Post by rose on Mar 14, 2007 19:52:12 GMT -5
I just made this a couple of days ago, adapting a recipe I found online for Saag Panir. I thought I'd share it here in case anyone was wondering what to do with those pesky stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) coming up this spring (in many places anyway). Spinach is not really in season here yet, so the nettles were a great seasonal green.
All the dairy was from our cow, of course--it helps to plan a couple days in advance if you don't normally have ghee, panir, and yogurt on hand. The smaller amount of panir will give you something in the proportions you'd find in a restaurant; the larger quantity of cheese is more to my taste. (I've been known to go to an Indian restaurant, eat all the panir out of a dish, and take the rest home and make more panir to eat with it!)
Serves at least 4, as a side dish.
2 lb. freshly picked stinging nettle tops, rinsed and stems removed
1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 lb. - 1 lb. cubed panir cheese
1-2 yellow onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. curry powder (or a little more, to taste)
3/4 cup homemade yogurt (if using storebought, cut with buttermilk to desired consistancy)
Steam nettles in a pot until wilted (a minute or two). Dump into a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much water as possible; set aside.
Heat the ghee in a deep skillet. Add cubed panir and fry a couple of minutes until light brown on all sides, gently turning to avoid breaking up the cubes. (Warning: sometimes, maybe because there is too much water left in the ghee or the cheese, the cheese will want to stick to the pan like you wouldn't believe! Keep stirring, gently, and use a metal spatula to scrape off any cubes that get stuck.) Remove the cheese and set aside.
Saute' the onions in remaining ghee until soft; add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in curry powder and stir for another minute. Fold in nettles (chopped if you've got any big leaves) and toss well. Shut off the heat and stir in the yogurt to incorporate. The mixture should be rather creamy and a little thick (OK, mine never gets that way, really, but it tastes good anyhow!). Gently fold in the panir cubes, season with salt to taste, and serve with rice or flat bread.
Enjoy!
--Charlene
All the dairy was from our cow, of course--it helps to plan a couple days in advance if you don't normally have ghee, panir, and yogurt on hand. The smaller amount of panir will give you something in the proportions you'd find in a restaurant; the larger quantity of cheese is more to my taste. (I've been known to go to an Indian restaurant, eat all the panir out of a dish, and take the rest home and make more panir to eat with it!)
Serves at least 4, as a side dish.
2 lb. freshly picked stinging nettle tops, rinsed and stems removed
1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 lb. - 1 lb. cubed panir cheese
1-2 yellow onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. curry powder (or a little more, to taste)
3/4 cup homemade yogurt (if using storebought, cut with buttermilk to desired consistancy)
Steam nettles in a pot until wilted (a minute or two). Dump into a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much water as possible; set aside.
Heat the ghee in a deep skillet. Add cubed panir and fry a couple of minutes until light brown on all sides, gently turning to avoid breaking up the cubes. (Warning: sometimes, maybe because there is too much water left in the ghee or the cheese, the cheese will want to stick to the pan like you wouldn't believe! Keep stirring, gently, and use a metal spatula to scrape off any cubes that get stuck.) Remove the cheese and set aside.
Saute' the onions in remaining ghee until soft; add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in curry powder and stir for another minute. Fold in nettles (chopped if you've got any big leaves) and toss well. Shut off the heat and stir in the yogurt to incorporate. The mixture should be rather creamy and a little thick (OK, mine never gets that way, really, but it tastes good anyhow!). Gently fold in the panir cubes, season with salt to taste, and serve with rice or flat bread.
Enjoy!
--Charlene