Tofu Saag Paneer For One

Interesting and easy to prepare vegetarian lunch options are my Holy Grail. Since I work from home, I have access to a full kitchen and don’t to have to worry about packing or reheating. However, I try to limit the time I spend making lunch to 30 minutes. This Tofu Saag Paneer recipe is light and nutritious, and it makes just enough for one person. It was adapted from the one on the New York Times website. In this recipe, more spices is not better, so avoid exceeding the quantities listed or it can overwhelming. I like it best served in a toasted Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran and Whole Wheat Pita Bread.

Tofu Saag Paneer

Tofu With Spinach, Ginger, Coriander and Turmeric

Ingredients

3 oz firm tofu, cut into 3/4″ cubes
2 tsp canola oil
2 Tbl coarsely chopped shallot or red onion
1 lengthwise slice peeled fresh ginger (2″ long, 1″ wide, 1/8″ thick), coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
Scant 1 tsp coriander seeds
Salt to taste
1/16 tsp cayenne
1/16 tsp ground turmeric
3 oz baby spinach
2 Tbl whole milk greek yogurt
Optional: Joseph’s flax, oat bran and whole wheat pita pocket (Only 60 calories!)

Method

1. Drain the tofu on paper towels.
2. In a wok, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add tofu.
4. Stir-fry until golden brown.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Combine onion and ginger in a food processor until almost a paste. (Without the right machine, it can be difficult to make paste from such a small quantity of ingredients. If you don’t have a blender or food processor that works, you can chop them together until relatively pastey.)
7. Heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat.
8. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and chile.
9. Cook, stirring, for about 15 seconds, until the spices are fragrant and reddish-brown.
10. Add onion and ginger.
11. Stir-fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
12. Add coriander, salt, cayenne and turmeric.
13. Stir for about 10 seconds.
14. Add the spinach in batches, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
15. Stir in tofu.
16. Cover, reduce heat, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes.
17. Remove pan from heat and stir in yogurt.
18. Taste, adjust salt, and serve with Joseph’s pita.

This recipe makes enough Tofu Saag Paneer for one person.
Approximately 276 calories per serving (includes pita).