PALAK PANEER (SPINACH - COTTAGE CHEESE GRAVY)

'Palak Paneer' is on the menu card of every Indian hotel. It is a very healthy dish combining the goodness of spinach and cottage cheese. Some people find it bland but if you make it a bit tangy and you'll love it better!

It is a quickie - very easy to make - specially if you have your Woman Friday to clean and chop the bunch of spinach!

Those of you based in the US have a very easy task – you may use fresh spinach / chopped frozen spinach. If you don’t have time to make tomato puree, use tomato paste. And of course paneer from the frozen section of your Indian store!

Ingredients

1. Palak – 1 bunch (cleaned, chopped and washed)
2. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
3. Paneer – 200 gms (cubed)
4. Black salt – ½ -1 tsp
5. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
6. Coriander-cumin powder – 1 tsp
7. Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
8. Tomato – 4 (medium sized) – pureed
9. Salt to taste
10. Ginger- garlic paste – 1 tsp
11. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
12. Onion – 1 big (finely chopped)
13. Oil – 2-3 tbsp

Method

1. Clean, chop and wash the spinach well.
2. Blanch the spinach - heat 1 cup of water, add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and chopped spinach and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Allow it to cool.
4. Drain off the water and set aside.
5. Blend the spinach in a blender.
6. Cut the paneer into cubes and sprinkle black salt, and red chilli powder and set aside.
7. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
8. When they splutter, add finely chopped onions and fry till light brown.
9. Add ginger - garlic paste and fry for another minute.
10. Add coriander-cumin powder and garam masala powder and stir.
11. Add the tomato puree and boil for 1-2 minutes.
12. Add the blended spinach, and salt and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
13. Add paneer cubes, gently stir and turn off the heat after a minute.
14. Transfer this to a casserole and serve after at least half an hour, so that the paneer would have absorbed the ‘masalas’.

Tips

1. If you want a real quick dish, skip the onion part – blanch and blend the spinach. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, masalas and add required tomato puree and salt and boil for 2 minutes. Then add the salted paneer and simmer for a minute. Palak paneer is ready!
2. I usually prefer to fry paneer lightly.

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.