How to make Vegan Palak Paneer?
Six months after I was discharged from the army, I found myself landing in Mumbai and experiencing a total culture shock.
Nothing prepared me for the noise, the hustle, the colors, and the scents of this massive city.
I remember the rickshaw I took from the airport dropped me off at Mumbai's central railway station, and countless children reached out their hands asking: "Mister, Rupee".
I rushed to take the first train out of there and found myself a few hours later sitting in a small, quiet restaurant on the edge of a wide, pastoral rice field, enjoying the heavy heat and the silence, deliberating for a long time over what to order.
I didn't recognize anything on the menu and had no idea what Indian food was.
All I knew about food at that time was my mother's cooking or army food, which basically boiled down to ptitim (Israeli couscous) or pizza.
I randomly pointed my finger at the first line and told the waiter: "I'll have this please."
I had no idea what I was about to receive.
After a very long time, the waiter placed two small bowls before me: one with white rice and the other with a deep green stew studded with white cubes.
The cubes were Paneer cheese and the green color came from spinach. The name of the dish: Palak Paneer. A spinach stew with paneer cheese.
That was the first time I ate Indian food, and it was love at first bite.
The recipe before you is vegan, so instead of traditional Paneer cheese, I replace it with cubes of seared tofu that blend perfectly with the spiced spinach sauce.
It is highly recommended to serve the dish with unseasoned white or brown rice.
A bit about Vegan Palak Paneer
The base of the sauce is fresh spinach.
Note that this isn't baby spinach (which is more for salads), and if you can't find fresh spinach, you can use frozen spinach medallions.
The spices in this stew are traditional spices that provide that characteristic Indian food flavor.
I tried to keep the spices in the recipe to a minimum, but if you want an authentic taste of India, there's no way around it—you'll have to head to the market and buy them.
At the end of the recipe, to give the sauce a bit of "body," I added a small amount of reduced-fat coconut cream (6-7%). Don't skip it; it provides a wonderful aroma and taste.
If you want to swap the spinach or remove the spices, go for it.
But don't message me afterwards saying: "What is this? It doesn't taste like Palak Paneer."
Nutritional Values of Palak Paneer
One serving of Palak Paneer weighing 300g contains:
- 380 kcal
- 27g Protein
- 14g Carbohydrates
- 26g Fat
An addition of a rice serving (half a cup) weighing 120g before cooking contains:
- 144 kcal
- 3g Protein
- 32g Carbohydrates
- 0g Fat
Left with lots of spinach? Maybe you'd like to make Tofu Patties in Green Sauce?
Vegan Palak Paneer
The most beloved dish from India in a delicious vegan version
Ingredients
- 300 g Tofu cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp Neutral tasting oil
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 pinch Whole black peppercorns
- 250 g Spinach leaves, washed stems removed
- 1/2 half Onion chopped
- 1 level tbsp Garam Masala
- 1 level tbsp Turmeric powder
- 3-4 slices fresh chili pepper
- 3 tbsp Low-fat coconut cream
Instructions
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Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the tofu cubes with a bit of salt for about 6-7 minutes
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Remove the tofu from the pan and set aside
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Add the spinach to the pan and steam until it wilts and loses its volume
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Remove and blend in a blender until a vibrant green paste is formed
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Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, add the coriander seeds and black pepper and fry for about a minute or two
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Add the garam masala and turmeric and fry for another minute or two
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Add the onion and fry until it becomes translucent
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Add the hot chili pepper
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Add the spinach puree and stir
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Add the tofu cubes and stir
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Pour in the coconut cream, mix well, and serve
Recipe Video
