Saag Paneer Without the Paneer

A well-known North Indian curry, which combines chopped spinach and fried cubes of bland, homemade cheese (paneer). Tonight we made this great spinach dish a true hit- basically saag paneer with cubes of marinaded tofu substituted for the cheese.

About a month ago we froze small cubes of firm or extra firm tofu that was about to expire. Freezing tofu makes the texture more chicken-like, or a little tougher and porous, than fresh tofu so theoretically it should be a perfect substitute paneer, and it was! It was faster (in that we didn't have to make bland cheese the day before- you can never find paneer at the store), easier, and infinitely more flavorful. This recipe is a fail-safe, impressive staple for any Indian themed meal. Hazel ate two helpings and everyone loved it.

Something that looks like this better taste good for my kids to eat it.

Saag Pa-tofu a la Amy

Marinade frozen tofu in a covered glass bowl (or bag) before you start on the rest of your meal, shaking it up occasionally. Combine:

About 2/3 can light coconut milk (I add the extra milk to the accompanying curry or make virgin pina coladas)
1 lb. tub firm/extra firm tofu, drained, pressed a little, cut into small cubes, and frozen
1-2 Tbsp. lime juice (mine was from a bottle so I used 2 Tbsp.)
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
generous 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)

In small frying pan, fry the following until onion edges are nicely browned:

1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. thinly chopped onion (1 med.)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Then add:

1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. powered ginger

And set aside. Now, in large sauce pan combine the following and heat over medium heat for about 5 min:

1- 28 oz. bag frozen spinach, thawed with some water squeezed out*
1 can diced tomatoes, drained. Should be 1-2 cups total.
1 tsp. salt

Add the onion and tofu (including marinade) to the spinach and heat through another min. or so. Tomatoes and spinach should be soft and well-blended, but it shouldn't be soupy.

Finally add:

1/4-1/2 tsp. Garam Masala seasoning (a 1::1 mixture of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper)

Stir well and serve!

*For frozen spinach nothing beats the pre-frozen stuff however, sometimes we get a big package of fresh spinach and have a hard time finishing it off. I tried freezing it by just popping the package in the freezer and it worked perfectly. If you ever have this dilemma try freezing it for recipes with cooked spinach.