Palak Paneer: Easy Spinach Paneer Recipe

Side Dishes

oi-Anwesha

By Anwesha Barari

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 13:26

Palak Paneer is one of your first choices when you want to enjoy some authentic Indian food in the restaurant. This simple dish made of paneer and spinach is one of the most popular cottage cheese recipes from India. The recipe for palak paneer is very simple and one that you can easily attempt at home. In fact Palak paneer recipe is one of those rare dishes that has become popular restaurant food after being the delicacy of average Indian kitchens.

The main ingredients of palak paneer recipe are obviously spinach and paneer but what is surprising is that it has little else in it. Apart from being an amazing dish blending the spices of India in a simple combination, it is also a great saag recipe that gives you the nutrition of green leafy vegetables. So all in all safe to call it a healthy and tasty Indian recipe.

Ingredients For Palak Paneer Recipe:

1. Paneer or Cottage Cheese 200 grams (cut into medium sized pieces)
2. Spinach or palak 2 bunches
3. Onion 1 (chopped finely)
4. Ginger garlic paste 1 teaspoon
5. Green chillies 4
6. Black pepper corns 5
7. Ground pepper 1 tablespoon
8. Bay leaf 1
9. Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
10. Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
11. Freshly crushed Garam Masala (pepper corns, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise)
12. Ghee 1 tablespoon
13. While oil 1 tablespoon
14. Fresh Cream half a cup
15. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Palak Paneer Recipe:

• Boil water to very high temperatures and drop the washed palak leaves in it. It will be cooked in 2 minutes.
• Drain the water and soak in cold water to release the accumulated heat.
• Meanwhile heat oil in a deep pan and saute the paneer pieces in them lightly. It should not be fried for more than 2 minutes because over frying destroys the luxurious tenderness of cottage cheese.
• Make a paste of of the boiled spinach leaves and green chillies in the mixer-grinder.
• Singe the bay leaf, cumin seeds and pepper corns in the oil you have already heated.
• Saute the chopped onions in it. Add the ginger garlic paste when the onions turn golden and stir well.
• Pour the paste of spinach and green chillies into the pan and stir to mix well. Add ground pepper, salt and cumin powder and let it cook for 2-3 minutes before you add the paneer pieces.
• When the oil starts showing up on top of the green gravy consider it done.
• Grind the ingredients of the garam masala in the mixer grinder or by hand and add it along with ghee.

You can garnish your palak paneer with fresh cream before serving.