Palak (Spinach) Paneer
January 5th, 2007 filed under Paneer (Indian Cheese)
Palak Paneer is creamy spinach with paneer (indian home made paneer). This is a very popular with youngsters and served in every indian resturant. The creamy texture of spinach with paneer is a very good combination.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 10 oz package of chopped frozen spinach or 4 cups of fresh finely chopped spinach
- 1/3 lb paneer
- 2 medium tomatoes, pureed
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- Pinch of asafetida (hing)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tomato thinly sliced to garnish
Method:
- If using frozen spinach thaw and blend it just for a minute so spinach has a creamy texture but without becoming pasty.
- blend the tomatoes and ginger to make puree.
- Mix coriander, turmeric, and red chili with tomato puree and set aside.
- Mix whole-wheat flour with heavy cream and set aside.
- Cube the paneer in about half inch pieces and deep fry them on medium high heat just for few minutes so paneer become very light gold in color, take paneer out on paper towel so extra oil can be absorbed.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away it is ready.
- Add hing and cumin seed. After cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree mixture, and let it cook for a few minutes until the tomato puree is about half in volume.
- Add the spinach, and let it cook on low medium heat for about 10 minutes covered.
- Add heavy cream mixture and let this cook another four to five minutes.
- Add paneer and fold it gently with spinach and let it simmer for a 2-3 minutes. Pot should remain covered until the cooking is finished, otherwise the spinach will splatter.
- Transfer the spinach to a serving dish and spread the tomato slices over the top, and cover the dish so tomato slices get tender with the steam from the spinach.
Suggestion
You can replace the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of milk.
Hi Manjula aunty i love your palak paneer i have a question for you today > how long do you boil the spinach so it doesn’t burn ? PLEASE REPLY!
Hello,
Watched your palak paneer receipe.. i would like to try to make it.. could please explain it to me wht’s this “heavy cream” ?
Also, can u please advice me the measurement to make for 50 servings?
Hi,
Your written recipe is very different from your video. Plus, you forgot to list the red chilis in the written recipe. When I made this, it tasted bland and not what I expected. I have eaten plenty of Palak Paneer and it should make my nose run with spiciness. This, however, was like eating creamed spinach with some cheese in it.
I hope your other recipes are more accurate.
Liz
Liz,
You have probably eaten restaurant-style Palak Paneer and you should know that Indian food you have in restaurants is not at all typical of what people make at home. Also, if you did your homework, you’d know that Manjula Jain is of the Jain religion, meaning she doesn’t use onions or garlic in her recipes, which may attribute to what you call “bland”.
I think it’s pretty out of line for you to call Mrs. Jain’s recipes “inaccurate” just because you’ve been to a couple of Indian restaurants.
dear manjula mam
today i tried ur palak paneer it came out very well but little bit of salty what shall i do for correct….bcoz it was my son bday i prepared it for him…could u pls help me
with regards
lakshmi
hello Aunty..this is a real good recipe…can we replace heavy cream with Lucrene cream cheese? Not the sour but the regular one. I bought it last month for 1 of the appetizers & its in refrigerator since then
Please reply.. Thanks.
Priyanka,
I also use some time cream cheese whem I am out of heavy cream.
I think that sounds very good also Auntie – I bet it would give a nice texture and flavor.
Dear Manjula mam
Its really very helpful site for people like known or unknown…..because of lots tips and cooking recepies…..thank you very much for all your effprts you doing in valuable time…….I have a small request can we ask any recepies which we want to know and please tell me hhow to ask you…….
with love and regards
lakshmi
Hello Manjula Aunty,
I have a question today which is not related to ur cooking.
This is for my general knowledge. Please don’t mind or get offended. Please………
I want to know why Jains don’t eat onions and garlic. Is this related to religion or health ?
Do reply.
Nannu
Conservative Traditional Jains do not eat onion and garlic due to religious reason.
Aunty,
Thank you for your great recipes and videos, they are the best ones for Indian cooking and I love them!
I often make vegetarian Indian food feast for all my friends here in Iceland, a small island in the north of Europe. See, you are famous even far away from India!
Thank you
I love your website, I felt like I’d struck gold when I found it. I absolutely adore Indian food since I discovered it about a year ago and now since I have some free time I will be cooking your recipes every chance I get!! Made the palak paneer for my husband last night since he loved to order it when we went to an Indian restaurant and he loved it. Thank you Manjula!!!
Hi aunty,
please tell by whole wheat flour do u mean the flour that is used to make chapatis (atta). Please reply.
Thanku