Palak Paneer
Pureed spinach curry studded with soft paneer cheese cubes.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Dairy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: Palak paneer (spinach only) is distinct from saag paneer, which traditionally blends in mustard greens, bathua, and fenugreek leaves — giving saag a more bitter, complex profile than the milder, sweeter palak version.
Ingredients
- 500g spinach, stems trimmed
- 200g paneer, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1-2 green chilies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
- 2 tbsp cream (optional)
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
Steps
- Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch spinach 1-2 minutes until just wilted, then immediately transfer to ice water to stop cooking and lock in color. Drain well.
- Blend the shocked spinach with green chili and a splash of water into a smooth puree; set aside.
- Heat oil, fry paneer cubes until just lightly golden (do not overcook, or it turns rubbery); set aside, optionally in warm water to keep soft.
- In the same pan, sizzle cumin seeds, then saute onion until golden.
- Add garlic and ginger, then tomatoes, cook until soft and jammy.
- Stir in turmeric and garam masala, cook 1 minute.
- Add spinach puree and warm through gently for 2-3 minutes only — do not overcook, or the color will dull.
- Add paneer back in along with kasuri methi, warm through 1-2 minutes, finish with cream off the heat.