Paneer Paalak
Palak paneer or cottage cheese and Spinach curry
Ingredients
- Spinach ½ kg
- Onion 1 large size
- Tomatoes 3
- Green chillies 3-4
- Ginger
- Garlic 8-9 cloves
- Salt as per taste
- Turmeric powder
- Coriander powder ½ tbsp
- Garam masala powder ½ tsp
- Cottage cheese (Paneer) 150 gm
Method
- Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly. Blanch in hot water or boil with half cup of water in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. This alters the color of spinach but this is how many Sindhis cook spinach.
- Drain and cool the spinach.Using pulse mode of Mixer grinder, blend the spinach. Donot make a very soft puree. Keep is aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker/ kadai and add sliced onions and saute till well caramelised (Brown color). Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chillies towards the end of caramelisation.
- Switch off the gas, take out the mix in a bowl/plate and allow it to cool. There may be some oil left in the vessel. It will be used in the cooking later on.
- Grind the onions tomato paste till smooth.
- Pour this paste back in the pressure cooker (with the leftover oil) or Kadai. Do add a tsp of oil if needed. Add Salt to taste.
- Add turmeric, coriander powder and sprinkle some water, if needed and cook till the mixture leaves oil.
- Finally add pureed spinach, mix it properly, add little water and pressure cook it till 5-7 whistles or if cooking in a kadai, cook for 10-12 minutes on medium to low flame.
- Now add salted paneer cubes, either raw or fried and simmer the curry for about 5 min.
- Paneer palak is ready to serve, either with Rotis or Pulav
- But if you need to have that authentic Sindhi experience, eat it with hot and spicy Bhugha chanvar .
Hey bhabhi:
Tried the receipe…but made 2 changes ..
I just blanch the spinach before making paste.(after boiling i add the palak in cold water) and then pury it..it retains the fresh green color and with spices mentioned above i added 1teaspoon of kasuri methi..
Also cn u pls post “ganthiyan ji bhaji” ..i am craving for it from long time..but dont knw hw to cook it 🙁
Thanks u Alka, for this awesome recipe. We Loved it very much. I just made with 300g of spinach and added 125 gm of paneer to it, added little chilli powder and milk at end. Rest all, halved ur recipe. Thank to so much!
Hi
I love your recipes! My grandma used to cook “besan ji bhaji” or “aaniyoon ji bhaji”. Sadly, I am unable to reproduce this dish accurately! The tikkis are way too hard 🙁
If possible, please post a recipe! Thanks,