Palak Paneer is likely one of the hottest Indian dish made with succulent paneer cubes (Indian cottage cheese) in a easy spinach sauce. I share two methods to make this wholesome dish – a homestyle model and a restaurant type model with a charcoal smoking technique (introduced again on reader’s demand). Each the colourful inexperienced palak paneer recipes are made with recent spinach leaves (palak in Hindi), aromatics, herbs and spices. Make these tremendous scrumptious spinach paneer recipes with my simple step-by-step photograph information and video.
Homestyle Palak Paneer Recipe
It is likely one of the hottest Indian curries round, and with good purpose. This deliciously creamy and vibrantly inexperienced dish is made with paneer in a mildly spiced recent spinach sauce. It is a pleasant and simple to make vegetarian major you simply should strive!
This scrumptious palak paneer is a household recipe that my Mother handed all the way down to me. She has been making this recipe for our household for years, and I’m so glad to get to share it with you right here.
It is likely one of the hottest and well-liked palak recipe on the weblog, to not point out our favourite at residence. Filled with wholesome vitamins like calcium, iron and vitamin C, it is a meal that I can be ok with consuming.
On this recipe, I present you shortly blanch the spinach. That is completed in order that the dish has a pleasant inexperienced shade, in addition to for some well being advantages. Do you know that blanched spinach is more healthy than uncooked? Because of this, I at all times suggest blanching spinach earlier than utilizing them in my assortment of Palak Recipes.
This scrumptious palak paneer goes nicely with roti, naan, or paratha. If you’re gluten-free, you can even serve it with cumin rice or biryani rice, saffron rice or ghee rice.
Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer Distinction
Saag paneer and palak paneer are phrases which can be typically used interchangeably, however they’re really totally different dishes. Palak paneer is an genuine Indian dish made with solely spinach puree, whereas saag paneer is made with a combination of two to three varied varieties of greens.
Within the Punjabi or Hindi language the phrase ‘saag’ means greens, and ‘palak’ means spinach. Numerous leafy greens fall below this class of ‘saag’, together with: amaranth leaves, spinach, dill leaves, radish leaves, mustard leaves, fenugreek leaves and purslane.
Saag paneer appears to have been popularized exterior of India, nevertheless it’s nonetheless very unusual in India. My mother-in-law by no means makes saag paneer per se, nevertheless, there are 4 variations of palak saag that she makes.
One is made with mung lentils (Dal Palak), one other with break up chickpeas (Chana Palak), the third with potatoes (Aloo Palak) and the fourth with paneer – popularly referred to as palak paneer.
Regardless that they’re totally different dishes, each palak paneer and saag paneer are wholesome and scrumptious vegetarian curries.
Step-by-Step Information
Learn how to make Palak Paneer – Homestyle
Blanch and Purée Spinach
1. Utilizing a colander or strainer, rinse the palak (spinach) leaves (250 grams or 0.55 kilos), very nicely below working water.
2. Boil 3 cups water in a pan, microwave or electrical heater. Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recent water and stir. Then add the spinach leaves to the recent water. Let the spinach leaves sit within the water for about 1 minute.
If doing this on a stove-top, remember to take away the pan from the recent burner.
Whereas the water is coming to a boil, make a bowl of ice water and set it apart. Simply add 8 to 10 ice cubes to three cups water to get chilly water.
3. After 1 minute, pressure the spinach leaves.
4. Instantly switch the palak (spinach) leaves to the bowl containing ice chilly water. This technique of “stunning” the spinach helps protect the colourful inexperienced shade of the spinach. Enable the spinach leaves to remain within the chilly water for a minute to cease the cooking course of.
5. Drain the ice chilly water and press the spinach to take away any extra moisture. Add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with 1 inch chopped ginger, 1 to 2 garlic cloves and 1 to 2 chili peppers (inexperienced chillies). You should use a hand-held immersion blender to make the puree in case you favor.
6. Make a easy spinach purée by blitzing the elements collectively. There ought to be no want so as to add any water to make the purée. Set the spinach purée apart.
Make Spinach Gravy
7. Warmth 2 tablespoons oil, ghee or butter in a pan or kadai (wok). Within the photographs under I used butter. If utilizing butter, soften it on a low flame ensuring that it doesn’t brown.
8. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
9. Then add one small to medium-sized tej patta (Indian bay leaf).
10. Add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions (1 small to medium sized onion).
11. Sauté till the onions change into golden.
12. Then add 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic. Sauté until the uncooked aroma of garlic goes away, however cease in need of browning the garlic.
13. Add ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes (1 small or medium sized tomato).
14. Stir and sauté the tomatoes till they soften.
15. As soon as the tomatoes are softened and also you see fats releasing from the edges of the combination, then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon crimson chili powder (or substitute cayenne pepper or paprika) and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
You could find asafoetida at your native spice retailer or on amazon, however in case you don’t have it, you’ll be able to skip it. Additionally, please notice that many commercially out there manufacturers of asafoetida are processed with wheat. If you’re gluten illiberal, please remember to buy gluten free asafoetida.
16. Combine very nicely.
17. Add the spinach purée to the pan.
18. Combine nicely.
19. Add about ½ cup of water or as required. Combine and stir once more.
20. Simmer the gravy for six to 7 minutes or extra till the palak puree is cooked. Season with salt as required. The gravy can have thickened by now.
21. Stir and add ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
Assemble Palak Paneer
22. Stir once more after which add the paneer cubes (200 to 250 grams cottage cheese) on to the gravy.
You too can decide to flippantly pan-fry the paneer cubes in some oil till they’re flippantly browned after which add them to the palak gravy. On this case, you don’t must prepare dinner the paneer additional.
23. Combine gently and swap off the warmth.
24. Lastly add 2 tablespoons of sunshine cream or cooking cream or low-fat cream. I used Amul model cream. If utilizing heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it.
You too can add 1 teaspoon crushed dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) at this step, nevertheless that is elective.
25. Stir gently in order that the cream will get uniformly included into the gravy.
26. Serve palak paneer scorching with roti, naan or paratha or cumin rice or ghee rice. You possibly can high it with some butter or cream additionally whereas serving. Drizzle just a few drops of lime or lemon juice on high together with ginger julienne. Get pleasure from!
Restaurant Fashion Palak Paneer
This recipe is a restaurant type model of palak paneer made with spinach puree, onions, spices and paneer. It doesn’t embody tomatoes and is likely one of the greatest restaurant type palak paneer recipe that you would be able to make.
This scrumptious recipe was shared by my dad who had received it from one in every of his Punjabi pal, who owned a well-liked dhaba within the Mumbai suburbs.
On events, my dad would get us palak paneer or Paneer Butter Masala and dal makhani from uncle’s dhaba and we’d at all times relish it as children. This dhaba is closed now, however the reminiscences stay.
On some days, once we are in a temper to have restaurant-style meals at residence, I make this palak paneer recipe. The homestyle model that I’ve shared above may be very totally different from this recipe.
The primary distinction is within the proportion of some elements included on this restaurant type palak paneer recipe. The second massive distinction is flavoring the dish with a singular charcoal smoking method (referred to as ‘dhungar‘) that actually make it a high notch recipe.
There isn’t any tangy or bitter ingredient that I add on this palak paneer recipe. If you would like a little bit of tang, be at liberty so as to add 1 small to medium tomato after sautéing the ginger-garlic paste. Alternatively, you’ll be able to add just a few drops of lemon juice or dry mango powder.
Serve the spinach paneer scorching with tandoori roti, naan, chapati or jeera rice or biryani rice. It additionally pairs nicely with as easy steamed rice.
Step-by-Step Information
Learn how to make Restaurant Fashion Recipe
Components You Want
For Spinach Puree
- 250 grams spinach or 8.81 oz
- 3 cups scorching boiling water for blanching
- 2 cups water for ice tub
- 8 to 10 ice cubes
For Pan Frying Paneer
- 250 grams paneer or 8.81 oz
- 3 tablespoons oil
For Spinach Sauce
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 small tej patta or 1 medium to giant tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- ⅓ cup tightly packed finely chopped onions – 60 to 70 grams or 1 medium-sized onion
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (1 inch peeled ginger crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle)
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste (6 to 7 small to medium peeled garlic, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle)
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped inexperienced chilies – swap ½ teaspoon crimson chili powder or cayenne with inexperienced chilies)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder (floor turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper – crushed in a mortar-pestle – elective
- 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) – for extra hints of bitterness you’ll be able to add total 2 teaspoons of dry fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ cup mild cream or low-fat cream or 2 to three tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 pinch of sugar
- salt as required
Blanching Spinach
1. Rinse 250 grams spinach leaves very nicely in working water. As soon as they’re rinsed, place them in a colander, in order that the surplus water drains off.
If the stems are tender, then maintain them. But when they are exhausting or fibrous, then discard them.
2. Boil 3 cups water in a pan. You too can boil water in an electrical heater after which take it in a pan or bowl.
3. Add the spinach leaves within the water. Combine to mix and immerser the leaves within the water. Blanch the spinach leaves in water for 3 minutes.
4. When the spinach leaves are blanching, in one other bowl, take 2 cups some water and add 8 to 10 ice cubes.
5. After 3 minutes, take away the blanched spinach leaves from the recent water and add them to the chilly water. Stir gently so that each one the leaves are immersed within the chilly water.
After 1 minute, take away them with pasta tongs or utilizing a strainer/colander drain all of the water.
6. Place the spinach leaves in a grinder or blender jar.
7. Grind or mix to a easy puree. No want so as to add any water whereas grinding or mixing. When you favor you can even mix the blanched spinach leaves to a barely coarser puree.
Pan Frying Paneer
8. This step is elective however beneficial as flippantly golden pan-fried paneer cubes style good. Warmth 3 tablespoons oil in a well-seasoned pan or non-stick pan. Place the paneer cubes (250 grams).
9. Flip over when one facet is flippantly golden and fry the opposite facet.
10. Fry until the paneer cubes are mild golden evenly. Keep away from frying an excessive amount of or for an extended time, as then the paneer cubes change into dense.
11. Take away after which drain the fried paneer cubes on kitchen paper towels.
12. To melt the paneer extra, maintain them instantly in water. Let the paneer to be within the water for 3 to 4 minutes. Then flippantly squeeze them and maintain apart.
Word that that is an elective step and you may skip it.
Make Spinach Sauce
13. Now in the identical oil, by which we had pan-fried paneer, add the next spices – ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and a couple of small tej patta or 1 medium to giant tej patta (Indian bay leaf). Fry until the cumin splutters.
14. Then add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions.
15. Stir nicely. Sauté the onions until they flip mild golden on medium-low to medium warmth.
16. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon garlic paste and 1 to 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped inexperienced chilies.
You possibly can additionally add ½ to 1 teaspoon inexperienced chili paste as an alternative of chopped inexperienced chilies. ½ teaspoon crimson chili powder or cayenne pepper can be added as an alternative of inexperienced chilies.
17. Stir and sauté until the uncooked aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
18. Now add the bottom spices and herbs:
- 1 pinch of turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, crushed in a mortar-pestle, elective
- 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) – crush the dry fenugreek leaves between your palms after which add to the sautéed onions.
19. Stir and blend nicely.
20. Add the spinach puree.
21. Season with salt in keeping with your style preferences.
22. Add in a pinch of sugar. Stir and blend.
23. On a low to medium warmth, for about 6 to 7 minutes, simmer the gravy until it barely thickens.
If the consistency appears very thick to you, then add in a splash of water. Combine and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Make Palak Paneer
24. Add ¼ cup mild cream or low-fat cream (or 2 to three tablespoons whipping cream) and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
25. Stir to mix to a fair combine. The cream ought to be blended very nicely with the palak sauce or gravy. Then swap off the warmth.
26. Add the paneer cubes.
27. Combine them nicely with the remainder of the gravy. Cowl the pan and put aside.
Dhungar Technique
28. That is an elective step, however I extremely suggest it. Burn a small piece of pure charcoal on a stovetop with the assistance of tongs.
Place a small flame proof rack or a grill pan like proven within the photograph under on the stovetop. On high of the rack, place the charcoal. Burn the charcoal fastidiously until its crimson scorching utilizing a pair of heat-proof and fire-proof steel tongs.
29. Now place a small bowl or some layers of an onion within the gravy. Place the charcoal on high.
Add ½ teaspoon oil on the charcoal. You too can maintain 1 clove or ½ teaspoon cumin seeds on the charcoal after which pour the oil. As quickly as you pour oil, smoke will emit from the charcoal.
30. As quickly because the smoke begins to emit, instantly cowl the pan tightly with a lid. Maintain the pan lined for a minute in order that the charcoal’s smoky aroma and taste will get infused with the dish.
For a slight tang you’ll be able to add ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder or just a few drops of lemon or lime juice and stir earlier than serving.
31. Serve restaurant type palak paneer with tandoori roti, naan, chapati, paratha or cumin rice or saffron rice. The flippantly spiced spinach sauce or gravy additionally pairs nicely with steamed rice.
You possibly can high the palak paneer with some butter or cream or grated paneer whereas serving. Additionally, you’ll be able to drizzle just a few drops of lime or lemon juice on high paired with just a few ginger julienne, when serving.
Ideas
Ideas & Variations
- Spinach: Use recent, tender spinach leaves. Take away the stems from the leaves if they’re dense or stringy; any tender stems might be added. You too can use frozen spinach as an alternative of recent. When you use frozen, the leaves have already been blanched, so you’ll be able to skip that step. Squeeze of the water from the frozen thawed spinach very nicely.
- Blanching: I like to recommend blanching the spinach within the recipes. It solely takes just a few further minutes and has so many advantages! Blanching removes the uncooked style, bitterness and metallic taste of spinach making it extra palatable.
Blanching additionally eliminates dangerous microorganisms and pesticide residues, in addition to makes the vitamins of the spinach extra bioavailable. It additionally helps to protect the inexperienced shade of the spinach leaves, making your palak paneer extra stunning. That, my buddies, is a win-win-win.
- Paneer: For the homestyle palak paneer recipe, you’ll be able to decide to flippantly pan fry the paneer cubes after which added to the spinach sauce for added richness. If potential attempt to use recent, Homemade Paneer. For packaged or frozen paneer, observe the directions written on the pack.
- Particular Components: Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) and asafoetida (hing) might be skipped in case you would not have these.
- Vegan choices: When you’re vegan, you’re in luck! You possibly can simply swap in tofu for the paneer on this recipe. I’ve made palak tofu many occasions, and the graceful spinach gravy tastes superb with the tofu. You should use cashew or coconut cream rather than common cream, or simply skip the cream altogether.
- Restaurant type flavors: The homestyle palak paneer recipe can be smoked utilizing the charcoal method (dhungar technique) that I’ve illustrated within the restaurant type model.
FAQs
Sounds such as you skipped the blanching step. Uncooked spinach leaves have excessive ranges of a compound referred to as oxalic acid that causes a bitter style. Blanching your spinach leaves (i.e. cooking them briefly in scorching water) will take away the oxalic acid, which not solely makes the spinach style higher however may also make the vitamins extra out there in your physique.
When you blanched the spinach and it nonetheless tastes bitter, strive including a tablespoon or two of 35-50% cream. The fats content material will assist to easy the bitter style.
I might not suggest freezing palak paneer as a result of the paneer will lose its tender texture whenever you reheat it once more. Furthermore as per Ayurveda, recent cooked meals has most prana (life power). It’s due to this fact higher to eat palak paneer (and all meals) when they’re freshly cooked and scorching or heat.
Be at liberty to swap in cashew paste, malai (a layer of cream collected on high of cooled milk that has been boiled earlier), or coconut cream.
Good query! Previous to freezing, spinach is already blanched to guard the mobile construction of the veg. As such, you’ll be able to skip the blanching step and transfer alongside to mixing. However keep in mind to squeeze all of the water from the thawed spinach.
Spinach stems change into somewhat fibrous as they become old and larger. You’ll want to take away any thick stems previous to blanching. You too can decide to make use of child spinach leaves as an alternative, as they’re extraordinarily tender and don’t require you to take away the stems.
Extra In style Paneer Recipes
Paneer Recipes
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Gluten Free Recipes
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Palak Paneer Recipe
Palak Paneer that’s scrumptious, easy and creamy. This simple palak paneer recipe is made with recent spinach leaves, paneer, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. This is likely one of the hottest North Indian dish.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook dinner Time 10 minutes
Complete Time 40 minutes
Forestall your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Making spinach puree
Rinse the palak or spinach leaves very nicely in working water. Tender stem are positive. If the stems are stringy, then discard the stems.
Boil 3 cups water in a pan or microwave or electrical heater. Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recent water and stir. When the water involves a rolling boil, swap off the flame. Add the spinach leaves within the scorching water. Let the palak leaves sit within the water for about 1 minute.
After 1 minute, utilizing a pasta tong, take the leaves.
Instantly add the palak or spinach leaves in a pan or bowl containing ice chilly water. This technique helps in preserving the inexperienced shade of the spinach. Simply add 8 to 10 ice cubes to three cups water to get chilly water. Enable the spinach leaves to be within the chilly water for a minute.
Then drain the ice chilly water. Add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with chopped ginger, garlic and inexperienced chilies.
Make a easy palak puree. No want so as to add water whereas making the puree. Maintain the spinach puree apart.
Sautéing onions and tomatoes
Warmth oil or ghee or butter in a pan or kadai. If utilizing butter, soften it a low flame ensuring that the butter doesn’t brown.
Add the cumin and allow them to splutter.
Then add the tej patta or Indian bay leaf.
Add the finely chopped onions. Saute until the onions change into golden.
Then add the finely chopped garlic. Saute until the uncooked aroma of garlic goes away. No must brown the garlic.
Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute the tomatoes until they soften.
As soon as the tomatoes are softened and also you see fats releasing from the edges of the combination. Then add the turmeric powder, crimson chili powder and asafoetida/hing.
Combine very nicely.
Making palak paneer
Then add the palak puree and blend nicely.
Add about ½ cup water or as required. Combine once more.
Simmer for six to 7 minutes or extra until the palak or spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce may also thicken by now.
Stir and add garam masala powder.
Stir once more after which add the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes.
Combine very nicely and swap off the warmth. Be fast as we do not need warmth the paneer for extra 30 seconds to 1 minute. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense.
Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of low-fat cream. If utilizing heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it. Stir gently once more in order that the cream will get included within the gravy uniformly.
Garnish
Pour the palak paneer in serving bowls. Whereas serving you’ll be able to high it with some butter or cream.
You too can drizzle just a few drops of lime or lemon juice on high together with ginger julienne on the palak paneer.
Serving Strategies
Stir and serve palak paneer scorching with some roti. It additionally goes very nicely with Indian breads like tandoori roti, phulka, paratha or naan.
Being a flexible dish, it additionally accompanies rice dishes from the indian delicacies like cumin rice, vegetable pulao, ghee rice, saffron rice and even a easy steamed rice very nicely.
- Blanching: I at all times suggest blanching spinach when making palak paneer recipe. Blanching removes the uncooked style, bitterness and metallic taste of spinach and makes it palatable with out having any after style. Aside from preserving the inexperienced shade of the spinach leaves, it additionally eliminates dangerous microorganisms and pesticide residues.
- Pan-frying paneer: The paneer or tofu cubes can be flippantly fried after which added to the spinach sauce. On this case, you don’t must prepare dinner the paneer or tofu within the gravy as when frying they’re already cooked.
- Spinach: Use recent tender spinach leaves. Take away the stems earlier than from the leaves if they’re dense or stringy. Tender stems might be added. You too can use frozen spinach as an alternative of recent spinach.
- Paneer: Use recent and tender paneer or higher to make use of home made paneer. For packaged paneer or frozen paneer observe the directions written on the pack.
- Elective elements: Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and asafoetida (hing) might be skipped in case you would not have these.
- Vegan variations: Substitute paneer with tofu. Use cashew or coconut cream rather than common cream, or simply skip the cream altogether.
- Scaling: Make a big batch of this recipe if making for events or get-togethers.
Vitamin Details
Palak Paneer Recipe
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 265 Energy from Fats 207
% Each day Worth*
Fats 23g35%
Saturated Fats 10g63%
Polyunsaturated Fats 1g
Monounsaturated Fats 7g
Ldl cholesterol 43mg14%
Sodium 419mg18%
Potassium 437mg12%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 6132IU123%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 4mg27%
Vitamin Okay 304µg290%
Calcium 332mg33%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 127µg32%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 60mg15%
Phosphorus 49mg5%
Zinc 1mg7%
* % Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen.
This Palak Paneer publish from the archives (initially revealed on Could 2013) has been up to date and republished on 6 December 2021.
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