I absolutely LOVE Indian food. It's at least a biweekly dine-out (I abhor take-out ... and would rather cook) pleasure of mine. That is ... pre-COVID ...
My favorite Indian restaurant's dining room has been closed for a long time. It looks like ... however ... that they ARE now open. But I didn't wait ...
I put my "I'd rather cook" mantra into action and made this a couple of weeks ago. The original recipe calls for feta cheese, which is a great ... and simple (no preparation necessary ... just buy a package and cube) alternative to regular paneer made with cow's milk.
But I wanted to experiment. And made the paneer (separate recipe here) ... like much of Paleo cooking does ... out of soaked cashews. A bit of advice ... fold in these creamy morsels gently (or sprinkle them on top) with the saag (spinach) at the VERY END and don't even heat them.
Because ... trust me (I've experienced it) ... they'll MELT. You can also try the feta if you are so inclined ... I'm going to next time I make this.
Another hint ... I'd crush (but not grind) the seeds in a mortar and pestle. This was much too seed-y. And ... the asafetida is super-stinky (I had to keep it in the cupboard) , but does zip-up the rest of the spices.
Indian food gone Paleo is possibly the healthiest food in the world. Traditional meals are mainly vegetarian with healthy dairy and even healthier spice blends.
Turmeric has been hailed over and over again as an anti-inflammatory. And asafetida ... my stinky little spice ... has antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial effects, helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, protects brain health, helps ease asthma symptoms , and is anticancer ... among other benefits.
And they taste great too! I'm even looking at a recipe for Air Fryer Samosas (probably going to be Gluten Free but I found one using grain free tortillas). And have found a couple of sites that are Indian and Paleo too ... like raodyrecipes.com.
But I digress yet again. Back to the recipe. You can serve with other Indian dishes, grain-free tortillas (La Tortilla Factory) or my fave Paleo 3-Ingredient Naan. I also replace the rice with lower-carb Banzaa "rice" made from chickpeas sometimes. Eat it UP ... FOR REAL!
AuthorJill PlaceIndian food is not only tasty ... it's chock-full of healthy ... with veggies, beans and tons of therapeutic spices. Saag Paneer is classic ... and made Paleo with non-dairy cheese.
Heat 1/4 cup ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook coriander seeds (I recommend crushing seeds slightly in a mortar and pestle before adding to pan) and cardamom, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion (fennel) and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add spinach into the pan by the handful, letting it wilt slightly after each addition before adding more. Cook until all the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add chile and lime juice; season with salt. Let cool 5 minutes.
Transfer spinach mixture to a blender or food processor (reserve skillet) and blend until a coarse paste forms ... about 1 minute. Return spinach mixture to pan and set over low heat. Stir in 1/2 cup water, then gently fold in feta, being careful not to break it up. Cook until feta is slightly softened and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 5 to 7 minutes (skip the feta step if using Paleo Paneer)
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds partially crushed in a mortar and pestle. As soon as cumin seeds start to pop, sputter, and brown, remove from heat, 1 minute tops. Immediately add asafetida if using and chili powder. Pour ghee mixture over spinach mixture. Top with Paleo Paneer if using.
Serve with Paleo tortillas or naan and rice or Banzaa orzo.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 1/4 cup ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook coriander seeds (I recommend crushing seeds slightly in a mortar and pestle before adding to pan) and cardamom, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion (fennel) and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add spinach into the pan by the handful, letting it wilt slightly after each addition before adding more. Cook until all the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add chile and lime juice; season with salt. Let cool 5 minutes.
Transfer spinach mixture to a blender or food processor (reserve skillet) and blend until a coarse paste forms ... about 1 minute. Return spinach mixture to pan and set over low heat. Stir in 1/2 cup water, then gently fold in feta, being careful not to break it up. Cook until feta is slightly softened and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 5 to 7 minutes (skip the feta step if using Paleo Paneer)
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. ghee in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds partially crushed in a mortar and pestle. As soon as cumin seeds start to pop, sputter, and brown, remove from heat, 1 minute tops. Immediately add asafetida if using and chili powder. Pour ghee mixture over spinach mixture. Top with Paleo Paneer if using.
Serve with Paleo tortillas or naan and rice or Banzaa orzo.
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