Rosys Palak Paneer Food

PALAK PANEER RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse the palak or spinach leaves very well in running water. Tender stem are fine. If the stems are stringy, then discard the stems.
• Boil 3 cups water in a pan or microwave or electric heater. Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the hot water and stir. When the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame. Add the spinach leaves in the hot water. Let the palak leaves sit in the water for about 1 minute.
• After 1 minute, using a pasta tong, take the leaves.
• Immediately add the palak or spinach leaves in a pan or bowl containing ice cold water. This method helps in preserving the green color of the spinach. Just add 8 to 10 ice cubes to 3 cups water to get cold water. Allow the spinach leaves to be in the cold water for a minute.
• Then drain the ice cold water. Add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies.
• Make a smooth palak puree. No need to add water while making the puree. Keep the spinach puree aside.
• Heat oil or ghee or butter in a pan or kadai. If using butter, melt it a low flame making sure that the butter does not brown.
• Add the cumin and let them splutter.
• Then add the tej patta or Indian bay leaf.
• Add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions become golden.
• Then add the finely chopped garlic. Saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.
• Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute the tomatoes till they soften.
• Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida/hing.
• Mix very well.
• Then add the palak puree and mix well.
• Add about ½ cup water or as required. Mix again.
• Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or more till the palak or spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.
• Stir and add garam masala powder.
• Stir again and then add the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes.
• Mix very well and switch off the heat. Be quick as we don't want heat the paneer for more 30 seconds to 1 minute. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense.
• Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of low-fat cream. If using heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it. Stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the gravy uniformly.
• Pour the palak paneer in serving bowls. While serving you can top it with some butter or cream.
• You can also drizzle a few drops of lime or lemon juice on top along with ginger julienne on the palak paneer.
• Stir and serve palak paneer hot with some roti. It also goes very well with Indian breads like tandoori roti, phulka, paratha or naan.
• Being a versatile dish, it also accompanies rice dishes from the indian cuisine like cumin rice, vegetable pulao, ghee rice, saffron rice and even a simple steamed rice very well.

ROSY'S PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Melt ghee in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic and cumin seed; cook until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, ginger, 1 teaspoon garam masala, salt, onion, and water. Increase heat to medium, and stir until the tomato paste dissolves. Simmer slowly for 1 hour, adding water as needed to maintain a sauce-like consistency.
• Stir in spinach and cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Add paneer, and allow to cook an additional 5 minutes, or until hot. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro and remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala.

PALAK PANEER RECIPE | COTTAGE CHEESE IN SPINACH GRAVY

Steps:

• To begin making the Palak Paneer Recipe, first pick the palak leaves and wash them thrice. Chop the washed leaves and keep them aside.
• Heat ghee Into the pressure cooker over medium heat; add the ginger, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder. Saute for a few seconds until the tomatoes turn slightly soft.
• Add the chopped spinach, salt to taste - give it a stir and add one tablespoon of water.
• Cover the pressure cooker and cook the palak for just one whistle. After one whistle, turn off the heat and release the pressure immediately by using a fork and lifting the weight or by placing the cooker under cold running water.
• We release the pressure immediately, so that we retain the fresh green colour of palak. Open the cooker and allow the palak to cool completely
• Once cooled, pulse the palak in the blender to make a smooth pure. You can also choose to mash the spinach with a masher to give it a different texture as well.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat; add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Saute the ingredients for a few seconds. Next stir in the palak, cream and the diced paneer. Check the salt and adjust accordingly to taste.
• When you are ready to serve, give the palak paneer a brisk boil for 3 to 4 minutes and turn off the heat. Transfer the Palak Paneer to a serving dish and serve hot.
• Serve the Palak Paneer Recipe along with hot Phulkas, Jeera pulao and Dal Makhani for a delicious lunch or dinner.

PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Soak paneer in a bowl of water for atleast 15-20 minutes. This makes the paneer soft. Drain the water. Cut paneer into cubes.
• Set aside.
• Wash and chop palak finely.
• Cut onions into small pieces.
• Cut tomatoes into 2 inch cubes.
• Heat a little butter.
• Fry palak till it shrinks.
• Allow to cool.
• Grind to a smooth paste.
• Grind cashews and poppy seeds together to a smooth paste.
• Fry all the spices in little ghee and then powder.
• Heat rest of the butter with little oil and fry onions till crisp and golden.
• Add dhania powder, jeera powder(cumin powder), chilli powder and then tomatoes.
• Stir for a minute.
• Add whipped curds.
• Cook on reduced flame till oil floats on top.
• Add salt, sugar, ground palak leaves, turmeric powder and cook for a few minutes.
• Mix cashew-poppy paste and pour just enough water required for the gravy.
• Cook on medium flame till gravy becomes thick.
• Add paneer pieces.
• Remove from heat.
• Sprinkle garam masala powder.
• Serve hot with finely cut onions and lime.

SHORTCUT PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the paneer cubes and brown well on 2 sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove to the lined plate and reserve. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
• Have a lid nearby for the skillet. Add another 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is browned and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and garam masala and stir together, 1 minute. Add the grated tomato and stir for another minute. Add the chopped spinach, heavy cream, 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low, 8 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon butter and carefully fold in the paneer cubes. Simmer for an additional 2 minutes to warm the paneer through.
• Serve with steamed basmati rice or naan

PALAK PANEER ~ COTTAGE CHEESE IN A SPINACH GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the paneer cubes in a bowl of boiling water and a little salt. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. This will make the paneer soft.
• Wash the palak leaves in 2-3 changes of water and place in a bowl. Pour freshly boiled water over them and cover the bowl for 2 minutes. Then drain and transfer the leaves into another bowl of cold water (you can add a few ice cubes to the water). See notes
• Drain excess water from the blanched leaves and grind them to a smooth paste along with the coriander (optional), green chillies, ginger & lime juice. Keep aside.
• Heat oil or ghee in a wok/kadai and fry the cumin seeds on a medim-low heat for a few seconds before adding the minced garlic. Fry for half a minute and add the chopped onions.
• When the onions turn translucent/pale, reduce the heat completely and add the spice powders (turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder & garam masala powder) and toss quickly for a few seconds taking care not to burn them
• Add the ground palak mixture and fry very well on a low heat for at least 7-8 minutes or till the oil begins to separate. Add salt to taste and lime juice if required.
• Whisk the fresh cream to a smooth consistency and stir in. Mix everything well and add the paneer cubes (without the water in which it was soaked). Rub the kasuri methi between your palm and spinkle. Simmer for two minutes.
• Serve hot garnished with a drizzle of more fresh cream if desired, with chapathis, rotis or parathas

PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Make paneer: Line a colander with a triple-layer of dampened cheesecloth, leaving a 2- to 3-inch overhang. Place the colander in the sink. Heat the milk in a large non-reactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently to make sure the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom, until the milk comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat and gently stir in 3 tablespoons lemon juice. The milk should start separating into solid curds and a yellowish watery whey. If it doesn't, add a little more lemon juice. Let sit for about 5 minutes in the pot to continue separating, then gently pour into the cheesecloth-lined colander. (If the curds are still very small after 5 minutes then reheat the milk mixture over medium heat and simmer to increase the curd separation).
• Rinse briefly with cold water to remove any lemon flavor. Gather up the sides of the cheesecloth, twist into a ball, and squeeze to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open up the cheesecloth, and mix 1/4 teaspoon salt evenly into the cheese curds. Squeeze into a ball again and wring out any remaining moisture. Flatten the cheesecloth ball into a 3/4-inch thick disc and place on a plate. Weigh down with another plate topped with a heavy item such as a large can. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight, then carefully cut the paneer into 3/4-inch cubes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. In batches, blanch the spinach for about 1 minute in the boiling water and quickly transfer with a spider or slotted spoon to the ice water. Drain the cooked spinach. Place all of it in a blender and puree until mostly but not completely smooth. Reserve.
• Rinse the blender carafe and puree the tomatoes; reserve. Rinse the carafe again and puree the garlic and ginger with 1/4 cup water; reserve.
• Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the paneer cubes and brown well on 2 to 3 sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove to the lined plate and reserve.
• Add another 2 tablespoons ghee to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir until the seeds start to darken and smell toasted, 10 to 30 seconds. Add the serrano chile, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is dark brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Turn down the heat if the onion starts to burn.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cayenne, and half the garam masala. Stir for about 2 minutes, then add the tomato puree, stirring continuously, until the mixture starts to look dry, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach puree, sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the remaining garam masala. (The mixture will be quite thick.) Simmer for 8 minutes, then stir in the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Fold in the browned paneer cubes and simmer to warm the paneer through and to thicken the heavy cream, an additional 4 minutes.
• Serve with steamed basmati rice or Indian flatbread and lemon wedges on the side.

CHARISHMA'S PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Boil spinach in a pot of water. Drain the water.
• Soak the paneer in a bowl. Add water. Let it remain that way to de-frost for about 1 hour.
• Put the boiled spinach in a mixer and add a little water to prepare spinach puree.
• Heat oil in a pot.
• Add ginger and onion. Stir-fry until browned.
• Add all the spice powders.
• Fold in the tomato puree.
• Mix well and bring to a boil.
• Now, lower heat and add the spinach puree. Allow it to cook for a few minutes.
• Drain the paneer; remove all the water.
• Cut the paneer into cubes.
• Shallow fry the cubes of paneer in oil until lightly browned on either side. Add to the pot of spinach mixture.
• Mix lightly and serve hot with Indian flatbreads (rotis) or naan and/or pulao.