Palak paneer is the most popular and loved vegetarian North Indian dish, where fresh and soft paneer cubes are cooked in smooth, creamy mildly spiced spinach gravy. This delicious and healthy dish taste exactly like restaurant style Palak paneer and can served with rice, naan or roti etc. You will find this super delicious and absolutely best recipe in the menu of all popular North Indian restaurants.
Undoubtedly, spinach with cottage cheese is one of the best combinations. Palak (spinach) is full of iron, whereas paneer is rich in calcium. With these two main ingredients, you can make so many veg recipes like veg hara bhara kabab, palak pulao, pancakes etc. I made palak paneer very often (at least once a week) and I think, it is best way to include greens spinach in your diet.
You require simple ingredients and basic spices and for richness and creamy texture, add some fresh cream towards the end. I use dhungar method sometimes to give smoky flavor just like restaurants. Ready in 30 minutes!
In this post, I am going to share with you an easy and simple recipe of Palak Paneer (Restaurant style) at home with step by step instructions mentioned below.
Try it once; I am sure you will love it.
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Palak Paneer
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Palak Paneer (Indian cottage cheese with spinach gravy), the most popular and loved vegetarian dish, where fresh and soft paneer cubes are cooked in a smooth, creamy, mildly spiced spinach gravy. This recipe goes well with basmati rice, roti or with any naan or bread as you like. Delicious and healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch spinach (palak)
- 6 to 7 cashew nuts (kaju)
- 1 green chilli
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- Salt as per taste
- Water as needed
- 200 grams cottage cheese (paneer) cut into cubes
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1onion finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ inch ginger piece, grated
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ teaspoon or to taste red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- A pinch of garam masala
- A pinch of black salt
- ½ teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cream (malai)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
Instructions
- First, separate the palak leaves and wash thoroughly to get rid of any dirt or mud. Wash well and keep aside.
- Take a pressure cooker, add washed spinach along with green chilli, cashew nuts, little salt and sugar. Add a glass of water into it.
- Now cook it for 1 whistle to come. Turn off the flame.
- Then take out the boiled spinach and immediately put this into ice cold water.
- Now, grind the mixture to make a smooth paste without adding water.
- In a bowl, add paneer cubes and turmeric powder. Toss well until fully coated.
- Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat ghee in a pan or kadai.
- Add cumin seeds, chopped garlic cloves and grated ginger.
- Sauté it for few seconds.
- Add finely chopped onion and sauté it on a medium flame until translucent.
- Then, add finely chopped tomatoes.
- Cover and cook it until tomato gets softened.
- Add red chilli powder, and coriander powder. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
- After that put the pureed spinach and cook it for 3-4 mins on medium flame.
- Add the crushed fenugreek leaves to the pan.
- Also, add garam masala, black salt, marinated paneer cubes.
- Cover it with a lid and let them to be cooked. Turn off the flame.
- This delicious restaurant style ‘Palak Paneer’ is ready to be served. Garnish it with some fresh cream (malai).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not overcook the spinach as it prevents the green color from the greens.
- Add more whole garam masala like a piece of cinnamon, 1 elaichi, shahi jeera etc. for extra aromatic flavors.
- If you like, you can pan-fry the paneer cubes (until golden brown) before adding them to the spinach gravy.
- If you do not want to add green chilli, garlic and onion then you can avoid them.
- Ghee gives a nice taste to this dish. You can also use butter.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Cuisine: Indian
