SAAG PANEER

Steps:

• 1) Make onion paste. We made tons - 5 onions sliced, put oil in pot on med/high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for "a long time maybe 10 mins", well past onions are translucent, instead they should be carmelized and turning brown. Add water until it is mushy. Then use a hand blender or a food processor and turn it into a paste.
• 2) Add 1/4 cup oil to the pot. Add onion paste, we added 1 cup which is probably 1 1/2 onions. Add 2 tbsp ginger paste, 1 1/2 tbsp garlic paste. Cook for 5 - 10 mins "The cook time is very forgiving, and is the base of most pakistani food. If you added meat, you would do it now.".
• 3) Turn to low heat. Add 5 dried red peppers, 2 bay leaves, 2 whole cardamoms, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 3 whole cloves, 1/8 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp coriander, 2 tsp cumin.
• 4) Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, then add 4 diced roma tomatoes. Heat back up to med-high. Cook 3-5 minutes, mush tomatoes. Add 1/2 cup water. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste. Add 24 oz frozen mustard leaves (2 bags) and 48 oz frozen spinach (2 jumbo bags).
• 5) Boil for half an hour (from frozen state, with lid on). Once it is done, add 2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp butter. Cook some more, maybe 15 mins, to boil off the last water. "Cook until any more would burn the food. Get rid of most the water. Leave some for paneer to absorb.".
• 6) Fry the paneer. Cut 12-16 oz of paneer into cubes, splash bottom of wok with oil. Add 1 tbsp salt. Fry, stirring frequently, until edges are brown & crusty.
• 7) Add fried paneer to the pot. Cover and simmer for approx 20 minutes Let the paneer "absorb the juices".
• 8) Serve with naan (Indian/Pakistani flatbread).