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 .

Lauki barfi |How to make lauki barfi from scratch |Bottle guard and milk fudge

Where am I? you must have been thinking where am I lost .Though The kids have started their school after winter break I am yet to come off my hibernation mode .Blame the season-chilled mornings or my schedule to stay in bed while the holidays .By the time I wake up it would be rush -hush hour to complete the daily chores and accomplish the kitchen target .Trying to get things back to normal ,In sha Allah very soon ......I think its enough of the blabbering and let us come to the point(post).

Choco-paneer truffles

As soon as you as you read the name of the recipe you might be thinking Paneer(cottage cheese) and truffles!!!!.We all have tasted various savoury variations of paneer ,but this time I wanted to have some thing different may be this is the effect of watching master chef .....:)

My kids love truffles ,I think every one loves truffles ,the smooth melt in the mouth truffles are hard to resist with one .S was saying "Mom you haven't made truffles since long time ,please mom, make some this weekend."If a pickey eater demands some thing ,then  the demand must be met immediately right!!  ....right .

Since last week they had been on sweets in some or the other way .As they are in the exam mode I wanted some thing healthy and nourishing and they should never miss the taste of truffles ..:).After thinking of so many variations  ,finally jumped to the conclusion that this time I am going to try with paneer .This idea was inspired by the show band -baaja-buffet on food food channel.Paneer with nuts was served with chocolate fondue to the baaratis on the menu .

For this recipe home made paneer(cottage cheese) works better in fact I must say best ,As we have to incorporate the nuts in it ,store bought paneer is highly not recommended  in it .It stayed well in the fridge for 5 days may be it would stay more.... but it was clean bowled .I did not reveal the contents of the truffle  ,and kept them guessing ....Every one mistook it to chocolate .....!!!!

So go ahead and make the truffle with a Desi twist .............

Tandoori paneer tikka

Paneer  always is a vegetarians first love.If you are hosting some vegetarian guests then the first thing that  clicks while deciding the menu is "paneer".

Paneer aka Indian cottage cheese is preferred as an healthier option for its high source of protein and calcium .Its a versatile ingredient and a must in the Indian household .The best paneer is the one made at home .since I have  stared making it I have never turned to the store ones .This recipe too I have used the home made paneer .

It provides endless variations as starter, in gravies or stuffed in parathas .you can even try the Mutter paneer .Kids love paneer the most because of its silky ,smooth and melt in the mouth texture .

Tandoori paneer tikka  is ,cubes of paneer marinated with tandoori spices ,yogurt and grilled to perfection .

Lets start cooking .......

Paneer

Paneer aka Indian cottage cheese is a household name for Indians.It is a vegetarians  protein supplement it contains all the proteins needed for the body.this North Indian dish because of its succulent,creamy  nature has become a heart throb of all irrespective of their regions .Even if we go to south Indian restaurant we can see the paneer dishes in the menu ,which shows how popular it is among the foodies.

The store paneer could not satisfy my taste buds.some had really horrible smell ,the other seemed as if all the milk fat was extracted and the residue was sold as paneer.....disgusting."Don't u agree with me"? after trying all the popular brands,I ended with trying it at home.

 Trust me once u get used to the home made paneer u will never turn back to the store brougt ones.More over it is fresh with out any additives or preservatives,unlike the packed ones,which is the best part of it.It is aversatile ingredient .can be added to a.gravy ,as an appetiser ,now a days fusion dishes    ......  r very popular,

bring out the creative being in u and explore the possibilities. S (daughter) loves paneer  so I often make it for her.So ...what are u waiting for?Just follow the recipe and u can master the art of making paneer at home....here u go......

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Litre full fat milk
• 2 1/2- 3 tsp vinegar

                 

        

                METHOD

• 1.  Pour the milk in a pan ,bring it to rolling boil.  
  2. Switch off the burner .dilute vinegar with equal parts of water.
  3.  Add vinegar to the milk and give a stir do not stir too much.
  4. Let it stand for a few seconds.Now u can see the water(whey) separating from milk solids .
  5. Tie a muslin cloth over a vessel,strain the curdled  milk through it.
  6. Tie  a knot of the muslin cloth and hang it for around 1/2 an hour or until the water has completely drained out.
  7. Place this muslin cloth with paneer inside under a heavy weight for 40 -45 minutes ,may be a mortar or some thing heavy. 
  8. Now u can see the water has completely drained out and the paneer ball has flattened.
  9. Remove it slowly from the cloth and place it in the refrigerator for atleast 1 hour.  
  10. Now cut it into desired shapes  .......and ur paneer is ready to use.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  NOTES

  
  

  • Always use full fat milk for making paneer .Increase the milk as per your requirement,1/2 litre milk yeilds 15-20 pieces of milk.
  • The quantity of vinegar dependS on the quality of it.
  • I use natural white vinegar (from sugarcane).
  • If the milk isn't curdled  add a little more vinegar  .
  • Too much vinegar makes the paneer sour, so be careful.
  • If u want crumbled paneer u can use directly after step 6.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  happy cooking...........

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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