Easy methods to cook Palak Panner ( two methods )

Method with Boiling Palak ( Spinach )

Ingredients:

250 gms paneer (cubed and lightly fried till brown in a tsp of ghee)

3 big bunches spinach (discard the coarse stems) – blanch in hot water for 2 mts and make a paste and keep aside

1 ½-2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 onions finely chopped

2 green chillis slit length wise

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1 tbsp coriander pwd

2 big juicy tomatoes (blanched in hot water, peeled and pureed)

1 cup water (use the water in which spinach was blanched)

salt to taste

½ tsp garam masala pwd (make a pwd of 2 cloves, 1 cardamom and 1” cinnamon stick)

1 tbsp malai (top of milk)

¼ tsp kasuri methi (optional)

Method:

1.  Add ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel and add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the onions and green chillis sauté them till light brown. Don’t burn them.

2.  Add ginger garlic paste and fry further for 3 minutes. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder and combine well.

3.  Add the tomato paste and let it cook for 5-6 mts on medium heat. Add the palak paste and let it cook further for another 4-5 mts.

4.  Add the fried paneer cubes and combine. Cook covered on low heat for 3 mts. Add the palak water and salt and cook on medium heat for 10-12 mts.

5. Add malai, garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and mix well.

6. Reduce flame, cover and cook for 2 mts.

7.  Serve hot with rotis or white steamed rice

Method with sautéing Palak:

Ingredients:

Palak/Indian spinach    2 bunches

Onion              1 big

Paneer cubes   1 cup

Tomato            2 small

Green chillies   5 –6 nos.

Turmeric          A pinch

Coriander/dhaniya powder    1 tsp

Kasoori methi   1 pinch

Milk                 1/4 cup

Oil/butter         3 tblsp

Salt                 as needed

Method:

1. Clean the spinach and remove the stem part from the leaf. (Tear off any thick stem part in the middle of the leaves too..) Chop the onion and tomatoes finely.In a pan,heat 1/2 tsp of ghee and fry the items in the To roast and powder table. Add every thing together except cumin seeds and roast. Add cumin seeds lastly as it gets fried in no time. Do not burn anything which will turn the gravy bitter. Keep a side.I powdered this using a hand mortar and pestle in to a fine powder.

2.  In the same pan, add the washed palak leaves and fry till it reduces in volume. The water in the leaves is enough to make it shrink. If you need all few drops of oil while frying. I sautéed  in two batches.Transfer to a plate and cool down.

3. Grind it with the green chillies.

4. Heat the pan and add the oil and fry onions thoroughly till it turns golden brown. Add the turmeric and coriander powder and give it a quick stir in low flame.

5. Add the tomatoes and little salt to make the tomatoes cook fast. Add the kassori methi now,while you crush them in between your palms.

6. When the tomatoes turn mushy,add the ground palak paste. Fry in low flame for 4-5 minutes till oil separates or till the raw smell disappears and the palak gets cooked well.

7. Mean while boil water and add the paneer and switch off the stove and keep covered till use. Drain the paneer and add it to the paalak gravy. Add milk and mix carefully and bring to boil.Add the powdered garam masala.Mix well.

8. Transfer to the serving bowl and serve with hot roti or naan.

Notes:

Make sure not over cook the palak,or you wont get green gravy.Add a pinch of sugar to retain its green while boiling…

 I have avoided using red chilli powder and used green chilli and pepper for spiciness.

You can use cream in place of milk for extra richness. Also curd or sour cream works fine.  I would like to add a dash of lime juice while serving.

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