
Method
Spinach Puree
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly. Add and blanch for to .
100 °Cleaves just wilted and bright green -
Lift the spinach out with a slotted spoon straight into ice water. Once cold, drain well.
leaves stay vivid green -
Blend the spinach with , , , and to a smooth paste.
smooth, with no strands of leafSafe to pause here
Palak Paneer
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Heat a wide, heavy pan over medium heat, add and then . Fry for a couple of minutes.
garlic just starting to turn golden -
Add and cook for to .
onion soft and translucent -
Stir in the spinach puree with . Cover and cook over medium heat for , stirring regularly because it spatters and can stick.
puree bubbling and no longer tastes raw -
Add , , and . Mix and cook for .
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Stir in , then . Simmer on medium-low heat for .
paneer heated through and soft -
Turn off the heat, stir in and a squeeze of . Serve hot with naan, roti or rice.
From Maya Lindqvist
A from-scratch palak paneer that stays vividly green: the spinach is blanched for just a couple of minutes and plunged into ice water before it is pureed with tomato, garlic, ginger and green chili. Garlic fried in the oil before the onions gives the gravy its savoury backbone, and a few cashews in the puree make it extra creamy.
Notes
- Keep it green: do not over-blanch the spinach, shock it in ice water straight away, and add the spices only after the puree has cooked. A pinch of baking soda with the puree also helps hold the colour.
- Golden paneer: for more texture, fry the paneer cubes in 1 to 2 tsp oil until lightly golden before adding them.
- Soft paneer: if your paneer is firm, soak the cubes in hot salted water for 10 minutes before using.
- A pinch of sugar (about 1/2 tsp) with the spices rounds out the flavour.
- For a vegan version, use firm tofu and cashew cream.
Storage
Keeps 2 days in the fridge; the colour dulls a little as it sits. Reheat gently and add a splash of water.
Make Ahead
The spinach puree can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
When to Start
Plan backwards from a time
Filed under Main · South Asia › India › Punjab · Cheese · Curry · Palak Paneer. Tags: #vegetarian, #weeknight.