Saag – Indian Spinach Curry with Tofu “Paneer”

Learning how to dabble in cooking Indian food has been one of my favorite outcomes of going plant-based. I’ve always loved the complexity of the spices in Indian cooking, and it’s been really fun to play around with different source recipes to hone in on what works best for our tastes. This dish is a crowd pleaser and also a pretty quick option for a weeknight dinner. Instead of traditional paneer cheese, we use tofu as the protein but we also love other protein or hearty vegetable options such as chickpeas, mushrooms, and cubed potatoes. This adaptation is based on Aarti Sequeira’s original.

Ingredients

• 1 14-oz. block of firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into ~1/2-inch cubes (*See Note)
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 16 oz. frozen chopped spinach
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• Dash of cloves
• Dash of cinnamon
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place the spinach in a microwave-safe dish and thaw in the microwave for about 5 minutes on high until there are no frozen bits left. Then transfer it to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the turmeric, cayenne pepper, 1.5 tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp. of salt. Add the tofu and toss to coat in the marinade.
3. In a large heavy pot, heat a tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cover, cooking on low-medium for about 15 minutes until lightly browning. Stir occasionally throughout this time, adding water if needed toward the end to keep it from burning.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices – garam masala, coriander, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon – and stir for a minute or two, adding a bit of water if needed to prevent burning.
5. Add the pureed spinach, coconut milk, and about 1/2 cup of water and stir to combine. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt – start with 1/2 tsp. – and pepper to taste.
6. While the saag is finishing cooking, in a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook the tofu for about 5 minutes, tossing throughout to ensure roughly even browning.
7. Add the cooked tofu to the spinach curry and stir to combine.
8. Serve the curry over rice.

Notes

• You can substitute 3 cups of cooked chickpeas or chopped mushrooms for the tofu.