Jayanthi's Indian Recipes: Palak paneer

Palak paneer is a dish my children enjoy. During winters we get very fresh bunches of small palak variety. Yesterday I picked two bunches and cleaned them. Keep it in a big bucket of water for about 15 minutes to get rid of all mud and any dirt. Remove the leaves into a colander. You can use that water for plants.

We at times have a small harvest of palak from garden.

Today, cut it into small pieces for making palak paneer.

Palak paneer

Ingredients

2 bunches of palak

400 grams paneer cubed

For tadka

3 pods of garlic

1 small onion

2 green chillies (optional)

2 tablespoon of ghee

For dry masalas

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon jeera powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 tablespoon of coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon of garam masala

Salt as required

Method

*Wash, clean,cut and blanch palak. Use a hand blender to puree it. Keep aside.

* Peel and cut onion, garlic and green chilies. Use a small kadai to saute using little ghee. Keep aside.

*Use the same kadai for roasting the cubed paneer.Now add the sauteed onions and garlic, mix well.

*Add the paneer, onion garlic and green chilies to the pureed palak. Mix well.

*Add the dry masalas. Give a quick mixing of all the ingredients.

*Transfer to a serving bowl. Add a tablespoon of cream.

*Mix well before serving.

Serve with phulkas,naan or any Indian bread.

I enjoy palak paneer and dahi, many times reduce eating rice and roti.

Recipe 2

Variation : Added fried brinjals

I tried to create a new dish today with paneer, palak and brinjal. It was fun and I realised they do taste good as a trio!

Ingredients

2 bunches of Palak
5 Brinjal
200 grams of Paneer
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2:tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Jeera powder
1/2:tsp ofAmchur powder
Cinnamon stick a small piece
2 crushed Elachi
Butter a small cube
75 grams Cream
1tablespoon Ghee
1/2 tsp Kasuri methi

Method

A few bunches of palak, brinjal and paneer. The challenge before me is to make a tasty dish with these ingredients.

* I first washed and throughly cleaned palak using water, as there will be plenty of sand.

*Then slit brinjal into four, deep fried it in oil.

*Added a little butter, cubed paneer and roasted them using a little turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.

*Roughly chopped palak, cooked with a little salt, used blender to make a coarse paste.

*In a heated kadai pour a little oil, add cinnamon stick and crushed elachi let it release aroma, add palak, cook for a few minutes.

*Reduce flame, add turmeric, salt, coriander, red chilli powder, amchur powder, garam masala, jeera powder add roasted brinjals and paneer. Mix in.

*Coat paneer and brinjal with palak gravy. Now add cream and mix in. Adjust salt and do a quick tadka of ghee and crushed kasuri methi. Serve with phulkas.

Isn't something new and interesting? Happy cooking!