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Palak Paneer
Rustic, hearty palak paneer with lush texture in every bite, made the way I've perfected over 15 years. My kids ask for it over any restaurant version, and I'll show you how I keep the color so vibrant.
Servings: 4
Calories: 303kcal
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ pound fresh spinach 1 bunch
- 3 cups water for blanching
- ½ cup water for spinach puree
- 6 oz paneer cubed, 1 cup
- 2 teaspoons ghee or neutral cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 garlic cloves finely diced
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 green chili finely diced
- 1 small plum tomato finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup water optional, to adjust consistency
- ½ cup cashew cream or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi lightly crushed between the palm of your hands
Optional for frying paneer
- 2 teaspoons ghee
Instructions
- Rinse the spinach well. Trim and discard the bottom inch of the stems; cut the remaining stems into smaller pieces so they blend evenly, and keep the leaves whole.
- Boil water for blanching in a medium pot. Add the spinach and blanch for 1 minute, then transfer to a colander and pour cold water over it to stop the cooking. Gently squeeze out some of the water, then blend with ½ cup water for 20-30 seconds; keep the puree slightly coarse rather than perfectly smooth. Set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons ghee and add the cumin seeds; let them sizzle. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then cook covered for 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat until lightly golden and translucent.
- Add the turmeric, garlic, ginger, green chili, and salt. Sauté for a minute.
- Add the tomato and coriander powder. Mix well and cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes, until the tomato softens.
- Add the pureed spinach and mix well. Cook uncovered over low-medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer, adding up to ¼ cup water to reach your preferred consistency.
- Add the garam masala and half of the cashew cream (or heavy cream). Mix well and continue cooking over low-medium heat for another minute.
- Fold in the fried paneer and kasoori methi. Drizzle the remaining cashew cream on top. Cook until it returns to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat right away to keep the color bright.
- Serve hot with warm roti, parathas or rice.
Optional Frying Paneer: Heat 2 teaspoons ghee in a nonstick pan. Add the paneer cubes and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning to color evenly. Remove and set aside.
Nutrition
Serving: 3g | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 697mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5892IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 2mg
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