Indian Feast

Courtesy of Orangette, finally found a good recipe for both Chana Masala or "chole" as
Meera calls it and also Sag Paneer from Tea and Cookies. I upped the cayenne and garam masala on this one a bit.

CHANA MASALA
This chana masala can be served in two different styles: with a half-cup of whole-milk yogurt to smooth and soften the flavors, or sans yogurt, served with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of fresh cilantro. Either way, this dish is even better the second—or third—day.

Good-quality olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 medium cloves garlic,

minced1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp garam masala

3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1 Tbs cilantro leaves, roughly torn, plus more for garnish

A pinch of cayenne, or to taste

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6-8 Tbs plain whole-milk yogurt, optional

A few lemon wedges, optional

Film the bottom of a large saucepan or Dutch oven—preferably not nonstick—with olive oil, and place the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until it is deeply caramelized and even charred in some spots. Be patient. The more color, the more full-flavored the final dish will be.Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic, stirring, and add a bit more oil if the pan seems dry. Add the cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, garam masala, and cardamom pods, and fry them, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasty, about 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water, and stir to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the water has evaporated away completely. Pour in the juice from can of tomatoes, followed by the tomatoes themselves, using your hands to break them apart as you add them; alternatively, add them whole and crush them in the pot with a potato masher. Add the salt.Raise the heat to medium, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the cilantro and cayenne, and simmer the sauce gently, stirring occasionally, until it reduces a bit and begins to thicken. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the chickpeas, stirring well, and cook over low heat for about five minutes. Add 2 Tbs water, and cook for another five minutes. Add another 2 Tbs water, and cook until the water is absorbed, a few minutes more. This process of adding and cooking off water helps to concentrate the sauce’s flavor and makes the chickpeas more tender and toothsome. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.Stir in the yogurt, if you like, or garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro. Serve.Yield: About four servings

SAAG PANEER

3 large bunches of fresh spinach, washed and destemmed (this part is important) (I used frozen- 2 packages and it tasted great)

1 large onion, chopped into a medium

dice1 medium tomato, chopped into a small

dice2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 cup heavy cream (can use half-and-half)

1 1/2 cup paneer cheese (fried in peanut oil, if you would like)

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon fresh chopped or pressed garlic

1 1/2 tbs vegetable oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 green cardamom pods, smashed

1 stick cinnamon

3 cloves (I like to crush the soft, rounded head of the clove with a fingernail)

3 small bay leaves

2 tsp salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Can add dried red pepper or a fresh hot green pepper for spice, if you like

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Sauté the chopped onion in oil until soft and golden. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, garlic and ginger, and chopped tomato. Sauté mixture for about a minute. Begin to add spinach, turning to allow it to cook down. When all spinach has been added and the mixture has turned a dark green, begin to add the remaining dry spices, salt and pepper. Mix well and continue to cook about 3 minutes. [If you would like to fry the paneer, you can do it now, cooking in a small amount of peanut oil to get a brown crust.] Add the cream and tomato paste, continuing to simmer the mixture another 5 minutes. Add paneer and fresh cilantro at the very end. Serve with rice or naan bread.