Palak Paneer

 

Ingredients

For Palak Puree

• 200 to 250 grams spinach or 5 to 6 cups roughly chopped spinach or about 7 to 9 oz spinach
• 1 or 2 green chilies - chopped
• 1 or 2 small to medium garlic cloves - roughly chopped (optional)
• ½ inch ginger - roughly chopped
• 3 cups water for blanching spinach
• 3 cups water for ice bath

Other Ingredients

• 1 small to medium sized onion - finely chopped or about ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 small or medium sized tomato - chopped or about ⅓ cup finely chopped Tomatoes. 
• 4 to 5 small to medium garlic cloves (lahsun) - finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder - optinal
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) - optional
• ¼ or ½ teaspoon garam masala powder - add more if required
• 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 200 to 250 grams paneer or tofu or about 7 to 9 oz paneer (cottage cheese)
• ⅓ to ½ cup water or add as required
• 1 or 2 tablespoons cream - low fat 25% to 35% (i used amul cream) or 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoon oil or ghee or unsalted butter cream
• 1 teaspoon kasuri methi leaves (dry fenugreek leaves) - optional. kasuri methi is crushed and added right towards the end. just before adding cream.
• salt as required

For Garnishing

• 1 to 2 teaspoons of cream or butter for topping the palak paneer (optional)
• ½ inch ginger - julienne
• lemon or lime wedges or slices

How to make Palak Paneer

Blanching spinach

1. Using a colander or strainer, 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 or in a pan. Add  ¼ tsp salt to the hot water and stir. When the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame. Add the spinach leaves in the hot water. Let the palak leaves sit in the water for about 1 minute.

3. After 1 minute, strain the spinach 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.

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 cloves and 1 or 2 green chillies. You can also use a hand-held immersion blender to make the puree.

6. Make a smooth spinach puree. No need to add water while making the puree. Keep the spinach puree aside.

7. heat 2 tbsp oil (or ghee or 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 small to medium-sized tej patta (Indian bay leaf).

10. Add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions (1 small to medium sized onion).

11. saute till the onions become golden.

12. Then add the finely chopped garlic (4 to 5 small to medium sized). Saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.

13. add ⅓ 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). If you do not have asafoetida, then skip it.

16. stir very well.

Making palak paneer

17. Then add the palak puree.

18. Stir well.

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

20. Simmer the gravy 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 cubes (200 to 250 grams cottage cheese). 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. Cook for about half to 1 minute.

24. Lastly add cream (1 or 2 tablespoons cream, low fat 25% to 35%. I used amul cream). You can also add 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) at this step. Kasuri methi is optional though. If using heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it.

25. Stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the gravy uniformly. Switch off the flame.

26. stir and Serve palak paneer hot with some roti or naan or paratha or cumin rice or ghee rice. You can top it with some butter or cream also while serving. Also drizzle a few drops of lime or lemon juice on top along with ginger julienne on the palak paneer.