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Palak (Spinach) Paneer

Palak (Spinach) Paneer

Palak (Spinach) Paneer

Palak Paneer is creamy spinach dish with paneer . This is a popular dish with youngsters and served in every indian resturant. The creamy texture of spinach with paneer is a good combination. I like to serve Palak Paneer with Naan or Tandoori Roti.
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 10 oz packet of chopped frozen spinach or 4 cups of fresh finely chopped spinach
  • 1/3 lb paneer
  • 2 med tomato pureed
  • 1 tsp chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp corinader powder dhania
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric haldi
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder lal mirch
  • 1 tbs oil canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seed jeera
  • 1/8 tsp asafetida hing
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbs whole wheat flour
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tomato thinly sliced for garnishing

Instructions
 

  • 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.

Notes

You can replace the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of milk.
serve Palak Paneer with Naan or Tandoori Roti
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

How to Make Palak Paneer Masala by Manjula’s Kitchen

Paneer Palak, a beloved North Indian dish, epitomizes the perfect party recipe with its creamy spinach and delectable paneer in rich gravy. This is not merely a culmination but a convergence, as the paneer becomes an integral part of the spinach symphony.

Step 1: Blanching the Spinach to Elevate Palak Paneer’s Vibrancy

Commencing the palak paneer recipe, the pivotal initial stride revolves around blanching the spinach. This meticulous process not only intensifies the vivid green hues of palak paneer but also meticulously preserves its brilliance. Begin by boiling approximately 6 cups of water in a generously sized saucepan. Submerge the spinach in this boiling elixir for a fleeting yet precise one-minute duration, ensuring a brief but effective cooking phase. 

Following this, promptly drain the water, halting the cooking process, and immerse the spinach in ice-cold water for an additional two minutes. This dual-drain technique guarantees the spinach is revitalized with an appealing vibrancy, setting the foundation for an aesthetically pleasing palak paneer.

Step 2: Creating the Palak Paneer Blend with Ginger and Green Chili 

Embarking on the palak paneer masala journey, the second step involves crafting a lush blend of spinach, ginger, and green chili. This amalgamation forms the soul of the palak paneer recipe, enriching it with a medley of flavors. The objective here is to achieve a seamlessly creamy texture, ensuring the palak paneer is opulent without venturing into the territory of excess paste. This verdant blend becomes the canvas upon which the ensuing palak paneer masterpiece is painted, infusing it with an aromatic essence that tantalizes the senses.

Step 3: Softening the Paneer for Palak Paneer Perfection 

To guarantee the epitome of palak paneer masala perfection, the next step involves immersing cubed paneer in a generous three cups of hot water for an optimal duration of at least five minutes. This meticulous soaking ritual imparts a luxurious softness to the paneer, transforming it into a porous canvas ready to absorb the delectable nuances of the palak paneer masala. These softened paneer cubes stand poised, awaiting their integration into the savory spinach concoction, contributing to the textural symphony that defines palak paneer.

Step 4: Preparing the Pan and Infusing Palak Paneer with Flavors 

For a flawless rendition of the palak paneer recipe, meticulous attention is directed toward the choice of pan size. Opting for a larger saucepan is indispensable to mitigate the risk of splattering during the spinach-cooking extravaganza. Heat the culinary stage with oil over medium-high intensity, introducing the overture with cumin seeds and asafetida. The characteristic crackle of cumin seeds serves as the prelude to palak paneer’s flavorful crescendo. Tomatoes follow suit, engaging in a 1-2 minute pas de deux within the aromatic symphony. This well-choreographed introduction sets the stage for the infusion of spices, laying the foundation for the palak paneer masala’s crescendo.

Step 5: Spicing Up the Palak Paneer Mixture with Precision 

This pivotal juncture in the “how to make palak paneer” saga is marked by the introduction of the spice ensemble. Coriander, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and a hint of sugar make their grand entrance, pirouetting into the sautéed tomato medley. The intertwining of these spices orchestrates a sensory masterpiece, crafting the palak paneer masala’s distinct character. The vibrant hues and aromatic amalgamation of spices contribute to the unique and enticing taste that defines this classic Indian dish, ensuring that each bite is a sensorial voyage through palak paneer perfection.

Step 6: Cooking the Spinach with Precision to Preserve Palak Paneer’s Green Color 

As the palak paneer mixture gracefully ascends to a simmer, precision is paramount in this culinary ballet. Lower the heat to a gentle caress, allowing the spinach to pirouette for 5-6 minutes, all without the shelter of a pot lid. This open-pot choreography is a deliberate choice to preserve the vibrant green palette of the palak paneer. The absence of a lid ensures that the freshness and visual allure of the spinach are retained, transforming each serving into a verdant celebration of palak paneer’s culinary prowess.

Step 7: Thickening and Enhancing Flavor with Flour and Cream

To perfect the palak paneer masala symphony, a harmonious blend of flour and water takes center stage, complemented by the silky notes of cream. This crescendo in the culinary score thickens the palak paneer, imbuing it with a luscious and velvety texture. The careful integration of the flour-water blend and cream elevates both the tactile and gustatory dimensions of the palak paneer, creating a harmonious composition that resonates with indulgence.

Step 8: Culmination with Paneer Integration for Palak Paneer Harmony

The final act in the palak paneer ballet involves the gentle incorporation of the soaked and softened paneer. This is not merely a culmination but a convergence, as the paneer becomes an integral part of the spinach symphony. Allowing this palak paneer pas de deux to simmer for an additional five minutes ensures that the paneer becomes a harmonious participant, absorbing the rich flavors of the palak paneer masala. With this final flourish, the palak paneer masterpiece is complete, ready to take center stage and captivate the palate with its delectable blend of textures and flavors.

If you liked this recipe. You must also try: Masala Bell Pepper Curry, Gulab Jamun, Pineapple Kulfi Ice Cream, Makhana Mutter Curry, and Ragda Puri Chaat


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246 thoughts on “Palak (Spinach) Paneer

  1. I made and ate palak paneer for the first time using Manjula’s recipe. It’s a really rich and delectable dish. Next time I’ll try using milk instead of cream.

  2. Fanatastic, and by far the best Palak Paneer recipe ever published. Kudos to you Manjula. My family loves this. I tried so many differen recipes, but certainly your recipe nails it. 🙂

  3. Manjula,

    I found your web site several months ago in search of Lemon rice recipe. A co- Worker made it for me 21 years ago when I was pregnant and i loved it. So after much searching I found your site and I love the lemon rice as well as this Recipe for Palak Paneer. I do now understand why the food is so good as it was very time consuming to prepare. But well worth it. I made my own Paneer from your recipe as well. This dish was so like the one at our Indian restaurant here. We were very pleased. thank you so much for the videos and the great site.

  4. Hello Manjula ji,
    It was my first time making paalak paneer. I used your recipe because I don’t eat onion or garlic. So your recipe was perfect for me. I made a slight change. Instead of using heavy cream, I used organic milk and ground cashews. I made it for last night’s party. Everybody liked it very much.

  5. Thank you Manula aunty……. We all love you. We just had our first kid, (cesraian) that my wife is recommended not to work. I am the scheff nowdays. we are at madrid, Spain. I tried this palak paneer for my wife and really , i am on my knees thanking you for the awsome recipe. it came out perfect and finger licking good.
    THANKS AGAIN.

  6. I just tried this with store-bought paneer, and used fresh spinach. I didn’t think there was enough spinach though so I would say chopping it more and really packing those 4 cups would be for the best. Excellent flavor. We served this dish with a meat dish with onions and this dish was still a champ and held its own as far as flavorful, spicy and satisfying. You can eat vegetarian and not feel hungry 1 hr later.

  7. Excellent recipe for palak paneer. No garlic or onion which is sometimes preferred. Mine was a little too thick at the end of cooking so I added a few tablespoons of milk to give it a smoother texture. Absolutely delicious.

    I made a triple batch so now I have plenty to go around.

    Thank you so much for the recipe!

  8. Hi ManjulaAunty,

    I’ve been married for about 7 months now and I’m so thankful for you. Everytime I make one of your receipes my husband and family keep saying..you’re such a good cook (and you’re my secret) Thank you for simplifing so many receipes and making cooking fun…rather than boring and painful.

    Your biggest fan!! 😀

    Sending you lots of best wishes

  9. I tried this recipe “Palak Paneer” today and it came out very well. My husband loved it and even I enjoyed it. I regularly make “Spinach Raita” and “Bread Potato Rolls” from your recipes.

    I got married recently after being a working woman. Your videos are really a boon. Thank you so much.

    Bhagya.

  10. Hello Manjula Aunty,

    I am using your paneer recipe to make this palak paneer but Im not sure about measurement.

    Do I use all the prepared paneer from your other recipe or less?

  11. Hello, Manjula. I made this recipe yesterday for 20 people. It was a huge success, with everybody wanting the recipe, so I gave them the link to your website. I also will link your site to mine. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, and especially that they don’t have onion or garlic in them.

  12. Thank you so much for posting these videos and teaching me how to cook delicious Indian food! We’re vegetarians at home and we love Indian food, but I never had the courage to cook it from scratch. Your videos and websites are my go-to guide for delicious Indian cooking. We made you Palak Paneer last night and my goodness, it was delicious! Thank you again for showing the world how easy and delicious cooking can be!
    Please keep making videos. I love each and everyone of them.
    I’m off to make ginger relish now. Thanks Manjula!

  13. After having cooked with paneer for years, thanks to your website I finally built up the courage to make my own – and it was nice! Now I want to try all of your recipes with paneer in. I was wondering, what would you serve with palak paneer to make it into a nice meal?
    Thank you very much.

  14. Thank you thank you thank you for this wonderful recipe! I’ve seen lots of sag paneer / palak paneer recipes but this one looked great. It WAS. I made veggie biryani with spiced rice and this patak paneer for our Christmas Eve dinner last night (we had it with naan and mango chutney) and we thought this palak paneer was absolutely spectacular. Closest I’ve tasted to what I ate while I was in India. Nice and spicy and I think the asafetida makes a big difference. Wow, this one is a keeper. Also love the YouTube videos of all your vegetarian dishes. I plan to try most of them.

  15. I really love this dish and seeing the video helps me out a lot since I want to try and make this. However, the spices used would seem to make it a bit spicy. How would I be able to modify this for a 5 yr. old? Also, if I try your recipe for homemade paneer, do you suggest doubling it for this recipe?

  16. I’ve made this recipe many times, with delicious results.

    I have had trouble with frying the paneer, though. Whether too much oil, or too little, sometimes it starts to melt and stick together in the pan.

    I’ve found that by brushing the paneer with a little oil, I can gently broil it (about ten inches from the grill elements) until it turns that light yellow color. I turn it several times to make sure it cooks evenly. The side away from the heat doesn’t get hot enough to melt.

    I can easily cook 1 and 1/2 pounds of paneer, without worry, at a time this way – and yes, I love this recipe enough to make so much palak paneer at one time!

    It’s not necessarily better, by any means, but it does give me a bit more control over the paneer.

    Using hing also makes it tastier than trying to use garlic, onions, or such… and easier to prepare and clean up after!

    Thanks for this, and all your other great recipes!

  17. This is one of the best Indian recipes, in my opinion, since the chef takes something that is so healthy, but disliked by a lot of people (spinach), and turns it into something amazing. At the local Indian restaurant that I usually eat it, the spinach sauce can be paired with vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli. And even without cubes of paneer, the sauce tastes kind of cheesy, like perhaps he crumbles it up very finely and adds it in. Have you ever heard of this Manjula? It’s very tasty.

  18. Is it possible to substitute whole wheat flour for another type of flour? I have very small cupboards and don’t have space to store more types of flour. Would Besan or All Purpose Flour work as a thickener?

      1. Thank you so much! I’ve tried many of your recipes and they were all very delicious on the first try. I really love your videos and you are fantastic at explaining all the techniques and details! I hope you get your own cooking show soon!!!

  19. i enjoyed wathcing you cook this dish , ive been craving it for the last two weeks prior to today, u made it look so simple but yet so patient and desirable this will become a meal for my fam this week… my only task is what could be served with it

  20. oh yea this was so yummy. I usually make southern Indian dishes because that is where I was brought up. I feel tired of making the same dishes over and over. I have been trying to make northern Indian dishes for many years. Sometimes they were good and sometimes they were bad because I didn’t know what they should taste like. Your recipes are a keeper. I made palak paneer several times. It came out good. But I like this recipe the best because it tastes nice and creamy. Thanks a million. My husband is loving it too 🙂

  21. Hi Manjula Aunty,

    I made Palak Paneer today. Unfortunately it didn’t turn out very well. Did you really mean one and a half cups of milk in lieu of the cream and NOT half a cup? Mine turned out like soup in the end.

    Also, if I’m using fresh spinach, do I just need to chop it finely and NOT pressure cook it?

    Your inputs will be greatly appreciated.
    Komal

  22. Pingback: Quora
  23. I live in Seattle, Washington and just found your website today after searching for videos on youtube for Palak Paneer. I am very excited to try several of your recipes and wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to share your recipes!

    Best,
    Alicia

  24. Manjulaji, this looks delicious and if I may say so -very dhaba food looking 🙂
    I used to make palak paneer in an entirely different and easier way which btw is also delicious as vouched by others who have tasted it. But this one looks like a yummy variation and I will be trying it out soon.

    1. Preeti, Whole wheat flour is “atta” in hindi. I you don’t have it, just use plain white flour, which is the same as “maida”. You should be able to find either of these at a grocery store wherever you live.

  25. Hi Mrs. Manjula: I would like to ask how you did the tomato pure? Was it only the two tomatoes blended, or did you boiled them first and then blended them? Thank you very much.

  26. Aunty,prepared palak paneer yesterday…is difficult to get fresh cream in my place…the wheat flour with milk gave the same results as cream…it came out so nice & my family jus loved it…thanks a lot for recipe & this tip..

  27. Namaste Manjula. 🙂 I am in the USA too. Lately I have taken cooking as a hobby, and learning to cook. (Though my wife doesn’t think I can. 🙂 ) One Indian dish that we both of us like very much is Palak Paneer (We ate it in a party) and never found the same taste elsewhere. We hope to perfect this recipe of yours and see if can get the same taste we liked.
    Manjula, we would like to ask you for one more recipe: Mutter paneer. The recipe I found on the internet is so complicated. Your recipes, on the other hand, are so easy for a new learner like me, fewer ingredients, and easy to make. I hope you would please help us. Thank you.

  28. Made this for the first time and it went so wrong BUT tasted AMAZING!! made quite a few variations (without realising) and it came out top!! =)

    1. Hi,
      all Indian vegetable dishes are served alongside some form of carbs -either a bread like Roti, Parantha, Poori (Naan is hardly we eat everyday -more like once a fortnight) or rice. Usually you also have a dish of veggie proteins like a daal (lentils). This makes a meal nutritionally balanced (veggies, proteins and carbs).

  29. Manjula is in the United States so it’s logical she does her recipes the way she wants. It only takes a minute to go on line and look up the metric equivalent yourself. It’s not up to her to do it for everyone as metric system isn’t used here. You can google conversions or use http://www.convertme.com. When I use other websites I do not tell the author she needs to do it a certain way, I’m not lazy, I find it myself.

    1. This is a reply to Liane.

      You need to relax.

      If Manjula doesnt want to give metric measurements that’s fine. Unless you are manjula’s blog police, you dont need to be rude and obnoxious. Take a chill.

  30. This recipe is absolutely delicious. I was so pleased to find a recipe for Palak Paneer that was so enjoyable. Thank you for your recipes, I hope you have a cook book coming out soon!

  31. Manjulaji, I’ve been following your recipe’s for months now and i really appreciate that you are sharing your knowledge so well. Thank you so much for this. I’m your big fan and will keep following your recipes in future.

  32. hi manjula,
    thanks for this wonderful recipe. i didnt have red chillies, so i added a quarter spoon of cayenne pepper, and also 1 tsp of garam masala, 1/2 tsp of black pepper to make it spicy. it came out great!

    my only question is, how do we get a dark green color like the kind you get when you order in a restaurant?

    1. Assuming that you are using fresh spinach,blanch it and while doing that add a tsp of salt.
      The spinach looses it’s colour if you keep it a very long time in the hot water.Also, once you keep it on the flame do not over cook it.
      So just avoid above two things and you can get the dark green colour.

  33. Hello Manjulaji…. This recipe is simply and with just a few key ingredients….I am going to make it tonight, but using fresh spinach and fresh tomatoes….would it be possible to use gram flour instead of wheat flour, as I want to make it a bit thicker ?…. I very mush enjoy the way you present your videos…its like my Mum is doing her cooking…great presentation….Thanks once again.

  34. Hello Manjula. I love your videos. The recipe in the video says 1 Tablespoon of ginger but the print beaneath says 1 teaspoon. Which is correct? Thank you!

  35. Great recipe! A question though…

    In the video it looks like you are using flour but the recipe above states that we need to use whole wheat fllour. Which one of the two is to be used?

  36. Hello Manjulaji…. This recipe is simply superb….I made it yesterday and both my son and husband simply loved it….Thankyou so much for giving such easy and simple recipes that taste just fantastic…..

  37. Hello mam,

    You site is a gift. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in such an easy to navigate format. My husband and I have recently decided to become vegetarian, and so I will be returning to your site frequently. We think that this recipe is restaurant quality. Thank you again.

  38. Dear Manjula,

    Thank you very much for posting recipes. I tried two and both came very good. That too I was searching for recipes with no onion and garlic. I foind it here only. Thanks a lot.

  39. I discovered your website this weekend. As a vegetarian, I am always looking for flavorful recipes. I made this along with your recipes for naan, paneer, and allo dum for our Christmas dinner. It was very tasty and my husband loved the meal. Thank you for providing such tasty dishes and I love your videos. Thank you.

  40. This is the 4th or 5th recipe of yours that I have made. Everything has been fantastic! I prepared the recipe as it is written, not as you showed it in the video. I will be making this again for guests – it is one of the best things I’ve ever cooked. Thank you again, Manjula!

  41. Thank you for your great recipes and video. As a Montrealer, I appreciate all the help I can get to make Indian food at home which I love so much. I just would like to tell you that Palak Paneer is now a staples in my home. I made it at lease 5 times now.
    Namaste

  42. hello,
    I would like to say thank you for the great recipes. I am an american who has just married to a man from India and this website makes it much easier to cook dinners for him. The video’s help alot!

  43. hello Mam,
    Thanks for your delicious dishes, i tried your rasmalai style but it was not spongy rest every thing was fine. pls help me to make it spongy

  44. 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!

  45. 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?

  46. 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

    1. 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.

  47. 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

  48. 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.

  49. 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

  50. 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

  51. 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 🙂

  52. 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!!!

  53. I tried palak paneer for Holi and it turned out great. I have tried several other recipes, all had came out really tasty. You really have simple, easy to follow recipes.. thanks so much for sharing your experience in cooking through this website.. you had made cooking so much easy and interesting.

    I really appreciate vegetarian recipes that to without onion and garlic. Your site makes my kitchen life so much easier.

  54. dear manjula aunty,
    i made palak paneer frm ur recapie 2day…n it ws yummy..thnx a lot.but one problem.i made paneer as u told,but it was`nt rolling into balls…it ws brittle.what do i do nxt time?

    1. I think Manjula used cumin seeds when the oil in the second pan starts boiling, but I was wondering about the coriander powder as well. Aunty, please clarify.

  55. hi manjula ji,i luv ur way of cuking.u r just great..i tried many recipes n now i wanna try palak paneer but i want 2 know that spinach is of 2 types. 1st vid large leaves n 2nd vid small leaves,witch 1 u used in this recipe???????the normal indian palak or spinach?????plz reply me as soon as possible.thanx

  56. Hi Manjula,

    Thank you for your recipes and videos. I’ve learned a lot from them.

    A couple questions. Can paneer made with 2% milk be used here?

    Also, you suggest using 1 1/2 cups milk in place of 1/3 cup heavy cream–is this correct? It seems like a lot more liquid would change the character of the dish?

    Thanks,

    Riley

  57. Hullo Manjula Auntie

    I like ur recipes and have tried palak paneer successfully.
    I would like to request few recipes:-

    Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti- I havent found this in any Indian restaurant here. 🙁
    and Malai kofta

    It will be great if you post these recipes.
    Thanks in advance

  58. Thank you for this wonderful recipe Manjula! I was able to make this dish in just under 30 minutes, and it was delicious! I really enjoy your cooking videos.

  59. Dear Manjula,
    I am going to prepare an Indian meal on saturday for 4. This afternoon I made Samosa’s which I will put in the freezer till saturday. I already made paneer for the Palak paneer I am going to serve. I enjoy your recipies so much and also your instructions in the video’s. Thank you Manjula
    Beatrijs

  60. Manjula,
    This is my sister in law’s and my favorite dish.. I made if for the first time and it was incredible. Thank you so much for making this indian cooking so easy.

  61. Hello Auntyji,

    I thought you might like to know that there is a small spelling error in the above recipe – 4 cups of fresh *finely* chopped spinach. It says finally.

    Smiles,

    Shalimar

  62. Dear manjula aunti,
    ur recipes r really wonderful. Thank u verymuch. Now onwards i will not feel any tension if some guests r coming to my house what to to , what to do like that . ur videos r also really helping alot. Till date we r eating all those dishes but today we can make at home on our own. Pls show some pizza varieties and south indian cooking(like sweets and deserts and juices, ice-creams,pickles,etc…). Thank u very much . and thanks to that person who is taking the video with lot of patience.
    thank u we expect some more recipes from u
    Happy Diwali

  63. Thanks once again from Baton Rouge, Louisiana! Recently I took an Indian cooking class, which was fantastic, but this is one recipe that we did not learn, so I was very excited to find this one online. It was delicious; maybe my favorite recipe so far!

      1. Hi Jaya,

        Please do not post any comments/suggestions in response to other viewers’ questions. Your response, regardless of whether helpful or not, is unsolicited. The only replies that matter are those of Manjula. This is, after all, Manjulaskitchen.com.

        – Swapna

        1. Please notice that Priya posted her question TWO weeks ago with no answer.

          Further, this is an OPEN FORUM and all readers are allowed to comment on each other’s questions!

          1. also Swapna, there have been TWO OTHER posters with the screen-name “Jaya” just as an FYI. Duplicate screen-names are not blocked from registering on this site.

          2. Hi Jaya,

            For the forum, please select “Forum” on the menu above so that this space below each recipe is utilized solely for correspondence between Mrs. Jain and the visitors to this site, as intended.

            Thanks for your cooperation.

            – Avanti

  64. Munjulaaunty , r u by any chance a Jain because I am looking at a lot of ur recipies and I see that in your gravys u don’t use
    onions and garlic

  65. Wonderful! This was always my preferred dish in Indian Restaurants, but the one that I made today using your recipe was at least as good as them!!! Thanks a lot for all the work you put in here (I will try other recipes too), and greetings from Germany!

  66. This was delicious – I used my own garam masala instead of just cumin and as we couldn’t find hing, sauteed onion for a few minutes over medium heat with the garam masala, added 2 smashed and minced cloves of garlic for 1 minute. Then added the tomato puree. I didn’t realize the chilis we had were very spicy indonesian hot chilis so the dish was quite fiery but fantastic!
    Also I didn’t have time to make paneer and the shop didn’t have any fresh cheese – so we used ricotta saltata and it was fabulous.
    Thank you so much!!

  67. Dear Manjula

    Just made this recipe and it was superb, the best palak paneer I’ve ever tasted. I replaced the cream with milk (didn’t have cream – and also for health reasons!)

    I’ve tried a number of your recipes and they are consistently excellent – many thanks!

    Chris

  68. hello aunty,i really loved your recipe,but the spinach we get here is frozen n turns bitter n dark green in color when i make palak paneer…..

    any other option?????

  69. This was SO GOOD! I just made this, but used a can of diced tomotoes that I put through the blender to puree. I also made the homemade paneer on your site and put this in the recipe. Superb!! I’ve been to India and love the food and have to say this is better than any restaurant version of palak paneer that I’ve had anywhere in the US! I’m going to make all of your recipes 🙂 Thank you!

  70. Another winner.

    I used
    – 3/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk instead of cream
    – firm tofu instead of paneer.
    Other than that I followed the recipe exactly using fresh spinach blanched and finely
    chopped.

    I like this recipe for its simplicity and the taste of spinach is not overwhelmed by
    the spice ingredients. Compared with the vahrehvah chef’s version this recipe
    takes less time and fewer ingredients.

  71. Hi aunty, i had asked for peda recipe for which i have no reply…

    please do reply…i want to know if i can replace paneer with potatos…

    1. There already is a recipe posted here for Peda. Just curious, but why would you want to replace the paneer with potato?

      You will just have to do it on your own and see how it turns out. I don’t think it is a common practice to substitute potato for paneer in a sweet dish, but it might turn out ok. Let us know!

      Jaya

      1. Hi Aunty,

        I replaced paneer with potato becoz of the cholestral in paneer is more and i dont want much to b eaten by hubby ….i already make paneer based sweets so many from ur site….

        Instead of paneer with potato is also good taste…..i tried and we felt good….I think instead of paneer potato can b added for high end cholestrol people..

  72. Dearest Manjula,
    Thank you so much have having such a great website available for those of us who LOVE indian cuisine!!! I have tried a few of your recipes with much success. My question is can I make the palak paneer ahead of time, refreigerate, and then reheat it?
    Thank youf ro your time and my kids (Josh – 5, and Lexi -2) LOVE your recipes as well..as well as watching Manjula herself cook!! 🙂
    Karen

  73. Hi manjula aunty, I tried the palak paneer recipe , when i add the wheat flour paste to the spinach it does not blend well it forms lumps, can u tell me why? thanks

  74. I was delighted to find your website! I tried this recipe and it went over very well. Tonight I’m trying the garbanzo beans and tomorrow I’m attempting naan. It’s really fantastic to find such a great set of recipes for veggies!! Thankyou for doing this!

  75. hi manjula aunty..
    tried your palak panner recipe yesterday.. it was really really delicious..
    instead of heavy cream i tried using powdered cashew.. it went really well.. thanks for your recipe..

    Anjlee, UK

  76. Hi Aunty,

    I tried your cocunut burfi yday it came out very good.Can you please tell me how to do with fresh spinach instead of frozen.Do i need to grind the fresh spinach as itis or i need to fry itin little bit oil till the raw smell goes and then grind.appreciate your advice.
    Thanks
    roopa.

      1. Dear Manjulaji, I tried palak paneer with fresh spinach but in the food processor it came out finely chopped instead of creamy. I blanched the spinach before using the processor and I tried adding a little hot water to blend it, but no success. Any hints for making the fresh spinach come out creamy? I hope to use your recipe at a dinner party.

  77. Hi Manjulaji
    I have made many dishes watching your videos.And all turned out good.
    Just saw your Palak Paneer and have a question-which heavy cream you used?
    Is it home made or purchased from store?

  78. Manjulaji,
    I am a great fan of yours. I like all the recipes of yours. I have tried a couple of them and they came out very well.
    Can we add rice flour instead of whole wheat flour

    -thanks
    Sree

  79. Dear Manjula Aunty,

    The method of how to make Palak Paneer is different from the way you make it in your video. My question is, if I follow the method, will it still become as nice as the one you show in your video?
    Thank you for your reply.

  80. Hello,

    Thank you for your recipe – is it possible to substitute whole milk for heavy cream? I am sorry to be so audacious as to suggest a substitution before trying the recipe in its original form.

    Thank you,
    ML

    1. The recipe now says that you can substitute the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of milk, not sure if that was added before or after your comment. The purpose of the cream is as one of the thickeners for the dish. The heavy cream only requires 1/3 cup, so by adding 1 1/2 cups of milk, it essentially means that you’re still adding the same amount of fat content (which thickens the sauce), so if you have access to heavy cream you might as well just use that.

      1. Whole milk usually doesn’t contain more than 4% fat… 1.5 cups of whole milk, therefore, would contain about 15 grams of fat, at most.

        Heavy cream, on the other hand, is about 35% fat… a third of a cup (about 85 ml) would contain more than 30 grams of fat.

        What really thickens the sauce is the flour or cornstarch, which creates a kind of roux (not just with the dairy fat, but also with the vegetable oil in the recipe) when you cook it.

        Not trying to be rude, just trying make sure others understand your calculation, guess, or assumption is erroneous.

  81. This is wonderful when avocado and/or green peas are added. Gives a nice green color. I also add onions in the beginning with the jeera, and garnish with fresh cilantro at the end.
    AMAZING…!

    erik

  82. I tried your recipe and it came out really well. I made this recipe with fresh methi (I like the bitter taste of methi) instead of palak and tasted really good. After trying “Kadai Paneer” from your site this is the second dish which I tried yeaterday and both taste yummy…

  83. hello, i was wondering what hing or asafetida is. im planning to make this, but i dont know what it is, or where to get it, and is it possible to completely omit this ingredient?

  84. Hello,
    Thanks for this reciepe…. your website is very helpful for bachelors like us living abroad… I am in Boston and believe me cooking is a nightmare for me…. but your site comes handy and helpful…
    Thanks a lot

  85. Manjula,

    I spent a month in Jaipur with a Jain family earlier this year. There I had some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life. I have been searching for authentic recipes for some of my favorite dishes since then. I have made several of your recipes now and all have been great. Thank you very much for the effort you put into this site!

  86. Hello Manjula-ji,

    I followed you recipe for Palak Paneer and it turned out perfect. All my friends liked it a lot !! Have tried many of your other recepies too ! You make everything look so simple and do-able..Thanks for all the effort..!

  87. Hi Manjula,

    Thank you for creating these excellent videos. I am making the Palak Paneer for dinner tonight; this in one of my favorite dishes. I appreciate how you show every step in the cooking process, it helps me make sure I’m doing it right. Again thanks and I look forward to creating more of these tasty dishes.

  88. I’m a pretty proficient cook, you might call me an amateur gourmet (paradoxical, I know) but I have never made palak paneer before. I followed Manjula’s recipe for the most part and it turned out great. I added a little bit of pureed garlic, and toasted ground cumin.Instead of blending the palak beforehand, I added the frozen spinach to the fried tomato mixture and added a little bit of water. Once it cooked down I blended it with a handheld immersion blender dirctly in the pot. I also used half and half instead of heavy cream and added butter to make it creamier. I was very pleased with the results and will be trying some of her other recipes.

  89. Hello:
    “Mix ginger, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chili powder with tomato puree and put aside.”

    In the video, you put the spices in the oil first and then added the tomato puree. Wouldn’t that be better so as to release the flavor more from the spices? Or does it make no difference.

    Thanks

  90. Hi – I really love your website and the step by step video instructions. I love Indian food and you make indian cooking very easy to do for non-Indians like me.

  91. Hi Sonika,
    This is one of those dishes that garam masala would taste good in. If you have a preference for garam masala (like I do), just add it in at the end just before the cream.
    Jaya

  92. Hi Yasmin,
    Manjula shows how to make paneer at home. See her video under the Category “Paneer” titled “how to make paneer”. It’s easy to make.
    Since you are in Malaysia, see if you can find an Indian grocery store you should be able to buy blocks of packaged paneer in the refridgerated section. This is an option if you don’t want to make it yourself.
    Hope this helps you.

  93. Hi Manjula
    I love ur videos!
    Nway, for this palak paneer recipe..I live in Malaysia..and i do not know where to get this paneer from..Do help..I so want to try out your recipe soon!

  94. Hello Manjula, I have just discovered your videos and website… wonderful! Thankyou for doing it!
    I have a question about frying the paneer. I make my own, and when I fry it, it melts in the hot oil… is there anything I can do about this, or is it just my paneer is different to store bought?!
    Thanks again, Lucy.

  95. Hello Sue, it is a good idea to make more for later use and every thing you say you did sounds fine if I am using fresh spinach after washing take out the water and I will chop them using food processor that gives little creamy texture. Fresh spinach comes out better then frozen, usually people make mistake adding too much or too little salt. Sorry I have not been a big help just can not figure out where you wnt wrong.

  96. OK so I attempted to make the dish

    And I did horrible

    The paneer I did perfect just like in the video

    where I went wrong was because I was trying to use 3 bags of fresh spiniach
    i over estimated my tomatoe usage

    and put a whole can of crushed tomatoes in
    and i used maybe 6 tbl spoons of floor and one large cup of milk

    i think i did ok guessing the other amounts

    but What would you say are the more acurate amounts of measurement on a larger scale cooking attempt

    for example four pounds of fresh spinach

    the reason why i made so much is i work all week no time to cook

    also should i take the dish and try and rinse some of the tomatoe out of the sauce with water

  97. Hi Manjula!

    My name is Sue and I live in London Ontario Canada

    And about a month ago I discovered your You Tube videos and I swear by them and refuse to watch anyone eles!

    =)

    Today Saturday May 17th(sisters b-day) I’m going to make my first palak paneer dish ever.

    I love your advice on buying the pre made paneer and I was able to find some at the Indo-Asian Grocers near my home.

    I can’t wait to get started and I absolutely love your website, it looks fabulous!

    Best,

    Sue

  98. Mrs. Jain: Do you have a brand of store-bought paneer you prefer? Also, do you make your own paneer very often? Just curious. I enjoy making it, but mine always seems to spatter more than the store-bought kind when frying…

  99. Hi Manjula Ji,
    I love palak paneer and after watching u r video i felt i too can prepare. I tried today and it is so tasty. Thank u so much for u r receipee.

  100. Hi! I just found your site while looking for a palak paneer recipe with which to use up my paneer.
    My paneer had unfortunately already gone bad, so I ended up substituting with pressed tofu. It didn’t fry as well as paneer, and the taste wasn’t quite as good, but I actually prefered the texture. I also used coconut milk instead of heavy cream, making it entirely vegan. The spices were heavy enough to mask any coconut flavor.
    I didn’t have any tumeric, and I used canned, chopped tomatoes, and didn’t bother pureeing them, but those were the only other deviations from your recipe.
    I think I oversalted it a little, but it still tasted fantastic (and we had plenty of basmati rice with which to mix it). My father and I ate it with some fried gota, and we plan on making it again.
    Thanks for the recipe; I’m definitely planning on looking at some of your other ones!

  101. Hi, I love your recipes! Thank you! I have 2 questions about your palak paneer recipe.

    1. I want to use the fresh spinach leaves from my garden instead of the frozen store-bought package. With fresh spinach, do I need to cook or puree it before I add to the oil, spices, tomato puree mixture?

    2. I think there are some small differences between the YouTube video and the written recipe. I think in the video you did not use any coriander, you used more ginger (1 TBL instead of 1 tsp), you put in red chiles (but not in written recipe), and you did the flour differently (use whole wheat flour and combine it with cream; in video you just combined flour with water).

    So I was just wondering if these things make any difference to how it turns out.
    Thanks again!

  102. hi manjula ji
    i love your recipes. would you like to tell me which cream is the best in market.can we make cream at home. or is there any substitute of cream in palak paneer.
    thanx

  103. Manjula Aunty,

    I tried your recipe – Palak Paneer. It came good.

    Panner will add weight to our body – so I am thinking instead of Paneer if we can replace it with Cauliflower or Aloo. Your suggestions please ?

    And, Thanks for your recipe.

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