Saag Paneer

Sometimes, certain foods become associated with a place. May be you taste something for the first time while on a trip or the ambience of a place lends a magical quality to the most common food items. For me, Saag Paneer (Paneer in Spinach Sauce) will always be associated with a trip to Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, India. Situated at 13,000 ft and connecting two Himalayan valleys, Rohtang Pass makes for a rather unlikely location for any food memory. It is a rugged place, exposed to extreme weather conditions, reachable only via treacherous roads that hug the mountain wall and drop precipitously into steep cliffs. The bus ride to Rohtang Pass is a harrowing experience for anyone, but was especially so for me because of my car sickness. Even though I had fortified myself with my regular motion sickness medication before starting the journey, I had to fight back waves of nausea and panic every time the bus took one of the sharp hairpin turns in the road.

The struggle was well worth the stunning views of the Himalayan valleys once we made it to the highest point in the Pass. I don't think I have ever seen bluer skies or more magnificent vistas of the Himalayas. I remember it being freezing cold and the owner of the lone tea stall in the Pass cramming chunks of ice into the kettle to make tea for the newly arrived group of tourists. A couple of people in our group had trouble adjusting to the lower oxygen levels because of the elevation, but, regardless of the trying journey and the extreme conditions, Rohtang Pass was truly an experience of a lifetime.

On our journey back from the Pass, we stopped for lunch at a dhaba (roadside eatery) once we were beyond some of the steepest stretches of the road. Like most dhabas along Indian highways, this eatery comprised of a rustic kitchen where the food was cooked over clay ovens and puffy naans and rotis baked in the bell-shaped tandoors. The customers huddled under a tarp roof on an assortment of chairs and benches and ate from stainless steel plates. Indian dhabas do not get points for creating fine dining experiences, but they score big on fresh, robust flavors.

We ordered Saag Paneer among other things that day. It was not the first time I was having this dish as it is a pretty common Indian restaurant food. So, I am not sure if it was the fresh mountain air, or the euphoria of surviving the perilous journey, the fresh ingredients, or the unique dhaba-style cooking, that made the Saag Paneer we had that day the best I have ever had. Almost thirty years later, every time I make Saag Paneer I am reminded of that journey, the scenery, and the gastronomical delight of eating freshly cooked Saag Paneer and Tandoori Roti sitting on the rickety bench of a roadside dhaba in the Himalayas.

What You Need:
Paneer 14 oz (cut in 1/2 inch cubes)
Baby spinach 6 oz
Onion 4 tbsp (finely chopped)
Tomatoes 4 tbsp (chopped)
11/2 tsp ginger paste
11/2 tsp garlic paste
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom pod
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp garam masala powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or less if you want a milder version)
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp neutral oil
Salt
Sugar

Directions:
Heat 2 cups of water in a small pan. When water comes to a boil, add spinach leaves. As soon as spinach starts wilting, lift the leaves with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl with 1 cup ice water.

When the spinach cools, drain water, and place wilted spinach leaves in a blender jar. Blend till smooth.

Heat oil in a medium skillet with a fitted lid. When cinnamon and cardamom start sizzling in the oil, add cumin seeds.

Immediately after, add chopped onions and fry over medium high heat till they are translucent.

Add chopped tomatoes and stir fry till both onions and tomatoes are soft. Add ginger and garlic paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Reduce heat and add 11/2 tsp garam masala powder and cayenne to the pan. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add pureed spinach to the pan and stir to combine everything. Add 4-5 tbsp water and bring to a low simmer. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Add cream and fold into spinach mixture.

Add paneer cubes to the spinach sauce. There should be enough sauce in the pan to coat all the paneer cubes.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp garam masala on the paneer. Reduce heat to low. Place the lid on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Serve hot with rice or roti.