PALAK PANEER

Palak paneer was one of the first dishes I experimented in a desperate attempt to make my fussy daughter eat her greens. She was 4 years back then. She is now 7 and still asks for this dish every week. When she was younger I still remember that when anyone asked her what her favourite vegetable was, she used to puff up her chest and say ‘spinach’!!!hahaha……
She loves it! My younger one will eat whatever the older one eats. So…..my job is done when I please the older one!….LOL

I have substituted the usual cream for milk here. Its extremely healthy and usually a hit with the kids since they cannot ‘see’ the whole veggies!

INGREDIENTS:

Oil – 4 tbsps

onion- 1 large, pureed
ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

tomato – 2, pureed

cashewnuts – 8

spinach – 1 big bunch (I used baby spinach)

green chili – 1
chili powder – 1 tsp

cumin powder – 1 tsp

coriander powder – 2 tsp

garam masala – 1/2 tsp

milk – 1/2 cup
paneer (cottage cheese) – 250 grams, cubed into 1 inch squaresfor the tadka:
butter – 2 tbsps butter
garlic – 3 coves, chopped

PROCESS:

Wash and clean the spinach. Discard most of the stems.
Boil water in a heavy bottomed pan and blanch the spinach in it,( fill just enough water to immerse the spinach.)
When the leaves have wilted remove the spinach from the water and let it cool. Reserve the water to use later.
Blend the spinach and keep aside.
Soak the cashewnuts in hot water for 10 mins. Blend with a little water to form a paste and keep aside
In a wok heat some oil. Add the pureed onion and green chilies and saute till the raw smell goes.
Add the ginger garlic paste. saute.
Add the chili powder, cumin and coriander powder. cook for a minute.
Add the tomatoes. Stir and cover for a minute. Add salt. cover and cook till the tomatoes have become soft.
Add the cashewnut paste. cook for 2-3 minutes and then add in the pureed spinach. Add the water which was reserved while cooking the spinach. Cover and cook till the gravy has thickened and reduced in quantity.
Lastly add the milk (or cream) and adjust the salt and add in the methi leaves. Cook for a few more minutes till a good consistency has been reached.
Add the panner and cook for 2 more minutes. Switch off the flame.
Melt the butter in a tiny wok and add saute the chopped garlic. When the garlic is starting to brown, switch off the flame and add the garlic butter to the paneer dish.