Tofu Saag Paneer
Prep time: 15 Mins
Total time: 50 mins
Ingredients: Paneer Tofu
14 oz. Firm Tofu, Pressed
¼ cup Lemon Juice
½ cup water
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
¾ tsp. Fine Salt
½ tsp. Turmeric
¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds
½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
½ tsp. Garam Masala
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ingredients: Spinach Saag
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
Pinch Chili Flakes (to taste)
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
1 tbsp. Finely Chopped Ginger
4 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped
Salt & Pepper, to Taste
½ tsp. Turmeric
Chili Powder, to Taste
1 tsp Garam Masala, Divided
14 oz. Fresh Spinach
¾ cup Vegan Cream
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
This is such a fun recipe! While the list of ingredients is not too overwhelming, there are a few spices here that you may not have on hand. These are all readily available in most groceries and would certainly be found in a natural food store.
It does freeze well, so a large batch can be stored for a rainy day. I typically serve this dish over basmati rice in a large bowl. There are some plant-based Indian breads, such as roti, that you may want to incorporate.
Paneer Tofu:
Cut pressed tofu into approximately 1” cubes and place in a flat-bottom baking pan. Combine all remaining ingredients except oil and pour over tofu.
Place in fridge and marinate as long as is possible - overnight ideally. Stir the marinade once or twice during the chilling process.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake tofu on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake 15 minutes, turn and brush tofu with cooking oil. Flip tofu, return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Spinach Saag:
While the tofu is baking, heat up a large frying pan and begin to wilt the spinach. It helps to do this in two batches, by wilting the first half with a splash of water before adding the second handful. This should only take a few moments.
After the spinach is fully wilted, transfer it to a food processor and pulse a few times to obtain a “chopped” texture.
Wipe out the frying pan and heat over medium heat with cooking ol. Once hot, add cumin seeds and allow to sizzle a few moments before adding your chopped onion and a bit of salt. Cook on medium-low heat until the onion is translucent, then add ginger and garlic. Sauté for about another 5 minutes.
Lower heat and add the turmeric, chili, about half of the garam masala, pepper and salt. Mix well and cook for another minute or so.
Add the chopped spinach mixture and fold in thoroughly. Add another pinch of salt and the lemon juice. Cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes before uncovering to cook for a final 5 minutes to release a bit more moisture.
Adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve:
As I mentioned above, I like this over basmati rice. Simply pour the spinach mixture over a bed of rice, top with a few cubes of the tofu saag and enjoy!