Saag paneer

A discussion my colleague and I were were having on our drive back home from work about the leafy vegetables that the dish can be made from inspired me to try this out . She and I car share to work everyday and our talk generally revolves around food! This is my version of the dish and is certainly not the authentic way of making it. It is quite mild with very few ingredients that makes the taste of the greens to stand out. It is commonly made using mustard leaves although spinach is usually substituted as mustard leaves can be quite hard to find. I used a combination of spinach and kale this time.

200g spinach
200g kale
Paneer (one block, usually about 200-220g) cut into cubes
3/4 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 cloves of crushed  or finely chopped garlic
3-4 green chillies
1/2 medium onion chopped
1-2 tsp oil

• Cook the spinach and kale. I like to put them in a pan with 3-4 tbsp of water, cover and allow them to steam. You could do the same in a microwave. When cooked, grind them very coarsely. Don't make it a fine paste as I find the texture adds to the taste.
•  Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions. When they have softened slightly, add the garlic and green chillies and continue sautéing till the onions are translucent. 
• Next, add the cooked greens, turmeric and the paneer and cook on a low flame with little water for about 5 minutes or till the water has been absorbed and the paneer is soft. I find microwaving the paneer for a minute or putting it in hot water for 5 minutes makes it really soft.
• Add the mustard and nutmeg powder. Mix well and cook for a final couple of minutes to allow the flavours to combine.