Palak Paneer

Name: Palak Paneer
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g fresh spinach (or 250 g frozen, defrosted); 250 g paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 200 g chopped tomatoes); 3 garlic cloves and 2 cm piece of ginger, minced together; 2 green chillies; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves); 80 ml double cream, 3 tbsp ghee; Salt to taste; A small piece of fresh ginger, julienned, to finish

Bright spinach purée, golden paneer cubes, and a red masala finished with kasoori methi and a swirl of cream.

Total time30m

Active time20m

Servings4

DifficultyEasy

Cost$

Add to my meal plan

❄️

Ice bath = bright green

Shock stops cooking instantly and locks the colour

🧀

Paneer kept tender

Warm salted water holds the cubes soft until plating

🍅

Masala until oil splits

6–8 minutes — the cue the tomato is fully cooked

🌿

Kasoori methi at the end

Crushed between palms releases the dried-fenugreek lift

Ingredients 4 servings

500 g fresh spinach (or 250 g frozen, defrosted)
250 g paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 200 g chopped tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves and 2 cm piece of ginger, minced together
2 green chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
80 ml double cream, 3 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste
A small piece of fresh ginger, julienned, to finish

How to make it

1Bring a large pot of water to a boil, blanch the spinach for 90 seconds and transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain, squeeze gently and blend to a smooth purée with one of the green chillies and a few tablespoons of cold water.
2Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a wide pan and fry the paneer cubes over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly gold, then lift onto paper or slip them into a bowl of warm salted water while everything else cooks.
3In the same pan add the remaining ghee and the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, tip in the onion and cook 8–10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges, then add the ginger-garlic paste and the second slit green chilli and cook a minute more.
4Stir in the chopped tomato with the coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and a teaspoon of salt and cook 6–8 minutes until the masala is jammy and the oil starts to separate at the edges, then pour in the spinach purée and 100 ml of water, stir well and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5Slide the paneer cubes into the gravy, swirl in the cream, crush the kasoori methi between your palms over the pan and sprinkle the garam masala, heat through for another 2 minutes, taste for salt, finish with julienned ginger on top, and serve with naan, paratha or basmati.