Looking to Cook Up Some Flavor

I’m a big fan of Spinach Saag Paneer, an Indian dish that features a creamy cooked spinach and homemade cheese called paneer. I decided that making paneer was beyond my ability (and level of patience in the kitchen) therefore I determined that Spinach Saag Aloo (Aloo referring to potatoes) was more my speed. After an extensive search and watching way too many YouTube cooking videos, I selected a recipe.

Spinach Saag Aloo
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 potato peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, diced finely
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh serrano pepper, minced (which I omitted from the recipe)
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground dried Kashmiri red chilis or paprika for a milder flavor
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
2 – 3 tablespoons water for potatoes
1 – 1 1/2 cups water for onions/spinach
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

I was very nervous but took a deep breath and plunged ahead:
1. Heat butter and oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat and add cumin seeds.
2. When cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic and ginger to onions stirring until garlic is fragrant, then add turmeric, garam masala, paprika, and coriander stirring well. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups water and then simmer for ~ 5 minutes while the potatoes cook.
4. Place diced potatoes in a microwave dish with 2 – 3 tablespoons of water and cook until fork tender ~ 5 minutes.
5. Add the spinach to the pot and cook until it starts to fall apart, stirring frequently.
6. Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender until spinach is creamy.
7. Add potatoes, stir and serve hot with rice or naan.

It wasn’t too difficult to make and by omitting the peppers (fresh serrano and red chili powder) and substituting the paprika instead it wasn’t so hot that I couldn’t handle it. I served it over rice and it was delicious. Though next time I make it I’m going to add more potatoes and reduce the water and drain the spinach better!

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