Tofu Saag Paneer, Spring Style
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoon neutral coconut oil or ghee (not vegan) - divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
  • 1 large yellow onion - chopped
  • 1½ tablespoons curry or garam masala powder - divided
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
  • sea salt
  • about 4 packed cups of spinach leaves
  • 1½ cups green peas - fresh of frozen and thawed, divided
  • florets from 1 small head of broccoli - chopped
  • 1 small bunch of asparagus - tough ends removed, sliced, tips separated from stems
  • 1 14 oz package firm tofu - pressed/dried and sliced into cubes
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup canned unsweetened full fat coconut milk
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • ½ cup toasted cashews - for garnish (optional)
  • 1-2 sliced green onions - for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil or ghee in a large pan or pot. Add the cumin and coriander and stir around for about 1 minute, until fragrant, if using. Add the onion, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, chili powder, if using, and a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until very soft. Add the spinach and stir it around until wilded. Add ½ cup of peas, toss to combine and remove from the heat.
  2. While the onion cooks, combine the broccoli and chopped asparagus stems in a food processor and pulse to chop into small pieces. Add the cooked onion, wilted spinach and peas to the food processor and pulse, until the spinach is chopped and evenly incorporated. Alternatively, combine the broccoli, asparagus stems, spinach mixture, vegetable broth, and coconut milk in a blender and pulse to combine into a smooth or chunky mixture, based on your preference.
  3. Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil/ghee in the same saucepan you used for the onions and add the tofu in a single layer. Cook the tofu for a few minutes on each side, until it's golden and flipping easily without sticking. Sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon of curry over the tofu and stir to coat.
  4. Add the broccoli and asparagus mixture to the tofu. If you used a food processor, add the veggie broth and coconut milk here as well. Stir to mix thoroughly and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the asparagus tips and the rest of peas and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Pour the lemon juice in and stir to incorporate. Serve the saag paneer right away on its own or with rice, garnished with toasted cashews and green onions, if using.
Recipe by Golubka Kitchen at https://golubkakitchen.com/tofu-saag-paneer-spring-style/