Saag Paneer

This is my favorite Indian dish of all.  There's something about the savory, spicy, creamy nature of this dish that is so comforting and enticing.   And surprisingly easy to make!  My version is the amalgam of MANY recipes I've read and I've taken a bit from each of them to come up with my own version.  

16 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped (I've read many recipes that say it's OK to use frozen spinach.  They are wrong -- I've tried making this dish with frozen spinach and it's such a poor substitute that it's not even worth making.  Trust me.)

3 cloves of garlic

1 shallot

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tsp. tumeric

1 tbsp. garam masala 

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cardamom

2/3 cup of plain yogurt (not Greek style)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. minced hot pepper (optional)

Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

8 ounces of  (so far, I buy pre-made paneer and am very happy with it, but I gather it's also pretty easy to make and you can google a recipe if you are feeling brave and want to make your own)

Saute the shallot, garlic and ginger (and hot pepper if desired) in olive oil over low heat.   Add a generous pinch of salt to help release the water in the veggies.

Once the veggies become translucent, add all the spices, including pepper, and let them saute for a few minutes so the spices "bloom" and their flavor opens up.

Then add the spinach and fold it into the veggie and spice mixture, sprinkling with a little more salt to help the wilting process.  

Once the spinach has fully wilted, stir in the yogurt, and add bite-sized cubes of paneer to the mixture, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  (If you would like your dish to be even creamer, feel free to add a splash or two of heavy cream as well)

Taste before serving to see if you need more salt or any additional seasonings, and serve with basmati rice and warm naan.  If you don't have any cilantro averse diners, add some to the top for garnish and flavor, but it's OK without it as well.

This also reheats beautifully the next day.