Palak Paneer (Paneer in Spinach based gravy)
Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked with spinach and Indian spices to give a creamy and flavourful, mouthwatering curry.
Ingredients
- 300 grams Spinach
- 250 grams Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese Cut into 1.5Inch cubes
- 1 Onion Medium Size - Finely Chopped
- 3 Tomatoes Medium Size - Chopped
- 2 Green chillies
- 1 Inch Ginger Can use ginger paste, if you do not have fresh ginger
- 1.5 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1.5 Teaspoon Salt As per taste
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida
- 1.5 Teaspoon Oil You can use Ghee too for better taste
- 1 Tablespoon Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese Grated - For Garnishing
- 1 Dried Red Chillies For Garnishing
Instructions
- First of all wash the spinach leaves thoroughly in water and drain the water.
- Boil 4 cups of water in a pan and once it starts boiling, add spinach leaves to it. After 5 minutes take out the leaves and immediately put them in icy cold water. This step is necessary so that spinach leaves retain its green colour. After 2-3 minutes drain the leaves in a colander so that all the water drains out.
- Transfer these spinach leaves to a blender jar and blend the leaves to make a smooth puree without adding any water. Transfer this puree to a bowl and keep it aside.
- In the same Jar, add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and ginger. Blend to make a fine paste of it.
- Take a Pan / Kadhai and put it on medium heat. Add oil to it and once oil is warm, add asafoetida and cumin seeds to it.
- When they are brown, add chopped Onion to it and saute till its golden brown in colour. Now add all the spices and saute again for a minute.Add Tomato paste at this stage and roast till it starts oozing oil.
- Add spinach puree and add about 1/2 cup of water to it.
- Simmer the heat and let it boil for 6-8 minutes.
- Add Paneer cubes and again cook it for 5-6 minutes more. Switch off the flame.
- Palak Paneer is ready. Transfer this onto a serving bowl and garnish with grated paneer and dried Red chillies. Serve this hot palak paneer with rice or naan.
Notes
- You can substitute Paneer with Tofu for a vegan option.
- You can shallow fry the paneer cubes before adding them into the gravy.
- Do not blanch spinach leaves for more than 5 minutes otherwise they will loose all their nutritional value.
- Some people may find spinach bitter, in such case, add a bit of cream to balance the taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Palak Paneer (Paneer in Spinach based gravy)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106
Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 1007mg44%
Potassium 625mg18%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 6246IU125%
Vitamin C 32mg39%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.