Shaam Savera
Shaam Savera is a special Indian dish with spinach and paneer dumplings in a silky tomato sauce. It's a great vegetarian centerpiece for any dinner.
Ingredients
- 500 grams fresh spinach
- 200 grams paneer
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste for kofta
- 0.5 teaspoon green chili paste for kofta
- 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder for kofta
- 0.5 teaspoon garam masala for kofta
- 4 tablespoons oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 0.5 cup plain yogurt
- 0.5 cup cashews
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste for gravy
- 0.5 teaspoon green chili paste for gravy
- 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder for gravy
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 0.5 teaspoon garam masala for gravy
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar
- 0.25 cup fresh cream
- 0.25 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash 500 grams fresh spinach thoroughly. Boil enough water in a large pot and blanch the spinach for 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the blanched spinach to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and retain its green color. Squeeze out all excess water from the spinach and chop it finely.
- Crumble 200 grams paneer into a bowl. Add 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder, 0.25 teaspoon garam masala, 0.5 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 0.25 teaspoon green chili paste, and salt to taste. Mix well and divide into 8 equal portions. Form these portions into small oval-shaped balls for the filling.
- In a separate bowl, combine the finely chopped spinach with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder, 0.25 teaspoon garam masala, 0.5 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 0.25 teaspoon green chili paste, and salt to taste. Mix well to form a dough-like consistency. Divide this mixture into 8 equal portions.
- Take one portion of the spinach mixture and flatten it in your palm. Place one paneer ball in the center. Carefully bring the edges of the spinach mixture together to enclose the paneer ball completely, forming a smooth kofta. Repeat for the remaining portions to make 8 koftas.
- Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a deep pan or kadhai over medium heat. Gently deep-fry the spinach paneer koftas in batches until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Set aside.
- To prepare the gravy, roughly chop 1 medium onion and 2 medium tomatoes. Soak 0.5 cup cashews in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain. In a blender, combine the chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, and drained cashews. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a little water if needed.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan (or a clean one) over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and 0.5 teaspoon green chili paste. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the blended onion-tomato-cashew paste to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the paste thickens and the raw smell disappears.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder, and 0.5 teaspoon garam masala. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are well combined and fragrant.
- In a small bowl, whisk 0.5 cup plain yogurt until smooth. Slowly add the whisked yogurt to the gravy, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Increase the heat to medium and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens slightly.
- Stir in 0.5 teaspoon sugar and salt to taste. If the gravy is too thick, add a small amount of warm water to reach your desired consistency. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the gravy from heat and stir in 0.25 cup fresh cream. Mix well.
- To serve, place 2 spinach paneer koftas in each serving bowl. Pour a generous amount of hot gravy over the koftas. Garnish with 0.25 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve Shaam Savera hot with naan, roti, or steamed rice.