Saag Paneer Recipe

Wash and trim

Rinse the spinach and mustard greens thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit. Trim any thick stems and roughly chop the leaves.

Blanch

Bring 1 liter of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt and the greens. Blanch for 1 minute until wilted and bright green.

Shock and puree

Immediately transfer the blanched greens to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain well and squeeze out excess water with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth or slightly coarse puree (about 200–300 ml puree). Set aside.

Prepare paneer

Pat the paneer cubes dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture. Toss gently with 1 tsp salt.

Fry paneer

Heat 2 tbs oil or ghee in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the paneer cubes in a single layer and fry until golden on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Optional: reserve a few cubes for garnish and roughly break some into larger pieces to fold into the saag.

Temper spices

Heat 3 tbs ghee or oil in a heavy skillet or kadhai over medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20–30 seconds until fragrant.

Sauté onions

Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, about 6–8 minutes. Lower the heat if onions brown too quickly.

Add ginger, garlic, chilies

Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, and chopped green chilies. Cook for 1–2 minutes until raw aroma goes away.

Cook tomato (optional)

If using tomato, add the finely chopped tomato and cook until it breaks down and the oil starts to separate from the mixture, about 4–5 minutes.

Spice the base

Add 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chili powder (or paprika) and 1.5 tsp salt to the aromatics. Stir and cook for 30–60 seconds to bloom the spices.

Combine greens

Pour the spinach-mustard puree into the skillet and mix thoroughly with the spiced onion-tomato mixture. Reduce heat to low–medium and simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the saag seems too thick, add 2–4 tbs water to reach a spoonable consistency.

Fold in paneer and cream

Gently fold the fried paneer cubes into the simmering saag. Stir in 3 tbs heavy cream or thick yogurt and 1 tps lemon juice. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes to let flavors meld. Adjust salt if needed.

Finish with spices and garnish

Sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala and crushed 1 tsp kasuri methi over the saag and stir. Turn off heat and optionally stir in 1 tbs butter for sheen. Garnish with chopped cilantro and reserved paneer cubes.

Serve

Serve hot with naan, roti, or steamed basmati rice.