Tofu Saag with Spinach and Chard

Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer (yes, they are slightly different), are some of my absolute favorite Punjabi Indian dishes. The Punjab region is in northern India and the cuisine from this region is probably the most well known and most widely found at Indian restaurants around the world. If you love naan, daal makhani, paneer tikka, butter chicken or chole bhature, this is the area from which they hail.

Traditionally, Punjabi food is heavy in ghee (clarified butter), cream and paneer, however, with simple modifications, you can still enjoy all the flavor of these exotic dishes without the dairy.

So, now onto the difference between saag and palak. Typically, saag refers to a combination of spinach and mustard greens and palak is straight up spinach (“palak” means spinach in Hindi.) So the main difference is in the types of greens used. Saag can any type of greens, whereas palak is just spinach – although some people use then terms interchangeably, this is not correct.

Just like any Indian recipe, you will find hundreds of variations on how to make saag. I’ve tested quite a few variations and finally came up with one that I feel has all the flavors, texture, aroma and spice of the saag I grew up loving – just with a more plant-based spin.

This pregnancy has me thinking a lot about the types of foods I’m putting into my body and as someone that eats primarily plant-based, getting. proper nutrition is something I focus on a lot. Dark leafy greens, especially spinach and Swiss chard, are a great source of iron, but it is better absorbed when the greens are cooked. This recipe uses about 10oz of spinach (about 2 regular size packs) and a whole head of Swiss chard, so you will be getting tons of good for you nutrition in this dish!

One of the most popular saag dishes is saag paneer. Paneer is a fresh Indian cheese made by curdling milk with some type of acid like lemon juice. You can easily find it in the frozen section of Indian grocery stores, but is easy to make homemade as well and tastes even more amazing. However, because I avoid most dairy, I decided to use extra firm tofu in place of the paneer and it works amazing!

Many saag recipes also finish the dish with some heavy cream. For that I made an easy cashew cream that I drizzle in at the end and you couldn’t tell the difference if you try!

I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you try it please take a picture and tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!

Tofu Saag with Spinach and Chard

admin Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer (yes, they are slightly different), are some of my absolute favorite Punjabi Indian dishes. The Punjab region is in northern India and the cuisine from… Main Dishes Tofu Saag with Spinach and Chard European Print This

Serves: 2-3

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For Tofu

• 7oz Extra firm tofu
• 2 Tbsp Avocado oil or other neutral oil

For Saag:

• 10oz Fresh spinach
• 1 head Swiss chard, destemmed and chopped
• 1 Large tomato or 2 small, cut into large chunks
• 1-2 Tbsp Avocado oil or other neutral oil
• 1/8 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 inch Ginger, grated (about 1 Tbsp)
• 4 cloves Garlic, grated or minced
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
• 1.5 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp Chili powder (use less if you don't want it quite as spicy)
• 1 tsp Sea salt
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

For Cashew Cream:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 3 hours
• 1/4 -1/2 cup water,  depending on thickness desired

Instructions

1. Wrap tofu block in a few paper towels or clean dish towel and place on a cutting board. Put a plate on top to  help press out the water. Leave for 10-15 minutes while you chop and prepare ingredients.
2. Cut tofu into cubes.
3. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. Remove from pan and let drain on a plate with paper towels. Set aside.
4. Steam spinach and chard in batches for a few minutes. Drain through a colander or fine mesh sieve, pressing as much water out as you can.
5. Add to a blender and blend to get desired consistency. You can add a little water at a time to get it going if needed, but not too much. I like to leave a little texture to my saag. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside.
6. In the same blender, add tomato and blend until pureed.
7. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander. Sauté for 30 seconds or so until fragrant.
8. Add garlic, ginger and onion and coat in spices. Cook for 3-minutes until onions begin to soften.
9. Add in spinach/chard mixture, garam masala,  chili powder, salt and pureed tomato. Mix well.
10. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until everything is incorporated and you don't taste too much tomato flavor. 
11. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and give it a stir. Add in tofu and give it one last gentle stir, making sure not to break apart tofu cubes. Turn off heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
12. Add a drizzle of cashew cream (see instructions below) and give it a light stir.
13. Serve with naan or rice. Enjoy!

For cashew cream:

1. Drain and rinse cashews.
2. Add to a high speed blender along with 1/4 cup water. 
3. Blend for a few minutes until completely smooth. Add more water, a spoonful at a time, until desired consistency is reached. It should be somewhere between heavy cream and sour cream consistency. Store in a container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. This is also great to make soups or pasta sauces creamy!