PALAK PANEER
INDIA | PAKISTAN
There are many ways of making this northern Indian dish. You can blanch the spinach whole and cream it, or you can chop it and blanch it to use as is, or you can quickly sauté the spinach, either whole or chopped, before adding the paneer. As for the paneer, you can pan-fry it before adding to the spinach or add it as is. My favorite is to sauté the spinach whole, drain it if there is any excess liquid, then pan-fry the paneer separately and add it at the very end to combine crisp with creamy. That said, all versions are just as delicious and you can choose the one to your taste.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
14 ounces (400 g) baby spinach
1 tablespoon ghee
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), finely chopped
1 small green chili, seeded and thinly sliced
½ inch (1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced to a fine paste
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 medium tomatoes (10½ ounces/300 g total), peeled, seeded, and processed into a puree
Sea salt
5 ounces (150 g) paneer, cut into medium cubes
1 tablespoon heavy cream
¼ teaspoon garam masala (grind 1 clove, 1 green cardamom pod, and ½ cinnamon stick)
Pinch of crumbled dried fenugreek leaves
White rice or roti, for serving
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add as much spinach as you can fit into the pan, remembering that it will wilt very quickly, and sauté until just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. You may have to do this in several batches, adding a little more oil in between batches. Place the cooked spinach in a colander to drain off any excess liquid.
2. Melt the ghee in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. When the ghee is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add the onion and chili and sauté until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Then stir in the Kashmiri chili powder and coriander.
3. Add the tomato puree and salt to taste and let bubble for 5 minutes or so, until thickened. Add the drained spinach. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the paneer. Mix well. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for a couple of minutes, until everything is well blended. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry and taste for salt. Increase the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the spinach is done and there is hardly any sauce left. Add the cream, garam masala, and the crumbled fenugreek leaves and mix well. Cook for a couple more minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with rice or roti.