Kids Corner

Cuisine

Calling All Greens!

by VERONICA SIDHU

 

 

Our kids got us interested in Community Supported Agriculture. We both joined a group and love the fresh, organic veggies we get.

This week we got loads of spinach and some kale, last week they got loads of spinach and some collards. I decided to make saag paneer for them and guests last week from their batch, and I froze the latest batch for use later.

This recipe is most like the one you will find in Punjabi restaurants. It is different from two of the greens recipes in my book, Menus and Memories From Punjab. It is pureed like saag, but does not include lentils. It does contain mostly paalak (spinach), but it also has some mustard (or kale, or collards) unlike my Paalak Paneer recipe made with only spinach greens.

All this is not really important, of course, because the flavor is heavenly in all of them!

 

SAAG PANEER Greens with Cheese

Yield: Makes 4 cups greens

2 lbs.fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed or 20 oz. baby spinach

½ - ¾ lb. fresh mustard, kale or collard greens, cleaned and trimmed of large veins

¼ cup canola oil (more if frying paneer or tofu cubes)

2 large onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 cups ¾ -inch cubes paneer or firm, drained tofu, fried until lightly browned, if desired

Melted ghee (optional)

 

Coarsely chop the greens and press into a large, tightly covered pot or pressure cooker with ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook for 15- 30 minutes until greens are soft. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium pot or non-stick wok and sauté the onion until transparent. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to sauté, stirring until uniformly golden.

Puree the greens in a food processor or blender. Add salt and pepper and taste. Stir the greens into the onions and then stir in the paneer or tofu cubes. Heat through and serve with a little melted ghee on top, if you like.

Traditionally eaten with makki di roti (corn flatbread), but also good with naan or phulkas (whole-wheat flatbreads).

 

June 22, 2010

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