New blog means new recipe! When I first started this blog I posted a similar recipe (Swiss Chard Saag), but without the tofu. This dish is just as creamy and spicy, but the added tofu provides protein and makes it a complete meal. It is spicy, yet mellow, and oh so delicious!
It is inspired by the traditional north Indian dish, Palak Paneer. Palak paneer traditionally is made with spinach that is wilted down and cooked for a long time and then is blended and mixed with heavy cream and a strained–and often fried–cottage cheese (paneer). The problem with this is that the greens tend to lose most of their nutrition when overcooked. In this version I wilt the greens slightly, and then blend with cashew cream. Cashew cream is rich and creamy, high in protein and saturated fat-free. Finally, it is topped with tofu, a complete plant based protein.
It is a rich, hearty meal that you can feel good about! The total cooking time is less than half an hour, including prep.
Supergreens for the Win!
You don’t have to buy any fancy powders or expensive additives to get your greens. Greens like chard are packed with an incredible amount of nutritional value, and mixing them into a dish like this is a really natural and easy way to get your fix. Feel free to mix in whichever greens you have on hand or available at local stores and markets. I have experimented with collard greens and spinach before and it tastes just as delicious. For this recipe, I used this beautiful Rainbow Chard.
Tofu done right
I’ve heard a lot of people saying they aren’t the biggest tofu fans. I truly believe that’s because they haven’t prepared it correctly. The tofu I use is firm, not extra firm, and I try to remove all the excess water before lightly pan frying the tofu on all sides. You could also pan fry without any oil by reducing the range to medium and monitoring when each side turns brown.
Supergreen Palak Tofu (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 packet firm tofu
- 1 bunch fresh spinach cleaned thoroughly
- 1 bunch Swiss chard cleaned thoroughly
- cilantro for garnish
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 clove grated garlic)
- 2-3 Indian/thai green chilies to taste
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp red chili powder cayenne
- 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 1 hour
- 1 medium tomato cut in large chunks (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the tofu:
- Drain and press excess water from the tofu and cut into cubes
- Heat a few tbsp of oil in a skillet and lightly brown the tofu on each side. (It doesn’t require a lot of oil)
- Set tofu aside on a towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Season with salt.
Step 2: Prepare the Saag (greens)
- Thoroughly wash the greens in a colander, especially if you got them from a garden or farm. Take the stems off the Swiss chard by ripping the leaves off the stem.
- In a pot, add a 2 tbsp of oil and add 1 tsp cumin seeds.
- Once the cumin seeds begin to sputter, add the green chilies, onion and saute for a few minutes until golden-brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste (or grated ginger and garlic). At this point, you can also sprinkle a pinch of garam masala and some red chili powder to taste.
- Once the onions are golden, add in half the tomatoes and allow them to cook down and soften for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the chopped greens slowly, allowing them to wilt as you stir them in. Stir well, sprinkle with salt, and cover for about a minute. If the greens are not fully wilted, stir and cover for some more time.
- The greens should be nice and wilted, but still green. Add about 1/4 cup of water and turn off the range.
- Separately, blend the cashews with half a cup of water a bullet cup. The mixture should be blended completely so it becomes like a cream and add this to the pot. Blend with immersion blender until smooth.
- Once you added the cashew cream to the pot, blend all the ingredients using your immersion blender or a regular blender, pulsing for about a few seconds at a time until it becomes smooth. Feel free to add water to reach your desired consistency.
- Return the mixture to the flame and bring to a simmer.
- Add the tofu back into the saag and stir.
- Optionally, you can add the chunks of tomato in to the saag and allow them to wilt slightly. I add this for an extra textural bonus.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or bread!
Notes
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