PALak Paneer

Palak Paneer is the most known Indian curry  is made of Spinach and Cottage Cheese. It is best served with Roti and pickled onions.

Ingredients
2 bunches – Palak
1 cup – Paneer cubes
2 nos – Onion
1 no – Tomato

1 Tbsp – ginger, garlic and chilly paste (5 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger + 2 green chillies)
1 tbsp – Jeera
1 tsp – Haldi
2 tbsps – Red chilly powder
1 tbsp – Garam masala powder

1 tsp – Roasted cummin powder
1 tbsp – Kasoori methi
2 tsp – Sugar
2 tbsp – Ginger julienned
4 tbsp – Oil

2 Tbsp – ghee or butter
1/4 cup – fresh cream (optional)

Juice of half a lemon
Salt to taste

For tempering
1 tbsp – Oil
2 nos – Red chillies
1 tbsp – Sliced garlic (optional, i do not use it regulary. Just once in a while)

Julienned Ginger for garnishing.

Preparation
.Immerse palak leaves in 2 cups of boiling water and let it sit for couple of mins, till they shrink. Remove and grind the leaves into a fine paste. Reserve the water for later.
. Ground the onions into a fine paste.
. Grate tomato using agrater and discard the peel.
. Shallow fry ordeep fry all the paneer cubes except 2 cubes for later use. Shallow frying or deep frying is optional. You can use fresh paneer without frying them too.

Method

Heat oil and ghee  in a deep , heavy bottom pan.

Add jeera to this and let it turn dark brown.

Add onion paste, ginger garlic paste and saute till onion turns gold. Add grated tomato , kauri methi, salt, haldi, red chilly powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder to this.

Saute till the oil seperates.

Add the palak paste, the reserved water, sugar and boil for 5 mins.

Boil till the palak reaches the required consistency and the oil seperates.

Add the fried paneer or fresh paneer cubes and boil it just for a minute or two. Over cooking the paneer will make it rubbery.

Meanwhile grate the non fried two paneer cubes that we had saved earlier and add it to the gravy. This gives the gravy a creamy and thicker consistency.  Add lemon juice and mix.

Add fresh cream if using any and mix well.

For tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Add red chillies and garlic slices and jeera.

Let them turn brown and crisp.

Pour it over Palak Paneer and serve with roti or naan. Khatta pyaaz goes great with it.