Saag Paneer

(I don’t actually eat the paneer – so this is just Saag)

Serves four to five.

• 1 ¾ pounds fresh spinach, trimmed, washed, and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (dried methi) or 2-3 handfuls of fresh fenugreek leaves (fresh methi), optional
• 1 fresh hot green chili, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 ½ x 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated to a pulp
• 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds (I just use ground cumin)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a large pan.

Put in the washed spinach, dried or fresh fenugreek leaves, if using, and green chile.

Cover the pan and cook gently for 25 minutes.

Now mash the spinach with a wooden masher or potato masher until you have a coarse puree. (You can blend the spinach in a blender)

Blend in the cornmeal and cook gently for another 5 minutes stirring now and then

In a separate frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

When hot, add the onion and stir and fry until it begins to brown.

Add the ginger and stir once or twice, then add the tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the texture thickens and the color of the tomatoes intensifies.

Stir the tomato mixture into the spinach mixture, then add the salt, roasted cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon and stir to mix.

Cook gently for 5 minutes.

Serve hot