🧾 Ingredients

For Palak

  • 500 g fresh spinach (palak)
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 4–5 garlic cloves
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 250 g paneer, cubed
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp coriander powder
  • 2–3 tbsp fresh cream
  • Salt to taste

👩‍🍳 Method

1. Blanch the spinach

  1. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Add spinach and blanch for 2 minutes.
  3. Immediately transfer it to cold/ice water.
  4. Drain and blend with green chillies and ginger into a smooth puree.

2. Prepare the paneer

  • Heat a little oil and lightly fry the paneer cubes until golden.
  • Soak them in warm water for 5 minutes to keep them soft.

3. Make the gravy

  1. Heat oil and butter in a pan.
  2. Add cumin seeds.
  3. Add onion and sauté until lightly golden.
  4. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  5. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
  6. Add turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
  7. Cook until the oil starts separating.

4. Add spinach

  • Add the spinach puree and mix well.
  • Add salt and a little water if needed.
  • Simmer on low heat for 5–7 minutes.

5. Add paneer

  • Add paneer cubes and garam masala.
  • Simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
  • Add fresh cream and mix gently.

⭐ Restaurant-Style Tips

  • Don't overcook spinach; blanching for about 2 minutes helps retain its fresh colour.
  • Add cream at the end for a rich, smooth texture.
  • Don't boil the palak for too long after adding the puree, or it can lose its bright colour.

🍽️ Serve With

Butter naan, garlic naan, tandoori roti, lachha paratha or jeera rice. 😋