Ramp and Spinach Saag Paneer
Creamy, spicy, green goodness.
Ramp and Spinach Saag Paneer
Time: 1 hour | Difficulty: 3/10 | Yield: 3-4 servings
Saag paneer, an Indian dish typically made with mustard greens and spinach, is comfort in a bowl. It’s the perfect mix of spicy happiness, and feeling like Popeye breaking out a spoonful of curried spinach. In researching ways to make this, I discovered that it’s made with chopped tomatoes, which I never knew despite eating it for years at Indian restaurants! In this recipe, I use about 2/3 spinach to 1/3 ramps, a sweet and garlicky allium that only comes around for a few weeks every spring. (If you want to know more about ramps, check out my deep-dive here!). The ramps add a deeper, garlicky flavor that just gives this dish an extra zing - but the recipe can of course be made all year round by omitting the ramps and just using spinach (I’d increase the amount onions and garlic, though). This recipe yields far more than one serving - but it’s something that keeps really well in the fridge, and the flavors actually get deeper as the storage time goes on!
Ingredients/Tools:
1 handful of ramps (about a cup’s worth)
4 cups of spinach
~16 oz of paneer (you can use less if you’d like - I prefer a high paneer-to-sauce ratio)
Ghee or butter
1/4 of a white onion
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 inch of ginger, grated
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes (or about half a can; alternatively, you can use two medium sized tomatoes, chopped)
Spices: cumin seed, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, chili powder, salt, pepper
Heavy cream
Lemon juice
A heavy-bottomed pot
An immersion blender (or a normal blender if you prefer)
A picture to prove that you must ALWAYS sear your paneer
Method:
Prepare your ingredients: Chop the paneer, grate the ginger and garlic, and chop your onions. Rinse and drain the spinach and remove any overly long stems. Chop the green leaf parts off the ramps: add them to your bowl of spinach, and chop the whites of the ramps as if they were scallions. Toss the paneer with a teaspoon of garam masala.
In a big pot, add about a tablespoon of ghee and let it melt. Then the cumin seeds and onions, and let them sweat.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, add about a half a tablespoon of ghee, and then add the paneer in a single layer. Saute on medium heat while you make the sauce, turning the paneer occasionally so the cubes brown evenly on all sides. When the paneer is cooked, which should take about 10-15 minutes if you’re looking for a very nice sear, add salt and set them aside.
When the onions are translucent and fragrant, add the garlic, ginger, and ramp whites. Cook for a couple minutes, until everything is toasted and fragrant, deglazing with water if needed.
Add the tomatoes, and a tablespoon or so of garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, and pepper, and a teaspoon of turmeric and chili powder. Stir everything together and simmer for about five minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, roughly chop your spinach and ramp leaves. (This step is optional; if you’d like to cook the leaves whole, you can, but a rough chop will help when you get to the blending stage.)
Add the spinach to the pot, along with about a half a cup of water, and a touch more salt. Stir, and cook for about five minutes uncovered. Then cover and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Check the pot every five minutes or so, to make sure nothing is burning on the bottom of the pot.
After simmering, turn the heat off and carefully blend your sauce with an immersion blender. The consistency is up to you - I prefer a thicker saag paneer, but if you want it to be smoother, like a soup, you’ll want a longer blending time.
When everything is combined, taste the sauce to see whether any more spices or salt are needed. Then drizzle in the heavy cream - you’ll likely use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup - and add a touch of lemon juice. Add the paneer into the pot. Then turn the heat to low and let everything simmer together once more, for about 5-10 minutes.
When you’re ready to serve, stir in about a teaspoon more ghee and a teaspoon of garam masala to the pot after turning off the heat. Serve with rice and yogurt on the side!
