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Saag Paneer Dip with Naan Chips

Saag Paneer Dip with Naan Chips

This Saag Paneer Dip is a bizarre mash-up of warm spinach dip and the classic saag paneer. Rounded out with crisp naan chips, this is a starter that no one will expect. If you're not inclined to make your own paneer and naan, you can replace them with storebought versions and cut the prep and cook time in half.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Large pot
  • Cheesecloth

Ingredients
  

Paneer

  • 6 cups whole milk
  • ¼ cup lemon juice

Naan

  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup full-fat yogurt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2¼ cup all-purpose flour

Saag Paneer Dip

  • 4 shallots peeled and halved
  • 1 (2" or 5 cm) knob ginger peeled and sliced
  • 3-4 green chilis**
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 4 tbsp ghee divided
  • 1 batch paneer
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder*** divided
  • 1 batch Naan cut into triangles
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 300g (10.5oz) baby spinach
  • 1 (540ml, 19 fl oz) can white beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup coconut cream

Instructions
 

For the Paneer

  • Pour the milk into a large pot and place over medium heat. Bring the milk to a boil and then immediately take it off of the heat. Add the lemon juice and cover the pot. Let sit for 10 minutes. Curds should have formed by this time.
  • Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and pour the contents of the pot through the strainer to remove the whey. Squeeze any excess whey out of the curds and bundle the cheesecloth around them.
  • Place the bundle inside a pie plate and place another pie plate on top of the bundle. Weigh the plate down with something heavy, I used a can of tomatoes, and transfer the lot to the fridge. Press the paneer for an hour and a half.

For the Naan

  • Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the sugar and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
  • Add the yogurt, olive oil, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix on low until a loose dough forms. From here, add the remaining flour in 1/4 cup increments until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is slightly tacky to the touch. You may not need all the flour.
  • Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and silky to the touch. Place the dough in an bowl greased with olive oil, cover, and let rise for an hour and a half or until dough has doubled in size.
  • Gently deflate the risen dough and divide into 12 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece out into a rough circle about 1/8 of an inch thick. Transfer to a dry hot cast iron skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface. Flip the naan and cook until golden. Transfer the finished naan to a plate and repeat with the remaining dough pieces.

For the Dip

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F
  • Place the shallots, ginger, chilis, and garlic in a large food processor and blitz until they resemble mulch.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the ghee in the large skillet until shimmering. Add the paste and saute over low heat. Add a pinch of salt and slowly sweat the veg until golden, about 10 - 15 minutes.
  • While the shallots are sweating, cut the paneer into cubes and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the Kashmiri chili powder and the salt. Melt the remaining ghee in the microwave and drizzle it over the paneer. Toss to coat.
  • Transfer the paneer to a baking sheet and set it aside. Arrange the naan triangles on another baking sheet and place both in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until the naan is golden and rigid. Take the naan out of the oven and turn the oven to broil. Broil the paneer until slightly charred, about 5 minutes but keep an eye on it. Set both the naan and paneer aside.
  • Once the shallots have caramelized, add the cumin seed, the remaining Kashmiri chili powder, and the garam masala and saute briefly. Stir in the tomato paste and saute for another 30 seconds. Start adding the spinach in batches, waiting for each to wilt before adding more.
  • Place the wilted spinach in a large food processor, add the beans, and the coconut cream, and blitz until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in half of the paneer. Pour the dip into the bowl you wish to serve it in and decorate the surface of the dip with the remaining paneer and a little extra coconut cream. Serve immediately with naan chips on the side.

Notes

**If you can't find green chilis, substitute them for 1-2 small jalapeños.
***If you can't find Kashmiri chili powder, substitute it for paprika and a little cayenne.
Keyword dip, naan, saag paneer, spinach