Palak paneer captures the flavors and aromas of this land, India, with the sweetness and the patience that Indian women put into cooking, but even more from the love they pass on to the food while it is being prepared.
Years ago an Indian man told me that food cooked with love tastes different; it really does have a special flavor. So, while staying comfortably at home, share new flavors with those you love and try palak paneer.
It is one of the most easily recognizable dishes of Indian cuisine. A staple vegetarian dish that is hard to miss on tables overseas. Also very common in restaurants. Rich in iron, protein and delightful even for children.
Palak means spinach, while paneer is a typical fresh Indian cheese, not aged, homemade that is often used in vegetarian recipes or dishes with meat, or in soups. It is very widespread on the Indian subcontinent (especially in the north), but is also consumed in countries like Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh where milk is a very common ingredient in local cuisine.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 14 oz spinach (net weight, or frozen)
- 1 1/4 cups peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned)
- 5 oz paneer (cut into cubes)
- 3.5 fl oz cooking cream
- onion (1 whole, finely chopped)
- garlic (1 clove)
- fresh ginger (about 3/4 inch piece (2 cm), finely chopped)
- garam masala (1 teaspoon Indian spice mix: black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom)
- ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- to taste chili powder
- to taste salt
- olive oil
Preparation
Prepare the paneer a few hours in advance, see the recipe for how to make it here.
Cut the paneer into cubes and brown them in a non-stick pan with a little oil.
After browning for a few minutes, remove them from the pan and set aside.
In a non-stick pan add a few tablespoons of oil, heat it and add the chopped onion, chopped garlic and chopped ginger.
Sauté the base for 5 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and let them cook over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Boil the spinach in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain well, squeeze out excess water and roughly chop with a blender until you obtain a coarse, not too smooth mixture.
Once the tomatoes have cooked, add the chopped spinach to the pan, add the spices and adjust the salt to taste.
Let the mixture simmer for 3–5 minutes over low heat.
Add the cream and, if necessary, a few tablespoons of milk to obtain the desired creamy consistency.
At this point add the paneer to the spinach masala and warm it through, stirring gently.
Serve the palak paneer hot accompanied by naan bread, chapati, basmati rice or paratha
