Hen Saagwala (Murg Saagwala)

Vegan “Hen” saagwala is an Indian rooster and spinach curry with a savory scrumptious sauce and tofu for the chikin. Serve this flavor-packed vegan model with naan, flatbread, rice or quinoa. Gluten-free, nut-free with soy-free possibility.

Saagwala is a well-liked greens primarily based sauce fashionable in Indian eating places. It’s much like saag paneer, however is usually paired with rooster or meat. The fascinating half about lots of the saag or Palak curries is that they’ve related sauces, however saagwala has much more spices for the meat model than in simply the vegetarian model. So why not add all of these spices and make the common saag tremendous flavorful, as effectively? 

Whenever you order simply plain saag at Indian eating places, that normally is made with mustard, and it’s referred to as sarson ka saag. The spinach saag or palak saag is the extra frequent one for house model saag, as a result of spinach is extra available in most locations. In order that’s what we use to make palak tofu paneer.

I’m adapting the rooster saagwala recipes from a few cooks, like Ranveer Brar and chef Sanjyot (Your Meals Lab) and altering it as much as make the sauce vegan and in addition to utilizing some tofu as a substitute of chickin.

Tofu it doesn’t cook dinner the identical means as rooster, clearly. The feel of plain tofu simply doesn’t do justice to the dish, so I crisp up the tofu beforehand on the skillet or bake it with spices, after which add it to this scrumptious sauce.

You can even add in different protein to this flavorful saag, like cooked chickpeas, cooked white beans, or chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu to make it soy-free. Or, you may add in seitan or soy curls, if you need the protein to have a extra chicken-like texture.

Why You’ll Love Saagwala

• spiced, crispy tofu items in a savory, creamy, spinach curry sauce
• very versatile! Substitute the tofu with plant-based protein of selection.
• flavors of garam masala, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, and extra!
• gluten-free and nut-free with a number of simple, soy-free choices

Components and Substitutions

• tofu – That is your rooster substitute. You need to use different plant primarily based proteins as a substitute, like chickpea tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, chickpeas, white beans, seitan, or soaked and drained soy curls.
• oil – To crisp up the tofu, to toast the entire spices, and to sauté.
• floor spices – We’re seasoning the tofu with turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, garlic powder, garam masala, and salt. For the saag curry, you will want floor coriander, cayenne, pink pepper flakes, and extra garam masala.
• cornstarch – Helps the spices keep on with the tofu and helps the tofu crisp up fantastically.
• entire spices – You’ll begin the spinach saag curry by roasting some entire spices: cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, black and inexperienced cardamom, and fenugreek leaves. When you don’t have the entire entire spices, you may simply omit them. When you don’t have black cardamom, use a second inexperienced cardamom pod. If you want to make use of floor spices as a substitute, use ½ teaspoon floor cardamom and ⅛ teaspoon floor cinnamon and add them later, whenever you add the garam masala. When you don’t have fenugreek leaves, use ¼ teaspoon floor mustard and, once more, add it later with the bottom spices.
• onion – Sautéed onion provides a lot umami to the sauce!
• tomato paste – Provides much more umami to the sauce.
• non-dairy yogurt – Makes the sauce creamy. You can even use some as a garnish.
• non-dairy milk or water – So as to add quantity to the sauce.
• garnishes – Lime juice, cilantro, recent ginger, and non-dairy cream (yogurt, bitter cream, or cashew cream) end the dish.

The best way to Make Vegan Hen Saagwala

First, make the crispy tofu rooster.

Press the tofu, in case you haven’t already, then tear it into bite-sized ¾” to 1” items, then add to a bowl.

Add the oil and toss effectively, then combine the entire spices and the cornstarch in a small bowl, and sprinkle everywhere in the tofu, tossing effectively to coat.

To bake: Unfold this tofu onto a parchment lined baking sheet, in order that the items aren’t touching one another, after which bake at 400° F (205° C) for 22 to twenty-eight minutes or till principally crisp. Put aside.

To cook dinner the tofu on the skillet: Warmth a big skillet over medium-high warmth, and add 1 teaspoon of oil. As soon as the oil is scorching, add the tofu to the skillet and unfold evenly, then proceed to cook dinner for 3 minutes or so, after which flip the items over. Proceed to cook dinner for one more jiffy, and flip the items once more, till a lot of the edges are considerably crisp. This can take anyplace from 7 to 9 minutes. Put aside. 

Now, make the spinach saag. 

Warmth the skillet over medium warmth, and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. As soon as the oil is scorching, add the cumin seeds and cook dinner, stirring steadily, till the cumin seeds are aromatic and have modified shade considerably. This can take anyplace from 1 to three minutes, relying in your skillet and the range and all of that. 

Combine within the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and fenugreek leaves, and cook dinner for 15 to twenty seconds. 

Combine within the onion and the salt, and cook dinner till the onion is golden. Add splashes of water in between to assist the onions cook dinner evenly, and proceed to cook dinner for as much as 5 to eight minutes, till golden. 

Stir in the entire floor spices and the ginger garlic paste, and cook dinner for half a minute. 

Combine within the tomato paste and yogurt. Cook dinner for one more half a minute, then combine within the frozen spinach and non-dairy milk or water. 

Cowl with a lid, and let it cook dinner for five to eight minutes, stirring as soon as in between, then style and regulate salt and taste. If you need the saag to be saucier or creamier, you may add in some non-dairy cream, like ¼ cup of non-dairy yogurt or bitter cream or cream cheese together with some extra non-dairy milk.

As soon as the sauce is seasoned to desire, evenly fold within the tofu or simply place the tofu on high over the saag and garnish with some cilantro, lime, and ginger and drizzle on non-dairy cream. Serve with naan, roti, different flat bread, or rice.

Retailer refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze for months. Reheat in microwave or skillet.