Palak Paneer Recipe
My initial memories of Palak or spinach have not really been particularly encouraging. I and spinach had never been the best of pals. My initial memories of childhood had bitter tales of my tryst with this awesome green stuff, which way back then seemed to be a leftover from Satan’s kitchen. So, it took me an hour and a half to gulp down a bowl of spinach; and evry morsel was washed down by a glass of water.
“Oh God! It is good for your health.” Mom would exclaim. But I was more in love with my taste buds that any God Damn health. Eventually this cat and mouse juggling with spinach continued for many years. Swept beneath the carpet, washed down the toilet, or simply dumped into the waste-bin, this discreet saga continued; until one day I discovered Spinach in a whole new way.
It was in 1994 when I first had a brush with Palak Paneer. It was hard to keep aside my apprehensions, but since I was invited for a birthday party, I had to gulp it down. As I had my first morsel I was shocked. It definitely did not taste like spinach. A few minutes later, I was asking for more. Just imagine! Me, the all time spinach-hater doing so. More than the recipe, I was simply amazed as to how Spinach could taste so heavenly.
Any how, since then I have been simply in love with Palak Paneer. Later on I discovered more facts about it, such as it originated in Punjab, a province in India. I soon was able to get hold of the recipe and voila! I was there with my own preparation. Now for those of you, who are still to discover the magic of Palak Paneer, I would like to share this wonderful recipe, which I am sure you would enjoy.
Ingredients
- Spinach: 1 kg
- Paneer: 200 grams
- Onion: 2
- Butter: 6 table spoon
- Oil: 2 table spoon
- Cumin seeds: 2 tea spoon.
- Black pepper powder: 1/2 tea spoon
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1&1/2 tea spoon
- Green chilly paste: 1tea spoon
- Garam Masala Powder: 2 tea spoon
- Salt to taste
Palak Paneer Recipe
- Mix ginger-garlic paste, green chilly paste and some water with spinach and cook it in a pressure cooker for 7-8 minutes.
- Now, grind this mixture into a fine paste.
- After that, cut Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) into small cubes.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the Paneer pieces until they turn light brown.
- Set the Paneer pieces aside.
- Heat 3 table spoons of butter and fry cumin seeds for half a second. Now add chopped onion and fry until the onions become pink.
- Add salt, black pepper powder, Garam Masala to it and sauté well.
- Now, add the fried Paneer pieces and cooked spinach paste and mix well.
- Now put Palak Paneer in a baking tray, add rest of the butter and bake for 1/2 hour at 180 deg C.
For garnishing you can use grated cheese along with a butter cube in the center. Palak Paneer perfectly goes with Kulcha, Naan and Chapathi. My personal favorite, although is Naan.