Saag paneer

It’s so often the case that the best recipes are the simplest. You don’t need to slave over the hob all day to make a delicious meal. Back in 2015, I visited Thali on Old Brompton Rd in London. I was there to review the restaurant and they brought out a meal that was beyond amazing. One of the side dishes they served that evening was this saag paneer. It’s different to the way I’ve been making it for years, but I think it gets a much better result. You will need a big pan for this one as there is so much spinach, but it does reduce down a lot during cooking. You could also use frozen spinach for this recipe, which is a lot easier.

Serves/Makes 4

or more as part of a multicourse meal Prep time 10 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

250g paneer, cut into cubes

5 Tbsp rapeseed oil

1kg fresh baby spinach leaves, washed

or frozen

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder (or more or less

to taste; optional)

1 tsp ground turmeric

4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp plain natural yoghurt salt

3 Tbsp single cream (optional)

Method

Fry the paneer in about 3 Tbsp of the oil in a frying pan set over mediumhigh heat until nicely browned. Set aside while you cook the spinach.

Pour 285ml water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the spinach and simmer until the water has evaporated. Allow the spinach to cool, then blitz to a thick paste in a food processor. Set aside.

Now heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat. When visibly hot, add the cumin seeds and stir them around in the oil for about 30 seconds, then add the chilli powder and turmeric. Stir in the chopped garlic and fry until it is light golden brown in colour. Be careful not to burn the garlic or it will turn bitter.

Add the blended spinach to the pan and stir in the yoghurt, 1 Tbsp at a time. Stir in the fried paneer and heat through. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately. I like to stir in about 3 Tbsp of single cream to finish the dish off. This is optional but very nice.