Palak Paneer( Indian Cottage Cheese In Spinach Curry )

Palak Paneer is a popular indian dish orginated from Punjab( North India ). This mildly flavored curry is made with spinach(palak) and indian cottage cheese( paneer ). This is a delicious and super healthy dish. I know there are so many variations for this recipe, but the basic idea is not to overpower the dish with spices. I make palak paneer in 2 types., but this one is the tastier and easier of the two.



Ingredients:
  • 1 box chopped frozen boxed spinach
  • 2 big onions
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 15 - 20 1 inch paneer cubes
  • 3 - 4 green chillies( please adjust spice to your taste, as the hotness of the chillies varies )
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp coriander( dhaniya) powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin( jeera ) powder
  • 1 tbsp curry powder or garam masala
  • 1/2 tbsp dried mango powder( amchur powder )
  • 12 cashews( optional ) or 1/2 cup cream
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder( if required )
  • 1 cup milk


Procedure:
  • Cook the frozen spinach in microwave for 5 min
  • In a chopper or food processor chop onions with green chilies very finely
  • Chop the spinach similarly
  • In a microwave blanch tomatoes and puree them
  • Heat kadai( pan ) with little oil or butter and fry paneer( cheese ) cubes until golden brown
  • In the same pan add jeera( cumin seeds optional )
  • Once the cumin seeds are browned, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell fades
  • Now all the powders and saute for 15 sec.
  • Add the chopped onions and fry till the onions are browned
  • Add the spinach paste and fry until the oil comes out from paste
  • Add tomato puree and cook till the water evaporates
  • To this add milk and cook stirring occasionally
  • You can either add powdered cashew nuts paste or cream at this point
  • Cook till done and adjust salt and spice to taste.
Serve this palak paneer hot with rice, biriyani, chapathi or naan.

Tags: indian cottage cheese and spinach curry, indian spinach, palak curry, palak paneer, saag paneer

6 comments:

  1. I just made this last weekend and it turned out really good. I have to admit half way through the recipe I thought it wasn't going to turn out but I stuck with it and it tasted great! Thanks again for all your fool proof recipes!

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  2. Nice Meeth that your palak paneer turned out great. Dont worry, it happens to me too all of a sudden i think my dish is gonna turn to be a big flop., but to my surprise most of the times the end product comes out simply delicious. I have to say this, since the spicyness and the size of the chillies varies, i always fear if its going to be less or more spicy for someone like you when you try the recipe for yourself. So i apologize and ask you you adjust spiciness to your taste. Thanks agian for calling my recipes FOOL PROOF.

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  3. hi saw ur site first time today. gr8 recipes:-) just one querry.... is it possible to substitute frozen spinach with fresh ones? if yes then how many cups? will be gr8ful for ur answer.
    thankyou
    sheetal

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  4. Hi Sheethal ,
    I am very glad that you liked my site.

    I actually used fresh spinach for palak paneer may be just once. Its 1 boxed frozen spinach is equivalent to 1 pound fresh spinach. You can just cook the spinach in very little water and then puree. This should work, do let me know if you have any other questions.. I would be glad to reply... Thanks again Sheethal!

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  5. Yummy recipe dear...lovely click too...

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  6. Anonymous11:37 AM

    I will try this recipe tomorrow and will let you know how it turns out. I have been looking for Pala Paneer recepe for some time and I found this one to be apealing. I am going to use fresh spinach.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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