Palak Paneer

Silky spinach curry with fresh Indian cheese. Restaurant-quality at home.

Ingredients

• 400g fresh spinach (or 2 frozen blocks, thawed and squeezed)
• 200g paneer, cubed
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1-inch ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 cup cream or Greek yogurt
• Salt
• Butter to finish

Directions

1. Blanch spinach 2 min in boiling water. Ice bath immediately. Drain and blend smooth with garlic, ginger, and chilies.
2. Sauté onion until golden, add tomatoes, cook down 10 min.
3. Add turmeric and cook 1 min. Cool slightly and blend onion-tomato mixture smooth.
4. Heat oil in pan, fry cumin seeds. Return blended tomato mixture to pan.
5. Add spinach purée. Stir, cook 5 min.

Add cream/yogurt, garam masala, nutmeg, and salt.

1. Pan-fry or bake paneer cubes until golden. Add to curry.
2. Finish with a pat of butter.

Notes

Blanching and immediately icing the spinach preserves its brilliant green color. Over-blending the spinach makes it gray.