Rediff reader Rachna from Kanpur sent us this recipe. You can share yours too!
Palak Paneer is a rich and creamy spinach gravy with soft paneer cubes.
This curry is mild in taste and creamy in texture.
Here's the recipe:
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons
Ingredients
For spinach puree
- 200 gm fresh baby spinach
- 1 green chilli
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 cup water
- A few ice cubes
For gravy
- 200 gm paneer, cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chilli crushed or powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 4 tsp milk
- 1 and 1/2 tsp kasuri methi leaves
- Salt as required
- A pinch of asafoetida
Method
- Heat water in a pan.
- When it boils, add fennel seeds and spinach leaves.
- Let it boil for three minutes on high flame.
- Meanwhile line up a pot with ice water.
- Switch off the flame. Immediately transfer the spinach to ice water.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes and then drain. This is blanching, which gives the spinach a rich green colour without any brown tint.
- You may save the water in which you boiled your spinach for later use.
- Blend the blanched spinach and green chilli into a puree and keep aside.
- Heat a pan and add olive oil.
- Add asafoetida, cumin seeds and bay leaf. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Add chopped onion, saute for a minute.
- Add chopped garlic and saute till raw aroma goes.
- Add ginger paste and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add dry spices, garam masala, coriander masala, turmeric powder and crushed chilli. Roast for 10 seconds; don't burn them.
- Add milk and saute the mixture till it becomes a paste.
- It should also have started to lose oil at sides.
- Add spinach chilli puree and salt to taste.
- Cook for five minutes. Add lemon juice. This will keep green colour of spinach intact.
- Add paneer cubes and mix. Switch off the flame.
- Add crushed kasuri methi.
- Serve with chapati or rice.
Image: Rachna
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