Palak Paneer

#Throwback #Repost #Favourite

This is a very simple (and ever so popular North Indian dish; also called Palak Paneer) which I love to make for a quick dinner. I used to refer to other recipes to make this (once upon a time!) but then I found my own simple way of making this and have stuck to it ever since. As I have mentioned before, for me the secret to cooking greens is always keeping it minimal i.e. very less spices or ingredients. Greens have a fantastic flavour of their own and the dish turns out well when this flavour predominates - at least that is my humble view on the subject!

Below is the nutritional profile for spinach (source: WHF Foods):

Can you even believe the amount of nutrients this humble food offers?! Spinach is always thought of as a rich source of iron - thanks to Popeye! But if you have a look at the above table you can see that that is not all. In fact it is ranked as one of world's healthiest foods. Good old spinach!! So let's stop running after fancy ingredients and include more of this wonderful 'green' in our diet; this recipe is a great way to start :) 

Palak Paneer: Recipe

Ingredients:

• Fresh Spinach (or Palak): 2 bunches chopped (roughly 3 - 4 cups)
• Cottage Cheese (or Paneer) - 250 gms cubed or diced
• Green chillies - 2 slit
• Onion - 1 small finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 6 to 8 roughly chopped
• Low fat Milk - less than 1/4 cup 
• Oil  - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Cream to garnish

Method:

1. Heat little oil in a skillet. Fry the cashews for a while followed by the chopped onions and the green chillies. 
2. When the onions are translucent, add the chopped spinach and stir fry for few minutes. Set aside to cool and then grind this into a fine gravy.
3. Heat oil again. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the ginger and garlic paste. Saute for couple of minutes and then add this gravy (Add a little water to wipe clean your grinder jar and pour this also. That will fix the consistency). Simmer for few minutes.
4. To this add milk and salt to taste. Simmer for few seconds and then add the cubed cottage cheese or paneer.
5. Cover and simmer for few minutes till the gravy is nicely absorbed by the paneer. Garnish with cream and serve hot with rotis.

Linking this to my on going event Gimme GREEN!,  Cuisine Delights - Holi event, Comfort Food by Resh, Holi event by Sizzling Tastebuds