North Indian Vegetarian

Palak Paneer

Name: Palak Paneer
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 500 g fresh spinach (palak), thick stems removed; 2 green chillies; Ice water; 250 g paneer, cut into cubes; 2 tbsp ghee or oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 medium tomato, finely chopped; ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; ½ tsp garam masala; 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed; 2 tbsp fresh cream (plus more to serve); Salt to taste; 1 tbsp ghee; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; A pinch of Kashmiri chilli powder

Bright green palak paneer: blanched spinach blended into a smooth, gently spiced gravy with soft paneer — and the trick to keep it vibrant.

By Dhruv Agrawat

North IndianPalak Paneer

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Serves: 4
Effort: Easy

Palak paneer should be a vivid green, not a murky olive. The trick is simple: blanch the spinach for just two minutes, shock it in ice water to lock in the colour, and add the purée at the very end so it only warms through.

Method

Blanch and blend the spinach

Cook the masala

Finish

Tips that make the difference

Blanch for 2 minutes, not more — overcooked spinach turns dark and bitter.
Add the spinach last and only warm it through; long boiling kills the colour.
A few leaves of fresh methi or a handful of coriander in the blender adds depth.
For a vegan version, swap paneer for tofu and cream for cashew cream.

More North Indian recipes

Loading recipes…

Theme