How to Prepare Palak Paneer Like a Master Chef (Chef’s Secret Revealed)

Cottage cheese or “Paneer” as we know it, is a staple diet in North Indian cuisine. Made by curdling the milk, it is something of a household in North India. Be it a regular homemade meal or a scrumptious Indian buffet, every meal is incomplete without a paneer dish in it.

Out of a sky full of North Indian delicacies, today I have put my hand upon Palak Paneer. Palak paneer is a delicious combination of the goodness of pureed palak (spinach) and the richness of paneer. A hot favorite at the Dhabas of North India, this dish is something to crave for.

PALAK PANEER

INGREDIENTS                                    QUANTITY 

1. Spinach                                                 300 gms                                              
2. Paneer (diced)                                        150 gms
3. Onion (chopped)                                      2 nos                       
4. Tomato (chopped)                                   2 nos
5. Ginger (chopped)                                    1 tbsp
6. Garlic (chopped)                                     1 tbsp
7. Green chilly (chopped)                           1 tsp
8. Salt                                                           to taste
9. Red chilly powder                                    1 tsp
10. Garam Masala powder                           1 tsp
11. Kasoori Methi                                        1 tsp
12. Ghee                                                        2 tbsp 
13. Jeera                                                       1 tsp
14. Cream (optional)                                   1 tbsp

Here is how to make Palak Paneer

• Start with blanching the cleaned spinach leaves in hot boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain the water and soak the spinach leaves in ice water immediately to avoid spinach from discoloring.
• Puree the boiled spinach in the grinder.
• Now heat the ghee in a kadai.
• Add the jeera to the bubbling ghee and let it splutter.
• As the jeera splutters add the chopped onions to it.
• Cook the onions till brown, but do no burn.
• Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic to it. Cook them a bit.
• Add the tomatoes to the kadai and cook till the oil separates.
• As soon as the oil separates, add the pureed spinach and cook till the raw spinach taste is completely gone. You can add a little water at this moment as the puree will get thicker as it cooks.
• Add garam masala powder to the palak.
• Add paneer to the cooked palak and season accordingly.
• Sprinkle a little kasoori methi.
• Pour cream using the spoon from the top to garnish, and lo and behold, your palak paneer is ready.

Words of wisdom

• Don’t blanch the spinach with a lid on as it would harm the color.
• Don’t use too much of Kasoori methi. It will kill the aroma of the dish.
• Diced paneer can also be fried and added to the dish.