PALAK PANEER

Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a healthy, traditional delicacy from North India. This mouth watering side dish for any Indian bread is made with fried paneer in creamy spinach sauce. There are many ways of making this dish. Here I give my version of making delightful palak paneer with simple ingredients.
INGREDIENTS

• Spinach/palak                       3 bunches
• Paneer                                  200 gms
• Cream                                   1/4 cup
• Oil                                         4 Tsp
• Ginger Garlic paste               1 Tsp
• Cinnamon                             1/2 inch
• Cloves                                   2-3
• Salt                                       to taste
• Sugar                                    1 Tsp
• Onions                                  1 large
• Tomato                                 1 Large
• Green chilies                         2 small

PROCEDURE
Cube the paneer and set aside. Blanch the tomato and puree it. Chop the palak and add 3/4 cup of water, sugar, green chilies. Put the palak and water on fire and when the water boils cover with lid and simmer for 1minute or until palak becomes soft. Sugar makes the palak retain its color. Cool the palak, green chilies and grind to a paste. Reserve the water and use it if the curry is thick or use the water to mix the dough for chapathi.
In a pan add 1Tsp of oil and add the ginger garlic paste, cinnamon, cloves, chopped onions. Sauté  the ingredients and add salt just for the onions to become soft. When the onions become soft, cool it and grind to a paste.
Now heat another pan and add the remaining oil and just fry the paneer for a minute and remove onto a paper towel. In the same oil add the onion paste, cook for a minute. Now add the blanched and pureed tomato. Cook for another minute and add the palak puree. Add the salt. Cover and cook on a slow flame for five minutes. Now add the fried  paneer cubes and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes and just before you switch off the stove add the cream. Serve hot with naan, roti, chapathi, fried rice,pulav or even steamed rice.
TIPS

• Do not pressure cook or overcook  the palak as it changes its color.
• Paneer can be used as it is - without frying, to cut down the calories.
• Skip the cream and use thick creamy curd.
• Whole process should be done on a medium flame so that the palak retains its color and tastes great. 
• For a healthier version try tofu instead of paneer.