Best Spinach Paneer I’ve Ever Made, and It’s Vegan!

I didn’t start out to make it vegan, but I do not cook with dairy or soy.  So I started playing.

Serves 2

2 pounds spinach- cleaned, large stems removed, steamed until just bright green
1 1/2 cup almonds- no skins
4 Tablespoons butter
1 large Spanish onion
1 4 ounce jar pimentos
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 teaspoon celery seed
2 tomatoes- diced
4 to 5 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger root, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons salt
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup coconut cream (from can of coconut milk hat has separated)
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

Sauté diced onions in butter until deeply caramelized, about an hour.  Steam spinach until very bright green, leave in colander and let drain well.  Place it in a bowl and cut it up very fine.

In a blender, blend the almonds to a very fine powder, stopping a few times and using a butter knife to get what is under the blades.  Add the juice from pimentos, the lemon juice and the coconut water from the can of coconut.  Use just enough so that the mixture blends well.