Smoked tofu with spinach (vegan saag paneer alternative)
Saag paneer is brilliant. I will nosebag that shit. And in the unlikely event there are leftovers, I will put it in a toastie.
Try that - trust me.
What saag paneer is not - there’s a clue in the name - is dairy free. So it’s off the table with a lactose intolerant boyfriend.
But all is not lost, because you know what else is absolutely fucking brilliant? Smoked tofu.
It’s firm and rich and flavoursome, and sure, it isn’t cheese. But the texture here does a pretty good job. Not in an “undetectable swap” sense, goodness no. But in that it works just as well with the other flavours and textures as the cheese does, in its own way.
It’s also pretty simple to make.
Ingredients:
Bunched spinach, 4-5 bunches - maybe 700g? (see note)
Smoked tofu, 300g
Onions, 2
Garlic, 4 cloves
Ginger, about 15g
Your non-dairy butter alternative of choice, 50g (see note)
Garam masala, 2tsp
Turmeric, 1tsp
Salt, to taste
Optional: chilli powder, 1/4tsp
Optional: fenugreek seeds, a big pinch or about 1/4tsp
Serves 4-6. 4 generously, 6 with sides.
Spinach - You want the adult stuff, not the baby leaves. It’s got a much better flavour. Obviously a “bunch” is not a universal unit, but I have no idea what the ones I buy weigh. They feel like about 200g, maybe? Anyway I usually get a bunch per person.
In Cambridge you can reliably get bunched spinach at Harvest and Al Amin on Mill Rd.
Butter - I use Flora Plant, it’s witchcraft. There are plenty of other options. You could just use oil, but there’s something in the butter-adjacent flavour that really lifts the dish.
Instructions:
Trim off the bottom couple of centimetres of the spinach stalks. Wash the spinach thoroughly, then put it in a hot pan with the water that’s clinging to it and wilt it down for a minute or so. We want it to retain some body - we’re not looking for mush.
Plunge it into cold water to stop the cooking, then drain it and thoroughly press out the water. I use a spoon in a sieve, or just my hands. Muslin or clean tea towels work too.
Chop it roughly, stalks and all, and set to one side.
Halve and slice the onions. Crush the garlic, grate the ginger, and measure out the spices.
Cut the tofu into roughly 2cm cubes, and fry them in the “butter”, quite hot for about 5 mins, turning to get some colour one each side. We’re really just adding texture and a bit of toasty flavour here. It’s perfectly edible (and quite tasty) raw. Remove the tofu, reserving the fat. We’ll fry the onions in that.
In fact, do so. Cook the onions on a medium heat for about 8 minutes, stirring periodically to ensure nothing sticks. A little colour is fine, but you may need a bit more fat if it feels dry. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir together for a minute or two, then add the spices and stir a bit more.
Raise the heat slightly, add the spinach, and work it all together to heat through. Check the seasoning - I find that spinach likes salt. And honestly this is one of those dishes where more butter is more better.
What do you mean butter isn’t a seasoning? You have no poetry in your soul.
Just before serving, add back the tofu, and mix it through carefully, trying not to break it up too much. Let it heat back up, and serve.
I like to put this with a simple dal and some naan.
I bet it would be quite nice on a baked potato.
The dal I make with this, by the way, is just 300g of well washed yellow mung dal, simmered for about an hour until its soft, then reduced a bit. I throw some spices and maybe diced onion in as it simmers. A big pinch of dried curry leaves, some cumin seeds, and a hit of turmeric work well.
The dal is nicer if you finish it with a tarka of onions and garlic fried with garam masala, but that brings the flavour too close to the spinach spicing, and I think it throws the meal off balance.