The Perfect Palak Paneer

Name: The Perfect Palak Paneer
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 2 small bay leaves, fresh or dried; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon chili powder; ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon asafoetida; 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves; 1 ½ tablespoons double cream; ¼ cup cashews, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons ghee, (clarified butter) or unsalted butter; ½ cup water, or as required; ½ teaspoon salt, or as per taste; 2 cups paneer, cut into cubes; 3 cups water, boiling; ¼ teaspoon salt; 6 cups spinach; ¼ teaspoon salt; 3 cups water, boiling; 3 cups water, cold; 1 cup onion, (2 small or 1 large), roughly chopped; 1 cup tomato, (2 small or 1 large), roughly chopped; 2 green chillies, roughly chopped; 2 garlic cloves, roughy chopped; 1 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon ginger, cut into matchsticks; 1 teaspoon coriander, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon cream

Recipe by Varshika J K from tasty.co

Dinner

Ingredients

4 servings

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1 clove garlic, finely chopped
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2 small bay leaves, fresh or dried
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon turmeric powder
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1 teaspoon chili powder
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¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
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¼ teaspoon nutmeg
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¼ teaspoon asafoetida
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1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
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1 ½ tablespoons double cream
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¼ cup cashews, roughly chopped
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2 tablespoons ghee, (clarified butter) or unsalted butter
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½ cup water, or as required
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½ teaspoon salt, or as per taste
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2 cups paneer, cut into cubes

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3 cups water, boiling
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¼ teaspoon salt
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6 cups spinach
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¼ teaspoon salt
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3 cups water, boiling
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3 cups water, cold
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1 cup onion, (2 small or 1 large), roughly chopped
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1 cup tomato, (2 small or 1 large), roughly chopped
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2 green chillies, roughly chopped
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2 garlic cloves, roughy chopped
•

1 inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
•

1 teaspoon ginger, cut into matchsticks
•

1 teaspoon coriander, roughly chopped
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1 teaspoon cream

Instructions

Blanch the spinach in salted, boiling water for one minute, then drain and transfer to a bowl with cold water.
Once cooled, puree in a blender until smooth and remove.
Heat some salted water and once it comes to a boil, switch off the gas and add the cubed paneer. Let it soak in the water till the time to be added to the gravy.
Add all the ingredients of the gravy base to a blender and mix until smooth.
Add the butter to a hot pan with some oil (optional) to stop it from burning. Once foaming, add the cashews, cumin seeds, finely chopped garlic, and bay leaves. Fry for a minute till aromatic.
Add the blended gravy, along with all the powders and stir well. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes till you see oil seeping from the sides. The onion-tomato gravy must smell fragrant by this point without any raw smell.
Add the spinach puree and stir well to combine along with salt. Simmer on low heat for another 15 minutes until the rawness of the puree goes away and there is an intense gravy left.
Add the cream and water as required to make it velvety along with the drained paneer cubes and fenugreek leaves. Simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves, sliced ginger, and a dollop of cream.
Enjoy with naan bread or fluffy rice!