Palak Paneer

Palak is something I try to add on to the menu every once in a way whether it is in combination with chicken, aloo, paneer, like a thoran (a kerala dish with coconut) or even palak puri. Generally I do not like to make a paste of it but like roughly even in dishes that call for it to be made it into a smooth paste I still like to make it coarsely ground and not a complete smooth paste. Today I am going to post Palak Panner, which means palak has to be in gravy so making it you can have palak in this dish in smooth paste or coarsely ground paste according to your personal choice.

INGREDIENTS:

Palak or spinach : 1 or 2 bunches (according to how much gravy you want)
Paneer : 250 gms cut into cubes of 1 inch
Onion : 1 finely chopped
Ginger paste : 11/2 tsp
Garlic paste : 11/2 tsp
Jeera : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Green chilly : 2-3
Red chilly powder : according to taste
Tomato : 1 chopped
Salt : To taste
Oil : 2 Tblsp


PREPARATION :

Marinate the paneer in 1 tsp of ginger and 1 tsp of garlic paste, salt and turmeric powder for about half an hour or more.


Wash and roughly chop palak. Heat a kadhai and put the spinach in it keep the kadhai on high flame for about 2-3 minutes with lid on. After which switch the gas off and run cold water through the spinach and keep aside.

RECIPE:

Heat about half the oil in a non stick pan or tava and put the paneer in single layer and cook on both sides till golden brown. Once golden remove from and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a non stick pan. When the oil is hot add jeera and once that finishs crackling add the remaining ginger-garlic paste. Saute on low flame till the raw smell goes. Add onions and saute till it turns opaque.

Add green chillies and red if adding, salt and tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes. In a blender add this mixture and spinach and either coarsely grind it or make into smooth paste. Pour it back to the pan and bring to boil.

Add golden paneer and simmer for 4-5 minutes. If you like you can add little bit of amchur or lemon juice. You can garnish this dish with juliennes of ginger and green chilly slit.