| Palak paneer – Indian Cottage cheese cooked in smooth, full of iron spinach puree. |  |
Palak Paneer is one of the most loved paneer recipes of North India, some of the other popular paneer dishes are Shahi paneer and kadhai paneer.
Palak paneer is basically soft paneer or cottage cheese cubes cooked in a smooth spinach curry.
A bit modifications like addition of cream and cashewnuts paste can turn this homely palak paneer recipe to restaurant style palak paneer.
The paneer which I used here is not fried, but you can fry to add some extra flavour.
Here is your recipe give it a try. 🙂
- Spinach - 250 gram
- Paneer - 100 gram
- Green chilies - 2 to 3
- Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped
- Garlic - 1 tsp, finely chopped
- Onion - 1 large chopped
- Tomato - 1 large chopped
- Red chili powder - ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
- Water - 1 cup (for blanching spinach)
- Salt to taste
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Butter - for garnishing
- Clean and rinse spinach in running water. Remove the hard stem, if it is tender then it’s ok.
- Boil spinach with 1 cup water and ¼ tsp salt and let it cool down. For quick cooling, transfer the boiled spinach to cold water. Then drain the excess water using a strainer.
- Grind boiled spinach with green chilies into a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger, garlic and sauté for a minute or till it turns light brown.
- Once ginger garlic raw smell goes away add chopped onion. Stir fry on medium till onion turn translucent and soft.
- Turn the flame to medium and add chopped tomato to the pan, stir and cook on medium flame it starts leaving fat.
- Once onion tomato masala starts leaving oil from the edges, add dry spices: red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Add paneer to the pan, so that the taste of spices penetrate the cheese well. Here I have used fresh paneer. In case you want to use fried paneer, then shallow fry paneer in 1 or 2 tsp of ghee or oil.
- Simmer for a minute or two. then add spinach puree, salt to taste and stir.
- Bring gravy to boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the gas.
- Top palak paneer with butter. Serve hot with roti or naan.
Palak paneer Recipe – How to make palak paneer recipe:
Step by step recipe of palak paneer:
1. Clean and rinse spinach in running water. Remove the hard stem, if it is tender then it’s ok.
2. Boil spinach with 1 cup water and ¼ tsp salt and let it cool down. For quick cooling, transfer the boiled spinach to cold water. Then drain the excess water using a strainer.
3. Grind boiled spinach with green chilies into a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger, garlic and sauté for a minute or till it turns light brown.
5. Once ginger garlic raw smell goes away add chopped onion. Stir fry on medium till onion turn translucent and soft.
6. Turn the flame to medium and add chopped tomato to the pan, stir and cook on medium flame it starts leaving fat.
7. Once onion tomato masala starts leaving oil from the edges, add dry spices: red chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
8. Add paneer to the pan, so that the taste of spices penetrate the cheese well. Here I have used fresh paneer. In case you want to use fried paneer, then shallow fry paneer in 1 or 2 tsp of ghee or oil.
9. Simmer for a minute or two. then add spinach puree, salt to taste and stir.
10. Bring gravy to boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the gas.
11. Top palak paneer with butter. Serve hot with roti or naan.
