Vegan Palak Tofu
Using tofu instead of paneer in this staple Indian sautéed spinach side dish makes it lower in fat and higher in protein plus vegan. My mom would always have frozen spinach on hand to make palak (also referred to as saag) either alone or with beef. The caramelization of the onions and cooking down the spinach is a process that takes a little while but it’s definitely worth the time. I’ve learned that this is the case with almost all Indian dishes — they taste better the more you cook them down. I used to make fun of my mom for essentially killing all the nutrients out of spinach while making palak but interestingly, boiling does more harm for nutrients than stir-frying or sautéing. And because spinach loses so much volume when you cook it down, you’re actually eating more leafy green vegetables per serving which makes up for the nutrient loss. Plus, since you’re adding turmeric & cumin, palak is, dare I say, healthy despite the oil. So there you have it, 16 year-old me has been proven wrong!
Vegan Palak Tofu
Makes: 8 servings
Calories: About 145 in 1/2 cup
Time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbs. garlic & ginger paste
1/2 tsp. red chili powder (to taste)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen chopped spinach
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1 (16 oz.) container extra firm tofu
2 small tomatoes, peeled, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
METHOD
Step 1
Heat oil in a large saucepan on high. Add onion and fry until light brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic & ginger paste, red chili, and turmeric and fry for 1-2 minutes.
Step 2
Add spinach, water, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir, lower heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 5 mins until spinach defrosts. Break up the spinach, stir, cover again, lower heat, and cook for about 15 mins.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cut the tofu into about 1” cubes and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry tofu until light brown. Set aside.
Step 4
Uncover the spinach, set flame to medium high, and sauté spinach while stirring often with a wooden spoon until water is fully evaporated and the oil starts to separate, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5
Add tomatoes and ground cumin. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes, breaking up any large pieces of tomato. Add ground fenugreek, stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tofu and serve with rice or naan.
Palak or Saag?
Typically, saag refers to a mix of spinach and mustard greens whereas palak is the Hindi word for spinach and therefore refers to only spinach. Paneer, a soft fresh cheese with a taste similar to Mexican queso fresco, is sometimes added to balance the sweet caramelized flavor of spinach and onions. Sometimes the spinach is pulsed along with heavy cream before the protein is added to make a thick rich curry. There are so many variants for palak in India that no matter how you make it, it will surely turn out great!
Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-saag-paneer-and-palak-paneer
