Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is one of my favorite dishes and I'm sure many of you reading this would already be drooling over it. It is an eternal Indian dish that is liked by many all over the world.

Ingedients

1 small bunch of chopped Spinach(frozen or fresh)

10-12 pieces of 1" paneer cubes

Milk or Cream, as needed(I used 1/2 cup milk)

1 small Onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

3-4 green chillies/jaalpenos

1 spoon,Garam masala/all spice powder

1 Spoon,Corriander powder/dhania masala

Chilli Powder - as needed for taste

Boil spinach(frozen of fresh) in little water for about 5 minutes. Alternatively, microwave it. Use as little water as possible so that you don't need to discard the water that has the nutrients. Let it cool.

In the meanwhile, take a medium sized pan and add oil followed by onions. After 3-4 minutes, add tomatoes. Let it cook well for about 5 minutes. Now, add the spice powders. At this point, take care that the dish is not burnt. Add a little water if it helps to keep the dish from burning. After a couple of minutes, switch off the stove and let the masala cool.

Now, come back to the spinach and add it to a blender jar WITH the chillies (Do not forget the green chillies) and coarsely grind. Just 1-2 pulses should do. Keep it aside. Once the onion and tomato paste has cooled, blend it finely in the same blender jar(or a different one). You will not need any additional water.

Again,add 1 spoon of oil in the same skillet and add this onion-tomato paste to it. Let it cook for a few minutes. Add spinach paste and salt and mix well. Allow it to come to a boil. Add, milk or cream. If you are not concerned about the calories, you can go ahead and add cream. It is cream that is used in the original recipes of Palak Paneer and the one served in restaurants. If not cream, add plain milk. Water can also be used instead of cram or milk but the dish does not turn out creamy. Add as much as needed to make the dish to a consistency that you want. Next, stir in paneer pieces without breaking it and cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix well. Check the taste for salt and switch off the stove.

Serve with rotis,parathas or rice. I served it with steamed rice.

Paneer recipes

This dish is my own and tried out in my kitchen. It did come out pretty well and does taste similar to paneer makhani(or is it paneer makhani???!!! :) ). I love paneer and I am a little lazy to sometimes chop other vegetables for paneer dishes like Kadai paneer or Palak paneer. This dish of mine just needs onion and tomatoes. I am yet to name this dish. May be, one of you reading this recipe could suggest a name :)

Here is the list of ingredients:

2 cups paneer,diced into small cubes

1 medium onion,chopped

2 medium tomatoes,chopped

About 1 cup,milk or water

Chilli powder,to taste

1 spoon,Corriander powder

Salt to taste

1 spoon,Cumin seeds

cooking oil

cilantro leaves,for the garnish

In a skillet,heat 1 spoon oil and saute the chopped onions and tomatoes. Allow it cool and blend it to a smooth paste in a blender without any water.

Next, add 1-2 spoons oil in the same skillet. Once hot,add cumin seeds followed by the onion and tomato paste. Let it cook for about 4-5 mins. Next, add salt,chilli powder,corriander powder and mix well. Let it cook for a couple of minutes(This paste tends to burn if left unattended).

Now, add milk or water. Once it comes to a boil, add the chopped paneer pieces and give it one final mix taking care that the paneer pieces do not break. I do not generally fry paneer. But, if you wish then you can fry paneer in a teaspoon of oil in a separate pan and add it to the dish. Switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve hot with rotis,parathas or rice.

I served this with methi parathas.