Authentic Indian Palak Paneer Recipe

Ingredients−4servings+

• Spinach300g
• Sugar1 teaspoon
• Green chilies2
• Cilantroa little
• Tomatoes3 medium
• Ginger1-inch piece
• Garlic4-5 cloves
• Cashews5-6
• Cooking oil2 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds1 teaspoon
• Bay leaves2 small
• Onions2, finely chopped
• Saltto taste
• Red chili powder1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powderless than 1/4 teaspoon
• Water1 teaspoon
• Kasoori Methi1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala1 teaspoon
• Homemade cream3 tablespoons
• Paneer300g
• Clarified butter (ghee)2 tablespoons
• Garlic4-5 cloves, finely chopped
• Dried red chilies2
• Red chili powder1/2 teaspoon

Directions▶ Start cooking

1. Wash 300g of spinach thoroughly 2-3 times and prepare.
2. Bring water to a boil in a pot and add 1 teaspoon of sugar.
3. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes.⏱ 2m
4. Turn off the heat and transfer the blanched spinach to cold water (ice water) to cool.
5. In a blender, combine the blanched spinach, 2 green chilies, and a little cilantro, and blend without water to make a puree.
6. In a blender, combine 3 medium tomatoes, a 1-inch piece of ginger, 4-5 cloves of garlic, and 5-6 cashews, and blend without water to make a paste.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan, then add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 2 small bay leaves and sauté.
8. Add 2 finely chopped onions and sauté over high heat for 3-4 minutes.⏱ 4m
9. Add the tomato paste and mix well.
10. Add salt (to taste), 1 teaspoon of red chili powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, and less than 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and mix.
11. Add 1 teaspoon of water and mix well.
12. Cover and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Stir once or twice in between until the oil separates.⏱ 4m
13. Add 1 teaspoon of roasted and crushed Kasoori Methi and 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala, and mix.
14. Add the spinach puree and mix well.
15. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well.
16. Cover and simmer over low heat for 7-8 minutes.⏱ 8m
17. Add 3 tablespoons of homemade cream and mix well.
18. Add 300g of paneer and mix well.
19. Cover and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.⏱ 4m
20. In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter (ghee), then add 4-5 finely chopped cloves of garlic and sauté.
21. Once the garlic turns golden brown, add 2 dried red chilies and 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder and mix well.
22. Pour the sautéed seasoning (tarka) over the finished Palak Paneer.

Tips

• Adding sugar when blanching spinach helps maintain its vibrant color.
• Immediately transferring blanched spinach to cold water helps preserve its color and texture.
• The consistency of the gravy can be adjusted with the amount of water. Use less water if serving with paratha or naan, and more water if serving with rice.

🧑‍🍳 Recipe analysis notes

Supplementary notes from the video analysis. Please check the original video before cooking.

⚠️ Where this goes wrong

• Be careful not to sauté the onions over high heat for too long, as they can burn and turn bitter.
• When simmering the tomato paste, make sure the oil separates sufficiently. If it doesn't, the spices won't cook through properly, and your dish might lack depth of flavor.
• Don't overcook the paneer, as it can become tough and rubbery. It's best to add it at the very end and simmer briefly over low heat.

🔄 Substitutions

• No kasuri methi? No problem! You can simply omit it or substitute with a very small amount of crushed fenugreek seeds.
• If paneer isn't available, you can easily substitute it with 300g of firm tofu.
• If you don't have clarified butter (ghee) on hand, you can use the same amount of unsalted butter or even regular cooking oil to prepare the tarka.

🎚️ Adjusting the taste

• To dial down the heat, feel free to reduce or omit the green chili and gochugaru. You can also adjust the dried red chilies used in the tarka.
• Salt is added "to taste," so start with a smaller amount and adjust as you go to control the overall saltiness.
• The 1 teaspoon of sugar added when blanching the spinach is primarily for maintaining its vibrant color. If you're looking to reduce sweetness, feel free to omit it.

✔️ Verification notes

• When simmering the tomato paste, make sure to check that the oil separates sufficiently to the surface. This indicates that your spices are beautifully cooked and fragrant.
• After adding and simmering the spinach puree, adjust the amount of water to achieve your desired gravy consistency. Give it a good stir and check the texture!

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