Flavor filled Palak Paneer recipe
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Flavor filled Palak Paneer recipe | Spinach with Cottage Cheese | Minty Palak Paneer Recipe | Palak Paneer with mint flavor | Palak paneer recipe | Spinach Curry with Indian Cottage Cheese | Spinach Paneer recipe | Homemade Palak Paneer with step by step instructions
Flavor filled Palak Paneer is a North Indian recipe, that has gained widespread popularity around the globe. It has the wholesome goodness of spinach and the nutritional value of paneer.
Palak Paneer has transitioned from being an exotic dish ordered in restaurants to a favorite restaurant-style recipe prepared at home. Easy availability of store bought Indian cottage cheese and various brands of blenders has made it easier to prepare this recipe in our homes.
I am fond of recipes associated with greens such as Potato in Green Coriander Masala , Sai bhaji, Methi Lahsun Paratha, Fresh Methi Pulao .
Always remember that the finest Palak Paneer recipe is one that uses freshest cottage cheese and spinach thus allowing one to truly savor the creaminess of the cheese and the richness of the greens. Some people make fresh paneer at home for this recipe. All in all, let nothing deter you from make this Spinach Curry with Indian Cottage Cheese.
A step ahead is this Minty Palak Paneer Recipe, that I savored at Mansingh hotel, eons back.. say 35 years or so! This palak paneer that we ordered had subtle flavors of mint. Ever since, I’ve been experimenting, through trial and error, to recreate those flavors.
That’s how Flavor filled Palak Paneer recipe was conceived. It has the wholesome goodness of regular spinach and Indian cottage cheese as well as the upgraded flavors. Try it , you will not regret. For this you will have to read its method carefully for best results.
Why should you make
- Rich and creamy goodness
- Flavors of garlic, mint and dried fenugreek leaves
- Crowd pleasing recipe
- A royal majestic grandeur
- Favorite of all age groups
What is Minty Palak Paneer
A delectable recipe. Minty Palak Paneer is made from spinach puree sautéed with spices and aromatics to enhance its flavorful to which Indian cottage cheese is added and simmered together for a perfect alchemy. The dish maybe garnished with a drizzle of cream. This flavor-packed palak paneer is so rich in taste that there’s simply no need for cream.
Perhaps you maybe interested in some more recipes on this blog. Have a look:
Ingredients for Minty Palak Paneer
For Measurements refer to the RECIPE CARD further below.
- Paneer– also known as Indian Cottage Cheese. Use fresh one. Paneer is made by curdling milk with an acidic agent such as lime juice, citric acid or vinegar. Then with a cheesecloth ,the solid curds are separated from the whey. The solid curds are then set to make blocks called Paneer or Indian Cottage Cheese.
- Oil – for shallow frying paneer and for cooking
- Spinach leaves – Choose green spinach leaves. Discard the wilted ones.
- Tomato
- Onion
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Fresh mint leaves – for flavor. Add toward the final stage of cooking. Cut with hands. Do not use knife.
- Kasuri methi – dried fenugreek leaves; for flavor
- Spice powders – salt adjust as needed, turmeric powder (haldi) coriander powder(dhaniya powder), red chili powder, garam masala powder
- Whole spices – bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick
- Water
Planning to prepare ? Ensure to read this entire post thoroughly for step by step instructions, helpful tips and view the embedded video further down in the recipe card for a clearer understanding.
How To Make Homemade Palak Paneer with step by step instructions
Saute/shallow fry Paneer
1. Firstly, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Shallow fry Indian Cottage Cheese, till the edges are golden in colour.
2. Drain the cottage cheese from oil and plunge in regular water for it to remain soft. At times if the sautéed paneer paneer is directly added to the main gravy, it turns tough. So it is advisabe to to keep the fried or sautéed paneer immersed in water till mixed into the gravy.
Boil Spinach
3. In a pressure cook, add roughly chopped spinach leaves, onions, chopped ginger, green chili and chopped tomato. Also had ½ cup water. Secure the lid.
4. Cook for 2-3 quick whistles on medium flame. Then switch off flame and let pressure release on its own. Let the spinach mixture cool down a bit. Then blend to a purée.
How to make Palak Paneer
5. Thereafter to make palak paneer, heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a kadai or heavy bottom pan.
6. Tip in bay leaf, black cardamom and cinnamon stick.
7. Add garlic paste, Sauté till it turns translucent.
8. Then add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chili powder.
9. Sauté the spices very well. At this stage, add in a tablespoon of pureed spinach and sauté along with the spices. Doing so will prevent the spices from burning. You could add a tablespoon of water instead of spinach puree.
10. Then add the remaining puree and let it come to a gentle boil.
11. Drain water from paneer pieces. Add to the spinach gravy. Simmer on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
12. Game-changer step – Now add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and fresh mint leaves. Crush the kasuri methi with your palms before adding into the pan. Just roughly tear mint leaves with your hands. Do not chop with knife. Use bright green mint leaves for best flavors.
13. Finally check for seasoning and sprinkle garam masala. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. You could drizzle some cream at this stage. I have not because this recipe is so flavorful that I dont want to go overboard.
14. When oil starts floating on top of the gravy, put off the flame.
What to serve with
Serve this Spinach Paneer recipe alongwith Roti, Naan, Methi Pulao or Bhuga Chawal. Serve alongside with chilled Mint Lassi . Conclude the meal with Gulab Jamun
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Tips for a Perfect Palak Paneer Recipe
- Use fresh paneer. Any off smell of paneer will ruin this exotic dish. Some add raw paneer into the gravy. If paneer is fresh, you can go ahead with this. However,I recommend sauteing to get rid of any raw flavors in paneer.
- Pick fresh spinach leaves and rinse them well with water to get rid of sand and grit.
- Purée the spinach till you get a smooth creamy gravy.
FAQ
Why does the Palak Paneer taste bitter
If the garlic is sauteed too much , it may give bitter taste to the spinach. Onions and tomatoes in the recipe help to mellow down the bitterness.
How to make this recipe vegan
Well, then you can use tofu instead of paneer. That’s palak tofu not palak paneer.
Can we freeze Palak Paneer
My mantra is fresh food always. However, my answer is yes you can freeze it , but use it at earliest. Freezing does change the texture of paneer upon heating to a slightly grainy crumbled one.
Recipe Card
Flavor filled Palak paneer recipe | Spinach with Cottage Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Heavy bottom pan or kadai
- 1 Wooden Spatula or Spoon
Ingredients
(1 cup = 250 ml)
Saute /shallow fry paneer
- 200 gm cottage cheese cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp oil
Palak gravy
- 2 bunches spinach leaves roughly chopped 350 gm
- 1 big tomato cut into big pieces 125 gm
- 1 medium onion chopped 50 gm
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped 8 gm (loosely packed)
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp oil use as needed
- 6 cloves garlic
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
Spices
- 1 tsp salt adjust as needed
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1 tsp coriander powder dhaniya powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 black cardamom
- ½ inch cinnamon stick
Instructions
Saute/shallow fry paneer
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Shallow fry paneer, till the edges are golden in colour.
- Drain the paneer and plunge in regular water to become soft.
Boil Spinach
- In a pressure cook, add roughly chopped spinach leaves, onions, chopped ginger, green chili and chopped tomato. Also had ½ cup water. Secure the lid.
- Let 2-3 quick whistles blow on medium flame. Then switch off flame and let pressure release on its own.
- Blend to puree.
How to make Palak Paneer
- Thereafter, in a kadai or heavy bottom pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil.
- Tip in bay leaf black cardamom and cinnamon stick.
- Add garlic paste, Sauté till it turns translucent.
- Then add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chili powder.
- Sauté the spices very well. At this stage , add in a tablespoon of pureed spinach and sauté along with the spices. Then add the remaining puree and let it come to a gentle boil.
- Drain water from paneer pieces. Add to the spinach.
- Simmer on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add kasuri methi and fresh mint leaves. (Read description given above)
- Finally check for seasoning and sprinkle garam masala.Cover and cook for 5 minutes..
- Put off flame. Serve with roti or rice.
What to serve with
- Serve this Spinach Paneer recipe alongwith Roti, Naan, Methi Pulao or Bhuga Chawal. Serve alongside with chilled Mint Lassi . Conclude the meal with Gulab Jamun
Video
Notes
- Use fresh paneer. Any off smell of paneer will ruin this exotic dish. Some add raw paneer into the gravy. If paneer is fresh, you can go ahead with this. However,I recommend sauteing to get rid of any raw flavors in paneer.
- Pick fresh spinach leaves and rinse them well with water to get rid of sand and grit.
- Purée the spinach till you get a smooth creamy gravy.
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