Palak paneer, is a North Indian Dish consisting of spinach and panner (Indian cottage cheese) in a thick sauce/ curry based on pureed spinach. It is a popular vegetarian delicacy prepared in spinach creamy sauce.


       Bright, vibrant-looking spinach leaves are not only more appealing to the eye but more nourishing as well. Recent research has shown that spinach leaves that look fully alive and vital have greater concentrations of vitamin C than spinach leaves that are pale in color. The study authors suggest that the greater supply of vitamin C helps protect all of the oxygen-sensitive phytonutrients in the spinach leaves and makes them looking vibrant and alive. So select spinach leaves with vibrant colour.


 
INGREDIENTS:

Spinach/ Palak, chopped- 250 grams
Paneer, cubed- 150 grams
Onion, chopped -1 medium
Tomatoes, chopped -2 medium
Ginger, chopped- ½ inch
Garlic, chopped-2 cloves big
Green chillies, chopped-2-3
Garam masala- ½ teaspoon
Milk- ½ cup
Oil- 4 teaspoons
Salt – to taste


PROCEDURE:

  • In a pan add the chopped spinach leaves and sprinkle little water. Cook this in a medium flame till the leaves started to wilt and cook and volume also reduced for about 3-5 minutes. 
  • Allow to cool and set aside.
  • Shallow fry the paneer in a teaspoon of oil and keep aside (optional)
  • Now add the onion, ginger, garlic in a blender and make as a fine paste. Set aside
  • Add tomatoes in the blender, puree it and set aside.
  • Now add the above spinach and green chillies to grind as a smooth paste. Set aside.

  • Heat oil in a pan and brown the onion ginger garlic paste then add the tomato paste and allow to cook till oil separates on top.
  • Now add the spinach paste and salt, cook till the raw greens smell leaves (colour should not turn to dull green)
  • Add the garam masala  and milk and simmer for about two minutes by constant stirring.
  •  Add the paneer into the spinach gravy and allow to cook for a minute.

  • Note: The milk should not be cold while adding.
  • To get more flavor Kasoori methi can be added while paneer is added in the gravy.
  • This dish also can be prepared using mustard leaves.
  • Paneer can be replaced with tofu in this gravy to make this dish more healthy.