INDIAN STYLE SPINACH WITH FRESH CHEESE (SAAG PANEER) - COOK'S IL

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Indian Style Spinach With Fresh Cheese (Saag Paneer) - Cook's Il image

This classic dish combines pureed spinach with freshly made cheese in a mildly-spiced creamy sauce. This version includes a little bit of mustard greens for bite. Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Sep/Oct 2012. Note: if you place the colander over a bowl, the whey from the cheese makes very tasty bread. Also note that the serving size reported is incorrect - you are going to lose nearly 3 quarts of whey in the cheese making, so the actual serving size is more like 350gm or 12 oz.

Provided by DrGaellon

Categories     Spinach

Time 1h45m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 22

3 quarts whole milk
3 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon table salt
1 (10 ounce) bag curly spinach, rinsed
1/4 lb mustard greens, stemmed and rinsed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 onion, chopped fine
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed seeds removed and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse
1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped coarse (unsalted)
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

  • Line a colander with a triple layer of cheesecloth and set in sink. Bring milk to boil in large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in buttermilk and salt and remove from heat. Let stand 1 minute. Pour through cheesecloth let drain 15 minutes.
  • Pull together edges of cheesecloth to form pouch. Twist pouch, extracting as much liquid as possible. Place pouch between two plates and set a heavy pot on the top plate. Let stand at room temperature 45 minutes, or until cheese is firm and set. Drain whey as often as necessary. (Cheese can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days at this point.) Unwrap and dice cheese into 1/2" pieces.
  • Place spinach in large bowl and microwave on high until wilted, about 3 minutes. Let cool until it can be handled.
  • Chop enough spinach to make 1/2 cup and set aside. Place remaining spinach in blender container.
  • Wilt mustard greens in same bowl in microwave, about 4 minutes. Let it cool until it can be handled.
  • Chop enough mustard greens to make 1/2 cup and set aside with chopped spinach. Add remaining mustard greens to blender container.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, coriander, paprika, cardamom, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and 3/4 tsp salt; cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until pan is dry and tomatoes are beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half the mixture to the blender.
  • Add half the cashews and all the water to the blender. Process on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add puree to skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add reserved greens and buttermilk and bring to simmer. Reduce to low, cover, and cook until flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in cheese cubes and cook until hot, 1-2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with remaining cashews and cilantro.

Zeewon Adhikary
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This dish was a complete disaster. I would not recommend it to anyone.


Monkuseen xxx “Arlomonk” Double talk
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This recipe was too time-consuming. I don't think it's worth the effort.


Malindu Sanchitha
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The cheese didn't melt properly in this recipe. I'm not sure what I did wrong.


Rigo Bonilla
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I found this recipe to be a bit bland. I would add more spices next time.


Jonah Butterfield
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This dish was a bit too spicy for my taste, but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend using less chili peppers next time.


Steven Hayes
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I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone who loves Indian food. It's easy to make and always turns out delicious.


murtaza shah
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This is the best saag paneer recipe I've ever tried. The spices are perfectly balanced and the cheese is so creamy.


Isabella Krusche
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I wasn't sure how I would like this dish, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was very flavorful and the cheese was so gooey.


Muneer Khan
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This recipe is a keeper! I'll definitely be making it again.


Moreen Waithera
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I love the flavor of this dish. The spinach and cheese go so well together.


Nazma Aktar
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This was my first time making saag paneer and it turned out great! I was worried it would be too spicy, but it was perfect.


Louis Hotte
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I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. The cheese is so creamy and the spinach is cooked perfectly.


browhatismyaimHUH
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This is my go-to recipe for saag paneer. It's always a crowd-pleaser.


Junaid Gujjar
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I love this recipe! It's so simple to make and always turns out great.


Md Nazmul ahmed
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This recipe was easy to follow and the results were delicious. The saag paneer was creamy and flavorful.


Tori Tucker
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I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! The spinach was tender and the cheese was gooey. My family loved it.


Kaye Geofrey
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This dish was amazing! The flavors were so rich and complex, and the cheese was perfectly melted. I will definitely be making this again.


lol olo
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I've tried many saag paneer recipes before, but this one is by far the best. The cheese was soft and creamy, and the spinach was cooked to perfection. I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone who loves Indian food.


Chrisann Holman
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This saag paneer recipe was a hit! The spinach and fresh cheese came together perfectly, and the spices gave it a delicious flavor. I will definitely be making this again.