Delicious Palak paneer recipe
How to make Palak paneer recipe ?
INGREDIENTS
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml
For the palak puree:
- fresh spinach or palak : 200 to 250 grams, about 7 to 9 oz spinach
- green chilies : 1 or 2, chopped
- garlic : 1 or 2 small to medium, roughly chopped (optional)
- ginger : ½ inch , roughly chopped
- water : 3 cups for blanching spinach
- 3 cups water for ice bath
For the palak curry:
- onion : 1 small to medium sized, finely chopped, or about ⅓ cup finely chopped
- tomatoes: 1 small or medium sized chopped, about ⅓ cup finely chopped
- garlic or lahsun : 4 to 5 small to medium, finely chopped
- cumin seeds or jeera : ½ tsp
- turmeric powder or haldi : ¼ tsp
- red chili powder (optional) : ½ tsp
- asafoetida or hing : a pinch (optional)
- garam masala powder : ¼ or ½ tsp (add more if required)
- tej patta or indian bay leaf : 1 small to medium
- paneer or tofu : 200 to 250 gms, about 7 to 9 oz cottage cheese
- water : ⅓ to ½ cup or add as required
- cream : 1 or 2 tbsp, low fat 25% to 35% (i used amul cream)
- oil or ghee or unsalted butter : 2 tbsp
- kasuri methi leaves or dry fenugreek leaves : 1 tsp (optional. kasuri methi is crushed and added right towards the end. just before adding cream. )
- salt as per taste
Garnish:
- A few teaspoons of cream or butter for topping the palak paneer (optional)
- ginger : ½ inch, julienned
- lemon or lime wedges or slices
INSTRUCTIONS
- Making the spinach puree:
- Wash the palak or spinach leaves thoroughly in running water. Tender stem are fine. If the stems are stringy, then get rid of the stems.
- 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.
- Strain the palak leaves.
- Immediately add palak or spinach leaves in the pan or bowl containing ice cold water. This method helps in preserving green color of the spinach. Just add 8 to 10 ice cubes to 3 cups of water to get the cold water. Allow the spinach leaves to be in cold water for a minute or two.
- Then drain the ice cold water. Add the spinach in blender or grinder jar with the chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies.
- Make a smooth palak puree. no need to add water as making the puree. Keep the spinach puree aside.
- Making the palak curry:
- Heat oil or ghee or butter in the pan or kadai. If using butter, melt it a low flame making sure that the butter does not brown.
- Add the cumin and let them splutter.
- Then add the tej patta or bay leaf.
- Add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions become golden.
- Then add the finely chopped garlic. Saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. stir and saute the tomatoes till they soften.
- Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida/hing.
- Stir very well.
- Then add the palak puree.
- Stir well.
- Add about ⅓ to ½ cup water or as required. stir again.
- 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.
- Stir and add garam masala powder.
- Stir again and then add the paneer/cottage cheese cubes.
- Stir gently and simmer on a low flame till the paneer cubes become soft and succulent. about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Lastly add cream. stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the palak paneer gravy uniformly. switch off the flame.
- Stir and serve the palak paneer hot with some rotis, naan or jeera rice. you can top the palak paneer with some butter or cream also while serving. also drizzle a few drops of lime or lemon juice on top along with ginger julienne.
NOTES
The paneer of tofu cubes can be also be lightly fried and then added to the curry. I this case, you don’t need to cook the paneer or tofu in the gravy as when frying they are already cooked.