Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is one of the most popular indian dishes. In this recipe soft paneer cubes are cooked with spinach paste. This recipe is very healthy and delicious too.

                                                                        Palak Paneer

Ingredients (4 servings)
For blanching Spinach–

• Fresh Palak/Spinach Leaves – 250 gms
• Salt – ¼ tsp
• Water – 3 cups
• Ice Water – 3 cups normal water (add 12-14 ice cubes in it)

For the gravy-

• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds(Jeera) – ½ tsp
• Onion – 2 (small)
• Green Chilies – 2 chopped
• Garlic Cloves(Lehsun) – 4, roughly chopped (optional)
• Ginger(Adrak) – ½ inch roughly chopped
• Tomato – ⅓ cup puree
• Turmeric Powder(Haldi) ¼ tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – ½ tsp
• Asafoetida(Hing) – a pinch
• Garam Masala Powder – ¼ tsp
• Paneer  – 200 gms
• Water – as required(approx. ½ cup)
• Amul cream – 1½ tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Ginger juliennes (to garnish)
• Lemon Wedges (to garnish)

Method

• Blanching & pureeing of Spinach-

1. Rinse the spinach leaves in running water to remove dirt.
2. Now boil 3 cups water in a pan, add ¼ tsp salt to the hot water and mix. Add the spinach leaves in the hot water and let them in the hot water for 2 minutes.
3. Strain the spinach leaves, now immediately add them in a bowl having ice cold water. Allow them to be dipped in the cold water for 2 minutes. Then drain the cold water. (This whole process is called as Blanching to retain the green colour of the leaves)
4. Add the spinach in a grinder to make a smooth puree.  Keep the puree aside.

• Gravy-

1. First grind onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies together to a coarse paste.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Now add the onion paste, saute till the paste become pinkish in colour.
4. Add the tomato puree, saute till you see oil releasing from the sides of the paste.
5. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and asafoetida. Stir well.
6. Now add the spinach puree, stir. Add about ½ cup water. Stir well.
7. Let it cook on low heat for 7-8 minutes or more till the spinach is cooked and the gravy is also thickened by this time.
8. Add salt, garam masala powder. Stir and then add the paneer cubes.
9. Stir gently and simmer on a low flame till the paneer cubes become soft. i.e. for about 4-5 minutes.
10. Lastly add cream, stir gently and switch off the flame.
11. Garnish with ginger juliennes and lemon wedges.
12. Serve hot with chapati, naan, jeera rice or even plain rice.

NOTES:-

1. Don’t add water while making the puree.
2. Paneer cubes can be also be lightly fried and then added to the curry.

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