Spinach Tofu Stir Fry

Here comes the another combination of tofu with spinach. Tofu is a regular ingredient in my cooking. I use tofu instead of paneer in most of my dishes jus to make it healthy n nutritious. I love paneer more than tofu but as per health consciousness, i use tofu... Tofu is made by extracting the goodness of soy milk..And the other main ingredient of our today's dish is Spinach.. I don't need to mention the benefits of spinach.. 
Spinach tofu stir fry is made without boiling the spinach, so that we can get each n every nutrient that spinach has.. As we all know, boiling vegetables or leafy veggies makes them to loose some of their essential nutrients.. So to retain all the nutrients, i tried this dish without boiling the spinach... 

Ingredients:
Spinach: 2 bags of fresh spinach or 3-4 bunches, roughly chopped
Tofu: 1 extra firm, drained n cubed
Onion: 1 small, finely chopped
Ginger: 2 tsp grated
Garlic: 3-4 cloves crushed
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Red chili Powder: 1tsp
Coriander Powder: 1tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tbsp


Preparation:
1) In a skillet, heat oil. Add cumin seeds n fry for 30 secs.
2) Add onion n fry for 5 mins.
3) Stir in garlic n turmeric.
4) Add cubed Tofu. Fry for 5 mins or until tofu turns light golden color.
5) Now add spinach little by little n mix well.
6) Cook for 4-5 mins or until spinach wilts..

7) Sprinkle chili , coriander powder n salt.. Mix well.
8) Add crushed garlic n stir. 
9) Cook for 1 more min n switch off.

Enjoy this healthy n tasty spinach tofu stir fry with chapathi or rice.

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Saag Paneer with Spinach n Mustard greens/Saagwala

Saag paneer is a green leaves based curry. U can substitute any kind of leafy vegetable with spinach like mustard greens, methi, cilantro... Greens is a must vegetable in my kitchen. Regularly i make palak paneer with spinach. But, i got some mustard greens. So thought of making saag paneer,As i had some fresh paneer which i jus made...
Saag paneer is made with green leafy veggies where as palak paneer is made by pureeing the spinach n by adding paneer n a mix of spices. Each has its own unique flavor n aroma. Normally, i boil spinach in hot water for couple mins if i am preparing palak paneer. But for saag paneer, i roasted spinach n mustard green for couple mins to retain the color n nutrients.

Here is the recipe for Saag Paneer:
Ingredients:
Spinach: 2 bunches( i used bagged spinach)
Mustard greens: 2cup(tightly packed)
Cilantro: 3/4 cup,chopped
Paneer: 1cup grated/15 cubes
Evaporated Milk: 3/4 cup/ fresh cream: 2tbsp
Onion: 1 big, very finely chopped/pureed
Tomato: 1 small, finely copped
Green chili: 2-3,chopped
Ginger Garlic paste: 1tsp
Oil: 1tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Red chili powder: 1tsp
Coriander powder: 1tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Garam Masala: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste:

Preparation:
1) In a pan, heat 1tsp of oil n add spinach,mustard greens,cilantro n green chili. Roast it for 5 mins on medium heat,uncovered.
2) In a blender, grind it to a smooth paste n keep aside.
3) In a pan, heat oil n add cumin seeds n fry for 30 secs.
4) Add onion puree n fry for 6-7 mins on medium heat.

5) Add ginger garlic paste,turmeric n fry for couple mins.

6) Add tomato n fry for 3 mins.

7) Add Spinach leafy's pure n mix well. Cover n cook for 8 mins on medium heat.
8) Simmer n add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala n cook for 1 min.
9) Add, evaporated milk or cream n cook for 3 mins on medium heat,uncovered. Stir vigorously.

10) Add grated paneer or cubes n cook for 2mins.
11) Adjust spices to your taste n switch off.

Enjoy this healthy delicious colorful Saag Paneer with rice or chapathi.


Tip: Add evaporated milk instead of cream. By using this you can save so much on calories n moreover it doesn't make any difference..

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Spinach Tofu fry

I am a big lover of Spinach and my husband is a big lover of Tofu. Mixing of our favorites , gives a delicious and mouth watering spinach tofu dish. Both the ingredients of this dish are high in nutrients making it a healthy dish.
Tofu is made from soy milk where as paneer/Indian cottage cheese is made from milk. Tofu has that purity of soy, low in calories and contains little fat. Tofu is a good substitute for paneer dishes as it marks its own great taste.

Spinach attracts with its rich greenish and eye catching color where as tofu pleases us with its pure white color, making this dish so rich, pure n colorful...
Spinach tofu fry is made in 3 easy steps. Boil it to perfection, Temper it  to bring the authentic Indian taste, Fry it and mix with tofu for the purity of goodness.
source: own
Preparation time12mins
Cooking time 15 mins
Ingredients:
Spinach: 2 bunches, chopped or 2-3 cups frozen
Tofu: 1 cup, extra firm
Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
Oil: 1tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Red chili: 2 flakes
Garlic cloves: 4-5, crushed
Red chili powder: 1tsp
Salt: 1tsp or to taste
Coriander powder: 1tsp

Preparation:

1) In a microwave safe bowl, add spinach n 1/2 cup water. cook for 5mins on high. Wait for 3mins. Stir n add water if necessary. Cook again for 7 mins on 80 % heat.
2) Mean while, in a pan heat oil n add red chili flakes. Fry them for 30 secs. Add cumin n mustard seeds. Let them splutter n add onion.
Note: if u want to fry tofu, then fry them in 2tsp butter in the same pan u want to cook spinach tofu fry. Fry them until the edges are slightly brown. Remove them to a plate. and follow the regular procedure from step
2.

3) Fry until onions are tender. Now add  boiled spinach( strain it to remove any water if there,before adding).
4) Add a pinch of salt, n cover it n cook for 10 mins on medium heat or until spinach leaves its raw taste.
5) Now add chili powder, coriander powder salt n stir it well. Add tofu pieces stir n cook for 5more mins, covered on medium heat.

6) adjust spices to your taste n add crushed garlic cloves. Cook for 1 min n switch off n cover it. Let it remain for couple mins undisturbed.

Enjoy this delicious n eye catching spinach tofu fry with rice, naan, chapathi

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Spinach with dal/ palakorra pappu

Spinach n dal-- has that unique taste. Dal can be cooked  in many ways n in the same way spinach too. Combination of spinach n dal with a touch of tomato, garlic n onion puts us in a divine pleasure. Spinach is a good source of nutrients like vitamin K,C.

So here is the recipe:
Source: own
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins


Ingredients: 
Toor Dal/ Red Gram Lentil: 1cup ( i use rice cooker cup)
Spinach: 2 cups (I used fresh bagged spinach, if it is frozen use 11/2 cups)
Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato: 1 large, diced
Green Chillies: 3, sliced
Turmeric powder/ Haldi : 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 1-2 tsp ( or to taste)
Salt: 1 tsp
 Amchur : 1tsp or 2,3 pieces  ( i use amchur in my dal ,as it gives mango flavor. if u want to use tamarind u can use upto 2 tsp tamarind pulp)
Water: 4 cups
for Tempering/ Poppu:
Oil: 1tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Dried whole red chillies: 2-3
Garlic cloves: 3-4, crushed
Curry leaves: 2 stems
A pinch of hing/asafeotida
Salt: to taste
Ghee: 1 tbsp ( butter or ghee. i, normally use smart balance as it contains omega 3 n doesn't have hydrogenated oils)

Cooking:
1) In a pressure cooker, put all the ingredients . Cook up to 3-4 whistles( depends on cooker, mine takes 3) and let it cool down for 10 mins or so.
2) In a small pan, heat oil and then add red chili pieces. Now add mustard seeds n let it splutter. After that add cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves, crushed garlic and butter.
3) Turn heat off n add  tempering to cooked dal. Mix it n cover, so that smell of butter doesn't escape
4) Serve with Chapati or rice.

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