A fan favorite, this Saag Paneer is made with a unique ingredient - Swiss Chard! Enjoy this Indian dish made with lightly-spiced, creamy leafy greens and fried paneer. It's best when served with basmati rice or roti.
Remove thick stalk from the leaves of the swiss chard. Add the leafy greens to a steamer and steam for about 5 minutes, or until it smells earthy.
Once the chard has cooled down a bit, transfer the steamed chard to a blender and puree the leaves with about ¼ cup of water, or just enough water until the blender is able to run.
Cut the block of paneer into ¼ - ½ inch thick rectangles. Poke holes in each piece with a fork.
Heat a pan and melt half the ghee. Once it's hot, add the paneer and shallow fry on each side for ~2 minutes, or until each side is a light golden brown. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the paneer.
Very finely chop the onion. In the Dutch Oven on low to medium heat, melt the rest of the ghee. Add in the cumin seeds. Once they start to pop, add the finely chopped diced onions along with the ginger garlic paste and sauté until browned.
Next, add in all of the spices - the turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander, and garam masala. Stir in the tomato paste with 2 teaspoons of hot water, or until the tomato paste with the spices and onions creates a gravy.
Once the ghee separates on the sides of the gravy, add in the blended chard. If it's too thick, add a bit of hot water until desired consistency. Once it comes to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the paneer into the saag and cover the pot. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the paneer to soak up the flavor.
Turn off the stove and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Give the saag a stir and finish it off with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Serve saag hot with rice or roti.
Notes
Vegan Saag Paneer. Use neutral oil or vegan butter instead of ghee. Substitute firm tofu instead of paneer. Instead of heavy cream, coconut milk or cashew cream works super well. This will change the taste a bit but is still just as delicious.