Hey all,
It's that time of the month again. This is the half way point of the year, so let's all take some extra time and give an in depth update and update us on how everything has gone so far this year. Since we had a rather poor showing last month, let's make up for it this month. Updates should be sent to my gmail account (username: greekhouse). Also, I'm looking for ways to get people more involved again, since many people seem to be losing interest. If you have any ideas, include them in your email or post them in comments below.
--GH
Brian's Saag Paneer (free-form adaptation from various web recipes)
20 ginormous swiss chard leaves from the garden (or two bunches from the store). Trim the stems a bit, strip the leaves off, chop the stems , then coarsely shred the leaves, washing both well and spinning mostly dry.
1 onion, roughly chopped and into the food processor
1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced, into the food processor
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, lightly crushed and into the processor
lightly process to a coarse, chunky paste.
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp or to taste cayenne
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbsp sugar
1 c yogurt
1/2 tsp corn starch + a little water to make a slurry
4-6 oz mild, semi-soft mexican cheese (queso fresco) or similar mild cheese, cut into small cubes. You want something that is mild and a bit creamy tasting, that won't melt away immediately when mixed into the hot greens.
heat the butter to foamy in a dutch oven or very large pan (e.g., a chicken fryer), add the onion/garlic/ginger paste and fry until golden. Add the chopped chard stems and continue to fry for 3-5 minutes on medium. Add the spices and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Add the leaves (in two batches, if necessary) with most of the salt, stir and cover to let the greens wilt down. Continue to cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the yogurt and sugar and cook for about 20 minutes, covered, stirring every couple of minutes. At this point, you may wish to add in the (tempered!) corn starch slurry to thicken the sauce a bit. Cook for a couple more minutes, adjust seasoning (does it need more salt? more sugar? you want this to have a very mild kick and tons of flavor, but not to be bitter) then add in the cheese cubes. Stir to coat.
Serve with jasmine rice. I cook the rice with 3-4 cardamom pods, then add a half-cup or so of frozen peas after the rice is cooked (stir in the peas, cover and let the rice rest for about 5 minutes before serving).