My good friend, Steph Hao, went on a mission to create her own plant-based version of a traditional Indian dish, Saag Paneer. It is a creamed spinach recipe with chunks of pan-fried Indian cottage cheese (Paneer). Although is authentically delicious, what about a plant-based option? She came up with Saag Tofu. Creamed spinach with a full bodied flavor and mild spice with chunks of extra-firm, fried tofu.
In general, Indian dishes are originally vegan or very easy to make vegan. Saag Paneer is no different!
What is Saag?
Saag refers to common leafy green vegetables found in the Indian subcontinent such as spinach, fenugreek, mustard greens, collard greens or even kale leaves! Saag dishes are most popular in the Punjab region of India, the Northern India regions of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, and is frequently served in Nepal.
This recipe only uses spinach but I would highly recommend when you’ve got some leafy greens on your hands and no idea what to do with them….experiment with this recipe!
Saag Spinach Perks
We’re all here for a good time…but we won’t be here for a long time without the nutritional benefits of plant-based ingredients.
Iron
This recipe calls for 2 large boxes of spinach, or roughly 32oz. And you know what a whole lotta spinach means…? A whole lotta iron! About 3.5oz of raw spinach contains 15% of the suggested daily value. One serving of this Vegan Saag Tofu contains 33% of the suggested daily value!
But…the iron found in spinach is known as non-heme iron. This means that it isn’t absorbed very well on it’s own.Although your ingesting it, you’re not reaching those suggested daily values. Good thing spinach also has some handy-dandy…
Vitamin C
Vitamin C significantly boosts iron absorption. It captures non-heme iron and stores it in a form that’s more easily absorbed by your body. Spinach contains vitamin C and this recipe calls for some lemon juice at the end – an additional splash of C.
#Lettucebowandsay “Iron C-ficiency”
Vegan Saag Tofu
Equipment
- Blender
- Stove
- Salad Spinner optional
Ingredients
- 16oz Tofu (extra firm)
- EVOO
Spinach Purée:
- 2 Large Boxes Baby or Regular Spinach (fresh)
- ~1-2 Tbsp Water
Saag Gravy:
- 5 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp Ginger (fresh; finely chopped)
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
- 2 Green Chilies
- 3/4 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- Salt (to taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 5 Tbsp Dairy Free Yogurt (anything but coconut for thickness!)
Instructions
Press the Tofu:
- Remove the block of tofu from packaging and place between thick layers of paper towels or something to absorb the extra liquid. Place weight on top to press out extra liquid (full milk carton, bowl of water, etc.)
- Set aside for ~10-15 minutes while you prep the spinach.
Prep the Spinach:
- Soak the spinach in cold water for a few minutes to help keep the rich green color. Might take a few batches!
- Remove and pat completely dry or use a salad spinner to spin dry!
- In the blender add spinach in batches and purée until smooth. Add a total of 1-2 Tbsp of water in small increments at a time only if needed to help the blender. **note: if it doesn't look like it's blending, scrape walls and try again. If you don't have a puree setting on your blender try long stretches of high speed with breaks in between to the blender doesn't over do it.
Cook the Tofu:
- Now that the tofu is pressed, cut into cubes.
- Coat a fry pan with oil and fry all sides evenly until firm and golden brown.
- Set aside while you make the Saag gravy.
Make the Saag Gravy:
- Coat a new fry pan with oil and turn to medium-high heat. Once warm, add garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes until all you can smell is garlic and ginger.
- Add in onion and green chilies and cook for 3-5 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
- Add in all the spices: cumin, red chili flakes, turmeric and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
- Lower the heat slightly and add spinach purée. Bring to a light boil.
- Add the lemon juice, yogurt and cooked tofu. While stirring intermittently, bring to a simmer to boil off any excess water.
- Serve while hot with rice, vegan naan or roti!
March Seasonal Fruits + Veggies
used in this recipe:
Fruits
Veggies
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