk earlier to cook down) and ripple through to serve