Palak Paneer (Indian Spinach Paneer)

Ingredients

• 150 g paneer (Indian cottage cheese; approximately 1.25 cups)
• 110 g palak (spinach; 3.5 to 4 cups)
• 2 tbsp oil (or half oil and half butter; divided)
• 2 green chilies (deseeded, less spicy kind)
• 90 g onions (fine chopped; about 0.75 cup)
• 0.5 cup tomatoes (deseeded and chopped or pureed)
• 0.75 tsp ginger garlic paste (see notes for substitute)
• 0.5 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 9 cashew nuts (8 to 10 nuts)
• 0.625 tsp garam masala (0.5 to 0.75 tsp; adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves; skip if unavailable)
• 0.25 cup water (to blend spinach)
• 0.75 cup water (to cook the gravy)
• 3 tbsp cream (optional garnish)
• 0.125 tsp cumin seeds (jeera; optional)
• 2 green cardamoms (elaichi; optional)
• 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini; optional)
• 2 cloves (laung; optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Pluck only the young and tender spinach leaves. Discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste (unless using baby spinach, where stems are fine).

2. 2

   Add the spinach to a large pot of water. Rinse well several times and drain into a colander.

3. 3

   Allow the water to drain completely from the spinach to prevent excess moisture during cooking.

4. 4

   Heat 0.5 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the green chilies, cashews, and spinach. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the leaves wilt thoroughly and the raw smell of spinach is gone.

5. 5

   Cool the sautéed spinach mixture completely. Blend it with 0.25 cup of water to a smooth, thick puree. Add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of water if needed to assist blending.

6. 6

   Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 0.5 tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Once melted, add the cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, and cumin seeds.

7. 7

   When the whole spices begin to sizzle, add the chopped onions and fry until they turn transparent to golden.

8. 8

   Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

9. 9

   Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Sauté until the tomatoes break down and become mushy.

10. 10

    Add the garam masala and sauté for about 2 minutes until the masala smells good.

11. 11

    Pour in 0.75 cup of water. Cover and cook until the onions are completely soft, ensuring some water remains in the pan.

12. 12

    Lower the flame. Add the kasuri methi and the pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes. If the curry is too thick, add a few tablespoons of hot water.

13. 13

    Avoid overcooking to maintain the green color. Add the paneer cubes and mix well. Turn off the heat.

14. 14

    Remove to a serving bowl. Optionally garnish with cream and serve with naan, roti, or basmati rice.

Notes

Substitution for ginger garlic paste: Use 1/2 inch ginger and 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced. For a smoother curry, you can puree the onion-tomato masala before adding the spinach. To keep the spinach bright green, do not overcook after adding the puree and avoid covering the pan once the spinach is added.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• Indian
• paneer
• spinach
• curry
• dinner