Palak Paneer

Method

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1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Drop in the spinach and green chillies, cook for exactly 60 seconds, then lift straight into a bowl of iced water.

   Mark done

2. Drain, squeeze gently and blend the spinach and chillies to a coarse purée with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Set aside.

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3. Pat the paneer dry. Fry the cubes in 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium-high heat for 2 minutes a side until golden, then transfer to a bowl of warm salted water — this keeps them soft rather than squeaky.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

4. In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee and pop the cumin seeds for 20 seconds.

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5. Add the onion and fry for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, then the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

6. Add the tomatoes, ground coriander, turmeric and salt, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes collapse and the oil separates.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

7. Lower the heat and stir in the spinach purée. Cook for only 4 to 5 minutes — long cooking here is what dulls the colour.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

8. Stir in the cream, garam masala, lemon juice and the kasuri methi crushed between your palms.

   Mark done

9. Drain the paneer and fold it in. Warm through for 2 minutes and serve.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Soaking fried paneer in warm salted water is the restaurant trick that keeps it pillowy.
• Use mature spinach rather than baby leaf; it has more flavour and less water.
• For a vegan version, swap paneer for firm tofu and the cream for cashew cream.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• A dry Riesling or a mango lassi
• Serve with garlic naan or jeera rice
• Follow with kheer

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days. Freezing dulls both colour and texture, so make it fresh. Reheat gently without boiling.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.