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Saag Paneer


1 pound spinach, washed and finely chopped

1 pound mustard greens, washed and finely chopped

½ pound frozen fenugreek leaves

2 green chilies

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

Salt to taste

5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), divided

1 tablespoon bengal gram flour (or corn/maize flour)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon grated garlic

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ pound paneer cheese, cubed and fried


  1. Fill a stockpot with water and add all greens, green chilies, chopped ginger, and salt. Boil until tender and cooked.
  2. Drain greens and purée in a food processor until it is the consistency of a coarse paste.
  3. Heat half the ghee in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add bengal gram flour and cook until raw smell disappears. Reserve until ready to use.
  4. In a separate sauté pan, heat remaining gheeover a medium flame. When uniformly hot, add onion and sauté until pale golden in color.
  5. Add grated ginger, garlic, garam masala, and cooked gram flour.
  6. Add greens paste and stir until blended. Season to taste.
  7. Mix in the deep-fried paneer and serve.

Editor’s Note: This dish is part of Chauhan’s Ode to Nashville with a “Meat and Three” in a Tiffin Box. The other dishes that comprise this tribute are Grandma’s Black LentilsShrimp MoileeRice Pulao, and Apple Mint Raita.


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