A few weeks ago, I was digging into a meal ofsaag paneer at one of my favorite Indian restaurants (Zareen’s in Palo Alto! ), when it occurred to me that the texture of the soft fresh paneer cheese in the dish was very similar to the texture of extra-firm tofu.
I decided there and then to come up with a vegan riff on this dish so that everyone can enjoy it, even if you’re eating dairy-free.
Saag paneeris a dish that hails from the Northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The words “saag” and “paneer” translate from Punjabi to “greens” and “cheese. ”
When you order Saag Paneer in a restaurant in the United States, it’s usually made with spinach (a. k. a. palak) but occasionally other greens such as mustard or fenugreek are included as well. Mixed in with the greens are pieces of paneer, a fresh, mild cheese.
I’ve made saag paneer several times at home, mostly following the recipe in the amazing cookbook660 Curriesby Raghavan Iyer, but I’d never tried it with tofu. I also decided to make one more change and prepare my saag tofu in my Instant Pot.
Using the Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker) allows you to walk away while it’s cooking, rather. No need to hang around the kitchen watching a pot or skillet as it bubbles away on the stove.
You can also leave the finished dish on the “keep warm setting” for literally hours and hours. Since the pot holds foods above 140ºF, it’s perfectly safe to let the food wait for you for up to 10 hours! You can even make it in the morning and it will still be piping hot at dinnertime
Before searing the tofu, I like to press it down gently with paper towels, just to draw out some of the moisture. This helps keep it from sputtering too much in the pan, and makes the texture a bit firmer, too.
I use a fairly generous amount of oil in this recipe – five tablespoons all told. It comes out to a little more than a tablespoon per serving, and it really helps to carry the flavors of the spices in the garam masala. You can cut down on the oil by up to half if you prefer things a little lighter!
Since searing tofu can have a tendency to stick to stainless steel, I usually brown in a nonstick pan on the stovetop while I’m cooking the onions in the electric pressure cooker. You end up using two pans, but on the plus side, you save on the cooking time since the onions and tofu are cooking at the same time!
My favorite versions of this dish are a little homier and rough in texture, with visible pieces of spinach rather than a smooth puree. I stayed true to that in this recipe.
When you’re shopping for frozen spinach, look for the chopped variety that comes in a bag. It should be loosely packed and fluffy, rather than frozen in a solid block. This helps it to thaw quickly enough that you can actually stir it into the pot while it’s still frozen. If all you can find is boxed frozen spinach, make sure to defrost it before adding it to the pot.
Finally, add the garam masala at the very end of cooking. Since this dish simmers for so long, the flavors of the spices can become muted. Mixing them in just before serving means they stay vibrant and flavorful. Try it out this way and you’ll be amazed at how the flavors pop! (Look for garam masala in the spice section of your grocery store, or order it online. )
You can do a quick pressure release, or let it release naturally, which will take about 20 minutes. Either way, enjoy your Saag Tofu piping hot, served with rice or warm naan.
Pressure Cooker Saag Tofu (Indian Spinach and Tofu) Recipe
When shopping for frozen spinach, look for the chopped loosely-packed variety that comes in a bag. If all you can find is spinach frozen in a solid block, make sure to defrost it before adding it to the pot.
Stovetop Instructions:Prepare the tofu as instructed in the recipe. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the tofu for six minutes, flipping once during cooking. Transfer the tofu to a plate, add the rest of the oil to the pan, and sauté the onions for about 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for another two minutes, then stir in the seared tofu,tomatoes, water, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt, taking care not to break up the tofu. Add in the frozen spinach and stir once more. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Uncover, stir in the coconut milk and garam masala, and serve.
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-firm tofu
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (I use avocado oil)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1-inch (1/2 ounce) piece ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15. 5-oz) can diced tomatoes and their liquid
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounce bag frozen chopped spinach (See Recipe Note)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- Cooked rice or warm naan bread, to serve
Method
1 Prepare the tofu: Press the block of tofu between paper towels to squeeze out some of its moisture. Slice the tofu into bite-sized cubes.
2 Sauté the onions in the pressure cooker: Select the “Sauté” setting on your electric pressure cooker and adjust it to its highest setting. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in the pressure cooker until it shimmers and glides easily, then add the diced onion. Sauté the onions until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
3 While the onions are browning, sear the tofu in a nonstick skillet: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the tofu, being careful of the hot, spattering oil. Let the tofu sear for three minutes on one side, then shake the pan or use a spatula to flip the pieces over.
Sear the tofu for another three minutes or so, flipping occasionally. The cubes should havegolden brown spots, but it’s fine if some pieces don’t get browned on all sides. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.
4 Combine ingredients in the pressure cooker: Once the onions have browned, add the ginger and garlic and sauté for another two minutes, until fragrant.
Use a spoon or spatula to gently stir in the seared tofu, tomatoes, water, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt, taking care not to break up the tofu. Add in the frozen spinach and stir once more. (Reserve the garam masala and coconut milk. )
5 Cook the saag tofu: Place the lid on the pressure cooker and move the sealing valve to its “Sealing” position. Cancel the “Sauté” program, then select the “Manual” setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes at high pressure. (The pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure, and then the cooking program will start. )
When the cooking program ends, you can either perform a quick release by moving the sealing valve to its “Venting” position, or let the pressure release naturally. (If you’re using an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker with a “warm” setting, it’s fine for this recipe to stay on the warm setting for a few hours. )
6 Open the pot, stir in the spice blend and coconut milk, and serve: After the pressure has fully released, open the pot. Stir in the garam masala and coconut milk, then taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Serve the saag tofu over rice or with naan.
