Palak Paneer – Indian Spinach Curry with Cheese Recipe

Palak Paneer is the final word and best-known Indian spinach curry, made with golden pan-fried items of cheese (paneer). For a recipe this particular, I can’t endorse shortcuts. This model is made fully from scratch – together with the paneer cheese!

And … whereas we’re at it, welcome to Indian Week right here at RecipeTin Eats!!

🌶 Welcome to Indian week!! 🌶

Palak Paneer is a recipe I’ve been busting to nail for years now. I’m thrilled it’s lastly able to share with you. So to have fun, I’ve determined to declare this week as Indian week!

This week there might be three model new, iconic Indian recipes to make your very personal Indian feast:

1. Palak Paneer – This recipe, together with do-it-yourself paneer (the cheese!)

2. Naan – Lastly, lastly, lastly! FIVE YEARS within the making!

3. Samosas – Oh sure we did … and it’s AMAZING!!!

Plus a vibrant facet salad – a Cabbage & Carrot Thoran-style Salad!

Word the intense and extreme use of exclamation marks right here … a small indicator of the extent of pleasure and work that has gone into these recipes. I hope you get pleasure from them!

Whereas there are a lot of curries throughout the Indian subcontinent made with spinach, none are most likely as well-known internationally as Palak Paneer – a dish of chunks of a contemporary cottage cheese, known as paneer, swimming in a lush sauce made with contemporary spinach. The spinach offers the sauce a naturally thick and creamy consistency, and palak paneer’s signature deep, jungle-green hue.

This is without doubt one of the milder Indian curries on the market, each in warmth and spice depth. The mild spicing from fenugreek, cumin and coriander performs properly with the fragile spinach flavour, with out overwhelming it. In the meantime, the paneer are like little creamy sponges that suck up all these tasty flavours within the sauce!

Admittedly, I used to suppose palak paneer was type of boring – till I realised I’d by no means actually had an important one. This curry is something however boring when carried out proper. It’s distinctive amongst curries with its creamy inexperienced sauce. It’s stuffed with nourishing goodness and is full of layers of flavour. And it’s utterly vegetarian besides.

This can be a curry that may actually please nearly everybody. Whether or not it’s children or card-carrying carnivores, I problem you to seek out somebody who’ll flip their nostril as much as palak paneer when it’s this good!

The 2 elements of Palak Paneer are:

1. Paneer – The contemporary Indian cheese – we’re making it from scratch (it’s simple!); and

2. Spinach Curry Sauce – Made with contemporary spinach. LOTS of it!!!

1. Paneer – Contemporary Indian Cheese

Nowadays, you should purchase it – however I implore you, don’t! Whereas do-it-yourself paneer does take a little bit of time to make, it’s easy. It’s simply milk and lemon, and also you don’t want any particular gear. Most significantly, it’s far superior to store-bought paneer.

Retailer-bought paneer is tough and dry and type of spongey. It’s extra like dangerous feta in texture than what paneer ought to be. Selfmade Paneer however is delicate and creamy, and true delight to eat!

That is all it’s worthwhile to make do-it-yourself Paneer: simply milk and lemon juice or vinegar.

I’ve posted the recipe for Methods to Make Paneer individually for ease of studying.

In addition to higher outcomes, you’ll get an unlimited sense of satisfaction from making your individual cheese!

2. Spinach Curry (Palak)

Right here’s what you want for the Spinach Curry:

PLUS, in fact, SPINACH!!

You want a LOT of spinach to make Spinach Curry. Like critically, A LOT. As in 5 BIG bunches to yield 700g/1.4lb of leaves in whole. Sure.

You’ll need to choose the leaves, wash and dry them, then chop them.

I’m not going to lie – I used to be over this job by the fifth (sixth? seventh?) batch of palak paneer.

And I do know, I do know. The very first thing you’re questioning is simpler alternate options. Frozen spinach? Baggage of pre washed child spinach? I attempted ’em all. It’s not the identical, imagine me – extra on this beneath!

Simpler spinach choices – however why in addition they fall brief

I used to be by no means going to publish Palak Paneer with out attempting out extra handy spinach alternate options! Right here’s what I discovered:

• Child spinach – Helpful dandy, wouldn’t or not it’s, if we might simply use massive luggage of pre-washed child spinach? Regretfully, the end result was barely satisfactory. Child spinach is simply too delicate, so that you simply don’t find yourself with any texture within the sauce in any respect. It additionally has little or no spinach flavour. We ended up what appeared like a pot of inexperienced smoothie. It was simply unhappy – and barely edible….

• Frozen spinach – This works, however you find yourself with about 1/3 of the ultimate curry amount! It additionally has a diluting impact on flavours which it’s worthwhile to account for.

  To realize the identical flavour as per written recipe, use 250g/8oz frozen spinach rather than 700g/1.4lb of contemporary spinach leaves. Add thawed frozen spinach rather than contemporary spinach, together with the surplus water leeched by the thawed spinach, and solely prepare dinner for 3 minutes. Proceed with recipe.

  Basically, frozen spinach is 3 occasions extra densely packed than cooked down contemporary spinach which is why you find yourself with a lot much less. Additionally, the sauce might be thicker and paler, and the spinach flavour shouldn’t be fairly as pronounced. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless very tasty – you simply wind up with a LOT much less!!

The steps beneath depict the steps for making the Palak Paneer. See the method steps within the separate Paneer recipe for find out how to make the do-it-yourself cheese.

2. Onion and spices – The curry begins by sautéing onion with the spices, to coax the flavours from the spices. A big pot is one of the best cooking vessel – you’ll thank me if you get to the spinach half! The onion ought to be cooked till delicate however not golden;

3. Garlic, ginger and tomato – Subsequent we prepare dinner off the garlic and ginger. It’ll already be smelling wonderful, now take it to a different degree!! Subsequent, tomato. This primarily deglazes the pot (ie. loosens the tasty golden flavours caught to the bottom of the pot) and provides slightly physique;

4. Wilt spinach – Then we add the spinach and prepare dinner it till wilted. You’ll want so as to add the spinach in 3 batches. That’s: Add, wilt. Add, wilt. And so forth, till all of the spinach is in. Proceed to prepare dinner it for 10 minutes extra to melt;

5. Cream and lemon juice are then added and cooked for 3 minutes. The cream provides a contact of richness, however not an excessive amount of. In the meantime the lemon brings a contact of welcome freshness and a few spine tang;

6. Blitz half – Take away half the spinach combination, puree utilizing a stick blender and return into the pot. I prefer to puree simply half in order to retain some texture within the sauce. You’ll discover some recipes, and even some eating places, puree the sauce utterly. I personally don’t get pleasure from that texture – it’s an excessive amount of like a smoothie! Having some spinach texture within the sauce is a lot extra nice and attention-grabbing;

7. Stir in pureed spinach – The sauce ought to be fairly thick now;

8. Pan-fry paneer – Pan-fry the paneer in ghee or butter till golden. Color = flavour, and paneer is not any exception to this rule! The added bonus is that the paneer holds collectively higher as soon as pan-fried so that you don’t have to deal with it as delicately when stirred into the curry;

9. Add golden paneer into the Spinach Curry; then

10. Gently stir – and also you’re carried out! Word the sauce is intentionally fairly thick, it’s not as unfastened as different curries like Butter Chicken. However nor ought to or not it’s so thick that it’s like a paste. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to loosen it up, taking care to not dilute the flavour.

Serve with Basmati Rice, or add a facet of fluffy, bubbly and buttery naan which is coming your method on Wednesday. Although in case you’re out of yeast / don’t have rising time, whip up a fast batch of Simple No Yeast Flatbreads, which is my helpful backup to actual naan!

As a common notice, in case you might be questioning (as a result of I used to be!), Palak Paneer is extra spinach curry and fewer paneer. I all the time had it in my head that there was masses extra Paneer in it, however really, there isn’t heaps. I realise now that it’d be an excessive amount of of factor if there was any extra paneer, and this fashion the sauce actually shines because the the opposite star of the present as a lot because the paneer.

Should you do need extra cheese – and I actually don’t blame you – simply scale up the Paneer recipe. It’s no extra effort to make extra!

Simply to restate, it’s Indian Week right here on RecipeTin Eats!! This week I’m sharing a collection of name new Indian recipes so you can also make your very personal Indian feast.

This Wednesday, I’ll be sending you it’s essentially the most magical naan recipe of your life – fluffy and chewy and bubbly, appropriately plus an unbelievable Indian Thoran-Fashion Cabbage Salad I’ve been consuming obsessively all week.

And on Friday, we’ve SAMOSAS!!! I’m so thrilled about this one. These little infants are utterly irresistible!

I hope you get pleasure from this week’s recipe bounty as a lot as I’ve creating, photographing and filming them!! All of the washing up concerned however – not a lot … 😂 – Johnsat x

Palak Paneer – Indian Spinach Curry with Cheese Recipe

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 45 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 510 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 batch homemade Paneer (Indian fresh cheese; recipe linked below)
• 30g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter (for pan frying, Note 2)
• 30g/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter (Note 2)
• 1 1/2 onions , finely chopped (brown or yellow)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (whole) (Note 3)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3/4 tsp salt , kosher/cooking salt (if using table salt, reduce by 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger , finely grated (20g)
• 2 tomatoes , peeled, seeded and diced (Note 4)
• 1 green chilli , finely sliced (cayenne, Note 5)
• 700g/ 1.4lb fresh spinach leaves (English spinach) , thoroughly washed and roughly chopped (~9 cups very tightly packed) (Note 6)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cream (pure, heavy or thickened)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Saute onion & spices: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened but not golden.
2. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato and chilli, cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat.
4. Add spinach: Add about 1/3 of the spinach – or as much as you can handle in the pot (!) – and stir until wilted. Then add more spinach along with the water, cook again until wilted. Repeat until all the spinach is wilted.
5. Cook 10 minutes: Cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes still on a medium heat.
6. Cream & lemon: Add the cream and lemon juice. Cook, stirring gently, for 3 minutes.
7. Puree half spinach: Remove half the spinach into a tall container and blend it to a puree using a stick blender. Pour pureed spinach back into the pot, and stir to combine.
8. Add Pan Fried Paneer: Gently stir in golden pan-fried paneer (see below). Stir gently to mix through.
9. Serve over basmati rice with fluffy, chewy homemade naan on the side!
10. Cut paneer into 1.25cm / ½" thick slices. Then cut each slice into 2.5cm x 2 x 1.25cm thick pieces / 1 x ⅘" x ½" pieces – approximately!
11. Melt half the ghee or butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
12. Place half the paneer in the pan and cook for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes until light golden – I tend to make it deep golden because colour = more flavour, but traditional is just a hint of gold Turn, then cook the other side until light golden.
13. Remove onto paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining butter and paneer. Use per recipe.

Notes

1. Paneer – This is a fresh cheese used in Indian cooking. Even though nowadays you can buy it at stores, homemade is superior by a long shot. It’s softer, with a much more creamy texture (store-bought is hard and dry). It’s easy to make, it’s just milk curdled with lemon juice or vinegar, then strained. Recipe here.
2. Ghee is clarified butter, one of the traditional fats used in Indian cooking. It is simply butter without the water and milk solids, so you have pure butter fat. It has a more intense flavour than butter. Either buy it, make it (it’s easy and keeps for months) or just use normal butter!
3. Fenugreek seeds – Available at stores that carry a decent range of spices. I found it at Harris Farms (Australia). Also, of course, at Indian grocery stores! They are used whole in this recipe. Don’t worry they soften through cooking so you will not bite down on one and break a tooth!
4. How to peel tomatoes (easily) – Cut a cross in the base of the tomato and cut out a small circle from the stem end. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then put tomatoes in for 30 seconds. The skin will start curl away from the cut. Remove, put in bowl of cold water (just from the tap is fine). Then the skin will easily peel off. Scoop out watery seeds, then finely chop and use per recipe.
If you are in a hurry, you can use 3/4 cup of canned crushed tomato instead.
5. Green chilli – Use a large green chilli (cayenne) so it’s not too spicy.
6. Spinach – This recipe is best made using bunches of fresh true spinach, known as English Spinach.
You will need ~5 large bunches weighing 1.25 kg in total in order to get ~700g/1.4lb of spinach leaves. Yes, that is a lot – but think of all the nutrition you’re getting in!
Pick off the leaves, weigh out 700g/1.4lb. Wash thoroughly (spinach leaves are notoriously dirty!). Then dry and chop.
Baby spinach – I tried it, it’s too delicate to work here. The spinach sauce just turns into a green smoothie, and it has no texture nor much flavour.
Frozen spinach – This works, but you end up with about 1/3 of the recipe quantity and have to account for flavour dilution! To achieve the same flavour as per written recipe, use 250g/8oz frozen spinach for the entire recipe (ie. in place of 700g/1.4lb of fresh spinach leaves). Add thawed frozen spinach in place of fresh spinach, including the excess water leeched by the thawed spinach, and only cook for 3 minutes. Proceed with recipe. See more in post about frozen spinach and why the batch size is so much smaller.
7. Pan-fried paneer – While you are welcome to use paneer that has not been pan-fried, you’ll find that raw paneer is a bit delicate and prone to crumbling when stirred into curries. Once pan-fried, it sets better so it’s not as delicate. Plus, that golden crust is so good!
8. Storage – This curry will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge, but the spice flavour does start to fade. It’s best consumed freshly made, or the next day.

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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