Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer: typically made with fresh spinach leaves and cottage cheese.
It is a vegetarian dish that originated basically from the Indian subcontinent, especially from the Punjab zone. In some restaurants in Canada, this is also known as green paneer. A healthy green-colored paneer recipe made with blanched spinach puree with some spices and with some basic vegetables.
As per the diet experts, spinach must be included in the diet once a week may be in any form like aloo palak, palak parantha, palak kadhi, palak rolls, etc. This dish is one of the most loved in families among all the spinach recipes even in paneer recipes too.
This is my mom’s recipe actually and now I am following the same procedure to make it for my family. She made it in a bit different manner because my brother didn’t like the smooth texture of it, so she did experiment once and made it like simple vegetables with chopped garlic and long chopped onion and tomatoes rather than making it in a puree form and her experiment works well and my brother started loving it.
To make Palak Paneer is not rocket science but to retain its green color during the whole cooking process is a task in itself. In this blog, I am sharing the 5 most important tips by which you will have the bright green-colored Palak Paneer Curry which we usually have in hotels and restaurants.
- Blanch spinach for 2 minutes only on medium flame not more than that.
- Immediately transfer the blanched spinach to the cold water. This stops the cooking process and the color of spinach leaves will not get changed.
- While making puree, blend in the pulses of 5 seconds. Continuously grinding will generate heat in the blender and turns the spinach color to dull green.
- Do not cook spinach puree by covering the lid of the pan.
- Do not overcook the gravy.
With all the above points, it is clear that the continuous heat in any form will ruin the original color so try to avoid that.
This recipe goes well with rotis, paranthas, tandoori roti, or naan, and even with jeera or plain rice too.
If you are allergic to vegan, then add tofu instead of panner and replace cream with coconut cream. The combination of spinach and tofu also goes well.
Few more tips and suggestions for the best result. Firstly, the selection of spinach leaves is important- select small stemless spinach leaves as these are fresh ones, blanched easily and quickly, and most importantly retain the perfect color. Secondly, you can make a puree of onion and tomatoes and follow the same steps as I did. Lastly, Blanching spinach is important as it eliminates the raw flavor of spinach.
Step by step instructions
- Take some water in a saucepan and boil it. Once it starts boiling, add spinach to it and boil for 2 minutes on medium flame.
- After 2 minutes, immediately transfer the blanched spinach into cold water.
- Add blanched spinach to a mixing jar followed by green chili. Also, add some fresh coriander leaves. Blend it in a pulse of 5 seconds and make a puree.
- This helps to retain the green color of the puree and our Spinach Puree is ready.
- For the curry, heat a kadhai, and add desi ghee to it.
- Add whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, and cloves to it. Followed by cumin seeds. Splutter the spices for 10-15 seconds.
- Add grated ginger, chopped garlic, and chopped green chilies. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced onions to it and cook till it becomes translucent.
- To the cooked onions, add chopped tomatoes.
- Followed by powdered spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder.
Also, do not forget to add asafoetida to this point.
- Add salt as per taste.
- Mix all the things really well. Cook till tomatoes done.
- Add puree to it followed by half glass of water.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Add paneer cubes. Mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
- Add cream and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Palak Paneer is ready to serve.
Related Recipes
Palak Paneer
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Spinach
- water as required
- 3-4 nos. Green chillies
- 8-10 number coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp desi ghee unclarified butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green cardamom
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 inch ginger grated
- 4 nos. Garlic chopped
- 1 big Onion sliced
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- salt to taste
- 100 grams Paneer
- 1 tsp cream
Instructions
- Take some water in a sauce pan and boil it.
- Once it starts boiling, add spinach in it and boil for 2 minutes on medium flame.
- After 2 minutes, immediately transfer the blanched spinach into cold water.
- To make a puree, add blanched spinach to a mixing jar followed by green chili.
- Also, add some fresh coriander leaves. Blend it in a pulse of 5 seconds and make a puree.
- This helps to retain the green color of the puree and our Spinach Puree is ready.
- For the curry, heat a kadhai, add desi ghee to it.
- Add whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, and cloves to it.
- Followed by cumin seeds. Splutter the spices for 10-15 seconds.
- Add grated ginger, chopped garlic and chopped green chilies. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced onions to it and cook till it becomes translucent.
- To the cooked onions, add chopped tomatoes.
- Followed by powdered spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder.
- Also, do not forget to add asafoetida to this point.
- Add salt as per taste.
- Mix all the things really well. Cook till tomatoes done.
- Add puree to it followed by half glass of water.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Add paneer cubes. Mix well.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
- Add cream and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Palak Paneer is ready to serve.
Notes
1. Blanch spinach only for 2 minutes on medium flame not more than that.
2. Do not overcook the spinach as it is already cooked while boiling.
3. If you want creamy gravy then you can make a fine paste of onion & garlic and then proceed with the same steps.
Delicious, would love to try.