Saag Paneer with Tofu

Serving Size: 10

Tofu takes the place of paneer in this lighter version of saag paneer, a classic Indian dish made with fresh spinach sautéed in plenty of ginger, cumin, garam masala, chiles, coriander and turmeric.

Recipe by: Kaiser Permanente

Cook Times

Active Prep30

Hands-On Cook25

Hands-Off Cook25

Passive0

Total Time1 20

Recipe Serving Size10

Cooking Tools Required

12-inch nonstick skillet, 5-quart saucepot, Baking Pan, Cutting board, Food Processor, Measuring cups and spoons, Mixing bowls, Non stick saute pan, Oven, Sharp Knives, Top Stove

Ingredients

Tofu “Paneer”:

35 ounce extra firm tofu
5 tablespoon lemon juice
7 1/2 tablespoon water
7 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Saag:

40 ounce baby spinach
3 3/4 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil
2 poblano pepper diced and seeds removed
2 large yellow onion chopped
2 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
7 clove garlic minced or pressed
37 ounce canned diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 1/2 teaspoon cumin
5 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Cashew cream:

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

Make tofu paneer:

Mix together the lemon juice, water, salt, and nutritional yeast in a glass bowl.
Chop tofu into 1⁄2 inch cubes and add to lemon juice mixture and stir well. Set aside and let marinate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400. Pour the tofu mixture on a baking sheet and spread out so none of them are touching each other. Bake tofu for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until browned and crispy on edges.

Make the cashew cream:

Soak the cashews in the 1⁄2 cup boiling water for at least 5-10 minutes (longer if possible).
Place the cashews and water in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed totally smooth.

Make Saag:

Bring 1 1⁄2 cups of water to boil in a large pan. Add spinach and place lid on top. Cook spinach for 2-3 minutes and then stir and cook another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted and cooked.
Transfer to a food processor with the water and puree until smooth.
Chop the onion and poblano pepper and set aside.
Heat a large pan until hot. Once hot, add oil, chopped onion and chopped peppers. Saute for 6-8 minutes until the onion is brown and tender.
Add the ginger and garlic and stir well. Cook another 1-2 minutes until browned and fragrant.
Add the garam masala, cumin, coriander, and pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, salt, and lime juice to the pan and stir well. Add the cashew cream and pureed spinach and stir well. Cook for another 5 minutes or until mixture is thick.
Add tofu paneer on top of saag mixture to serve (or mix in).

Reheating Instructions

Heat in the microwave on medium high heat until heated through or in a pot on the stove top over medium heat.

Nutrition