The weather is getting
warmer. There is an occasional bird chirping and shrill sounds of squirrels on
the trees. So now it's bye bye to the bulky blankets and woolies which have
been stashed away and will see sight next winter. All this sudden warmth and chirpiness
coaxes me to brighten my cooking!
So, today's recipe is
adapted from the world famous Punjabi cuisine and this will surely brighten
your day. Rich in flavours this cuisine is a delight. Tandoori Chicken, Chicken
Tikka, Chole-Batura, Dal Makhani, Kebabs, Makki Di Roti and Sarson Ka Saag to
name a few are the popular ones. Milk and milk products are an important part
of their cuisine and Palak Paneer is no exception. I love this recipe
especially for it's simplicity, unlike most other paneer recipes.
Paneer smothered in a thick but fresh leafy gravy is now a household
name. The dash of spices smoothly blends with the saag to make an aromatic dish
and yet flavours subtle enough to gently tease your palate. Paired with rice or
rotis, they are a great party treat.
This was my first
attempt at making my all time favourite Indian dish. I love the great
combination of the spinach and the spices. The recipe is rather simple and we
loved it. And I strongly believe that when Indian food is cooked properly it is
the healthiest of cuisines in the world. I like spices but I also like to let
flavours of each vegetable take the main role in the dish. So you can see here
that the spices and aromatics have taken a step back not taking away the
attention from the spinach. Though the spices are limited here, but it still
has a strong aroma of all the Indian flavours.
So, as I sit here
basking in the warm Bangalore sun,
I hope you will enjoy this paneer dish with the dash of fresh colours.
Ingredients
Paneer - 200 gms
Spinach/Palak - 2
large bunches
Big Onion (finely
chopped) - 2 (medium)
Tomatoes (finely
chopped) - 2 (small)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2
tsp
Garlic (finely
chopped) – 6 to 7 cloves
Ginger (finely
chopped) - 1 small piece
Green chillies - 2 to
3 (adjust as per spice tolerance)
Turmeric powder - 1/4
tsp
Cracked pepper - 1/4
tsp
Fresh Cream - 4 tbsp
(optional)
Salt - to taste
Ghee/Clarified Butter or
Oil
Method
Remove stems and wash
the spinach thoroughly under running water. Blanch in salted boiling water for
2 minutes. Drain and toss into chilled or cold water. (this helps to
stop the cooking process and retain the fresh colour of the green leaves) Squeeze
out the excess water and keep aside. Roughly chop the green chillies. Blend the
spinach along with green chillies to a smooth consistency. Keep this mixture
aside.
Dice paneer into 1
inch cubes. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes till
they start turning slight golden brown. Toss the fried paneer cubes into cold
water. After a few minutes, drain and keep aside. (this process removes
excess oil and helps the paneer to remain soft)
Heat ghee in a pan and
splutter cumin seeds. Add the finely chopped onions and saut'e till it turns
golden brown. Toss in the chopped garlic, ginger and coriander powder and fry
tell raw smell disappears. To this, add the chopped tomatoes and salt and stir
till it turns soft and oil floats. Pour in the spinach puree and combine well.
Add cracked pepper and check for salt at this stage. Add a little water if
necessary and when the gravy comes to a boil, throw in the paneer cubes and
stir well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Finally, add fresh cream
and a small blop of butter on top of the curry before serving.
Donna! i was so surprised to stumble on to your blog!!! i was randomly searching for a palak paneer recipe, and ended up here :D
ReplyDeleteawesome ya... will go thru the rest of the recipes for sure.. and good luck with everything!
Thanks a ton Rithu....haven't posted a recipe in a while....hopefully will do soon...Happy cooking!!!
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