palak paneer recipe

making the spinach/palak puree:

1. rinse the palak or spinach leaves (200 to 250 grams), very well in running water.

2. boil 3 cups water in a pan or microwave or electric heater. add ¼ tsp salt to the hot water and stir. then add the palak leaves in the hot water. close with a lid and let the palak leaves sit in the water for 2-3 mins.

3. strain the palak leaves

4. immediately add the palak or spinach leaves in a pan or bowl containing ice cold water. this method helps in preserving the green color of the spinach. just add 8 to 10 ice cubes to 3 cups water to get cold water. allow the spinach leaves to be in the cold water for a minute or two.

5. then drain the ice cold water. add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with ½ inch chopped ginger, (1 or 2 small to medium) garlic and 1 or 2 green chilies. you can also use a hand held immersion blender to make the puree.

6. make a smooth palak puree. no need to add water while making the puree. keep the spinach puree aside.

making the palak paneer curry:

7. heat 2 tbsp oil/ghee/butter in a pan or kadai. here i have used butter. if using butter, melt it a low flame making sure that the butter does not brown.

8. add ½ tsp cumin and let them splutter.

9. then add one tej patta/bay leaf (small to medium sized) .

10. add 1/3 cup finely chopped onions (1 small to medium sized onion).

11. saute till the onions become golden.

12. then add the finely chopped garlic/lahsun (4 to 5 small to medium sized). saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. no need to brown the garlic.

13. add 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes (1 small or medium sized tomato).

14. stir and saute the tomatoes till they soften.

15. once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. then add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida/hing.

16. stir very well.

17. then add the palak puree.

18. stir well.

19. add about to ⅓ to ½ cup water or as required. stir again.

20. simmer for 6-7 minutes or more till the palak or spinach is cooked. season with salt. the gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.

21. stir and add (¼ to ½ tsp) garam masala powder.

22. stir again and then add the paneer/cottage cheese cubes (200 to 250 grams). i have added the paneer cubes directly to the gravy. but you can also lightly fry or saute the paneer cubes till they lightly browned and then add them to the palak gravy. in this case, you don’t need to cook the paneer further.

23. stir gently and simmer on a low flame till the paneer cubes become soft and succulent. about 1 to 2 minutes.

24. lastly add cream (1 or 2 tbsp cream, low fat 25% to 35%. i used amul cream) .25. stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the palak paneer gravy uniformly. switch off the flame.