Beet Green Saag Paneer

Photos, recipe, and pottery by Allie Stack.

Allie Stack is an Asheville based ceramic artist who makes functional, brightly colored pottery with whimsical drawings often depicting items from our daily lives. To learn more about her, visit her website at: www.alliestackeramics.com and find her on instagram at: @allie.stack

  Ingredients

• 2-3 bunches of beet greens 

• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped 

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 

• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped 

• 1 chile, finely chopped (I used a jalapeño because I had it on hand but a serrano is more traditional) 

• ½ cup heavy cream 

• 1 package of paneer, cubed 

• Cumin seeds 

• Ground cumin 

• Ground coriander 

• Olive oil or ghee 

• Cooked rice (I used basmati) and naan or flatbread for serving 

Directions: 

1. Wash & dry beet greens, then coarsely chop and put into a food processor. Pulse until it’s finely ground - similar to a pesto consistency.

2. Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat and add the paneer and cook, turning, until golden brown - about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate for later.

3. 3. Add more oil to the pan and add onion, garlic, chile and ginger and season with salt and pepper - stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown - about 5 minutes. 

4. Stir in the cumin and coriander until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add the beet green paste and ½ cup, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is gone, about 6-8 minutes.

6. Stir in the heavy cream and the paneer until incorporated, taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Cook for just a couple more minutes. Put the mixture on top of rice and enjoy!