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Palak Paneer

Serves 4
30 mins
350 Kcal
Palak paneer is an all-time favourite North Indian dish: tender cube-size pieces of paneer-Indian cottage cheese tossed in a silky, often extremely flavourful spinach-based sauce. Renowned not only for its vibrant green colour but for its goodness, it happens to be deliciously healthy. The word "palak" means spinach, while "paneer" is a fresh and firm variety of cheese which absorbs all the flavours of the spices and sauce it is cooked in. Put together, they create a dish that is silky, delicately flavoured, and comforting. Palak Paneer is made with boiled fresh spinach leaves, pureed to form the base of this sauce. Boiled and mashed spinach is cooked in spice mix-ins, including cumin, garlic, ginger, and garam masala for a full-bodied flavour. Cubes of cottage cheese are slightly saut ed or added into the base to absorb the flavours of the nutritious spinach. Palak Paneer is a luxury dish which is an absolute harmony between the silky smoothness of the spinach and the soft, mildly firm paneer. Palak paneer recipe is often creamed or enhanced with yoghurt, giving it a silky texture, though spices like turmeric, green chillies, and coriander give it a soft kick without overpowering the intrinsic taste of the spinach. It is usually served with naan or roti and even basmati rice. This is indeed one of the favourite dishes among vegetarians and is liked by almost everyone for its lip-smacking deliciousness and high nutritional value. Healthy and delicious, this Palak Paneer offers a perfect mix of nourishment and flavours that comfort those who cannot resist home-cooked delicious food with a nutritional twist.

Ingredients required for Palak Paneer

  1. 250 gms paneer
  2. 1 cup spinach
  3. 4 tbs oil
  4. 1 tsp cumin seeds
  5. 1 onion
  6. 2 tomato
  7. 1 tbs ginger-garlic paste
  8. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  9. 1 tsp red chili powder
  10. 1 tsp coriender powder
  11. 1 tsp salt
  12. 100 gms fresh cream

Cooking steps for Palak Paneer

  1. 1
    Clean the spinach leaves under a cold, running stream of water to remove all the dirt particles and impurities. Then, take a large vessel containing water and bring the water to a boil.
  2. 2
    Put the fresh spinach leaves into boiling water and let them sear for about 2-3 minutes or until the leaves have reached a stage where they are soft yet still maintain their green colour. Immediately shock the spinach in a bowl of ice-cold water. This procedure is called blanching, which stops the cooking process and preserves the bright green colour of the spinach. Then, after some minutes, drain the leaves of spinach once more and then put them into the blender. Blend until smooth; then reserve.
  3. 3
    While waiting for the spinach to cool off, dice 250 gms of paneer into small cubes.
  4. 4
    Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan over medium heat.
  5. 5
    Add to that the cubes of paneer, lightly frying until the pieces turn golden brown on every side. It takes about 3-4 minutes. Be extra careful that the paneer is not overcooked, as this will make it like rubber.
  6. 6
    Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried paneer cubes on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  7. 7
    Heat 2 more tbsp of oil in the same pan in which the paneer was cooked over medium heat. When hot, add 1 tsp cumin seeds. Let these sizzle for a few seconds, releasing their aroma.
  8. 8
    Add one finely diced onion to the skillet. Cook until it gets caramelised. It takes about 5-6 minutes. What matters here is proper saut ing of the onion to give sweetness and caramelisation to the dish.
  9. 9
    Once the onion is caramelised and soft, add 1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste to this pan. Stir-fry this mixture until the pungent smell of the ginger and garlic goes away, which would take approximately a minute.
  10. 10
    Add two finely chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook the tomatoes until they attain a soft and tender state. This could take some time, roughly around 5-7 minutes. This step will reduce the tomatoes to a pulp, and the base for the sauce will begin to thicken.
  11. 11
    Add to this mixture of tomato and onion 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp cilantro powder. Let the spices mix well to spread out evenly. Let it cook for one more minute to toast the spices into the tomatoes and onions. These spices will let their oils out and become fragrant, lending a strong, pungent flavour to the end product.
  12. 12
    Add prepared spinach puree to the pan, mixing it well with the tomato seasoning mixture. Stir continuously to get the proper amalgamation of flavours. Let the spinach sauce simmer at medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until the flavours meld together, and it thickens up a bit at this stage.
  13. 13
    Gently add the fried paneer cubes to the spinach sauce. Mix it very delicately so that the paneer does not break or dissolve. Let the cottage cheese simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes to soak in the essence of spinach and spices.
  14. 14
    In the pan, now add 1/4 cup fresh cream. Mix well to incorporate the cream that would give richness and a velvety texture to the sauce. Cook the mixture for another 2 minutes, stirring well so that the cream is well blended. Switch off the heat and your Palak Paneer is ready to serve. Enjoyed this recipe of Palak Paneer? Share it with your friends and family.

Shop Ingredients

Onion (1)
49
1
37
1
39
1
43
1
92
1
132
1
61
1
Ginger-garlic Paste (1 Tbs)
38
1
38
1
49
1
42
1
50
1
99
1
Salt (1 Tsp)
27
1
21
1
112
1
22
1
50
1
107
1
56
1
99
1
47
1
76
1
Cumin Seeds (1 Tsp)
60
1
241
1
105
1
38
1
150
1
90
1
175
1
84
1
226
1
100
1
Tomato (2)
41
1
36
1
47
1
12
1
Turmeric Powder (1/2 Tsp)
65
1
113
1
220
1
Paneer (250 gms)
100
1
207
1
92
1
95
1
90
1
246
1
140
1
99
1
100
1
Fresh Cream (100 gms)
68
1
55
1
220
1
75
1
Coriender Powder (1 Tsp)
30
1
Spinach (1 cup)
39
1
Red Chili Powder (1 Tsp)
600
1
300
1
Oil (4 Tbs)
175
1
172
1
161
1
137
1
148
1
150
1
291
1
141
1
730
1
241
1

FAQs

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach to make Palak Paneer?

Yes, you can substitute fresh spinach with frozen spinach if fresh spinach is not available. Let the frozen spinach be thawed and puree it until smooth before adding it to the gravy. The flavour will be slightly different, as well as the consistency, but it will taste great.

How can I stop the cottage cheese from becoming too hard in spinach cottage cheese curry?

Refrain from overcooking the cheese, or it will not be soft and tender. The paneer cubes should be fried until they become golden in colour. You can also dip the fried paneer in hot water for a few minutes and then add it to the spinach sauce

Is there any possibility of skipping the addition of cream in the Palak Paneer recipe?

Of course, you can omit the cream for a healthier version of Palak Paneer. You may replace it with cashew puree or almond puree to retain its silky texture or with a splash of milk. The meal will be good, but not as rich in taste.