How to make Palak paneer from scratch | Spinach cooked with cottage cheese and indian spices|Restaurant style palak paneer from scratch

Palak paneer(spinach with cottage cheese) is the most sought after vegetarian curry .Tender leaves of palak(spinach) are cooked with spices and blended to puree and served with shallow fried pieces of paneer .It really goes well with any kind of Indian flat breads but tastes awesome with tandoori roti or naan.Palak paneer is a one pot curry and can be made under 30 minutes .



Baby spinach or tender spinach is preferred as the fibrous ones would hinder the smoothness of the curry .For a rich version of the curry you can add 2 tbsp of cream too .Palak paneer is one of the favourites of my princess .The left overs would find their way in lunch box with yummy home made paratha.

Step wise tutorial for palak paneer

Preparation time:10 minutes

Cooking time:20 minutes

Serves:4 

Ingredients for palak paneer

• 200 gms- baby spinach or tender palak
• 200 gms/20 cubes- paneer /cottage cheese
• 1 - onion(medium)
• 3- cloves garlic
• 1 inch- ginger
• 1- tomato (small)
• 2 - green chillies
• 2 tbsp-  sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp- butter + for frying paneer
• 1 1/2 tsp - garam masala powder
• 12 - cashew nuts
• 1/2 tsp -kasuri methi powder
• 1/2 tsp- cumin powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Instructions to make palak paneer

1.If you are not using tender spinach then pluck away the fibrous stem and thoroughly wash spinach      of any mud or silt under running water .

2.Roughly chop spinach and place in a colander to drain the excess water.If using frozen paneer thaw      it to room temperature.

3.To a pan add oil,once the oil gets heated add roughly chopped garlic ,green chillies and cashew nuts.

4.Saute for 30 seconds.  Now add chopped tomato and cook until the tomato is mushy

5..Add spinach and saute it until it gets wilted.

6.Switch off the flame and transfer it to blender/or with a hand blender puree it to a smooth                    consistency .

7.Add butter to the same pan in which spinach was cooked .Once butter is melted add the spinach          puree ,followed by remaining spices.

8.Meanwhile take a slightly greased pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes until golden brown Stir it         and add  the pieces of pan fried paneer to the gravy.

9.If the curry is too thin  then simmer it to desired consistency.

10.Serve hot with desired Indian flat breads.