Palak Paneer is one of the most popular paneer dishes made in North India. This yummy curry is made from blanched spinach and soft paneer cubes. You can also shallow fry the paneer cubes but I prefer not to fry them. I do not add any spices, all the flavour of the curry comes from cumin seeds, garlic and chillies. Additionally, this curry uses cream to give the a rich, creamy texture. Serve this curry with naan or rotis to make a scrumptious meal.
Ingredients
6 cups packed Spinach, washed and cleaned
1 ½ cups Paneer or Cottage Cheese, cubed
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. Oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
Method
First blanch the spinach, this helps to keep the colour of spinach bright. To blanch the spinach, boil water in a saucepan, and let the spinach boil for one minute. Drain the water and put the spinach in ice cold water for about two minutes. Drain the water.
Blend the spinach, garlic and green chillies. Spinach should be creamy but not pasty.
Soak the cubed paneer in about three cups of hot water, for about 5 minutes or more. This helps to give the paneer soft texture. Set aside.
While cooking, spinach can splatter, use larger sauce pan. Heat the oil in a sauce pan, over medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away it is ready.
Add cumin seeds. After cumin seeds crack, add the tomatoes and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Tomatoes should be tender not mushy. Add turmeric, and add the spinach paste. To this add salt as per your taste.
After spinach starts boiling lower the heat and let the spinach cook for about 5-6 minutes. (Do not cover the pot. This helps keeping the green colour of spinach.)
Add the cream and mix it well and let it cook for five minutes. If needed add little more water.
Drain the paneer and fold it gently with spinach and let it simmer for about five minutes.
