Padmas Navaruchi

Nutritious  PALAK PANEER is one of the popular vegetarian dishes made out of PANEER and smooth spinach (palak)sauce or puree. 

The green-colored spicy puree with white pieces of Paneer is the added attraction of the dish.

Whenever we visit Restaurants and think of some special curries in North Indian dishes, we usually go for a veg curry or curry with paneer (cortege cheese). This is standard practice.

I think the curry, which attracts people is a HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS “PALAK PANEER”, do you agree?
PALAK is a versatile vegetable and can be consumed as Soup, in a pureed form in parathas and poori, used as fritters, and in curry.

PANEER being a milk-based product is as good as milk, rather much more digestive than milk.
In this dish, we will be using both of the nutritive ingredients, so the final dish has to be DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY.

Nutritious palak paneer is a combination of palak puree and paneer, which has some simple ingredients to add taste.PALAK gives every good green color and the paneer is an added attraction.

The making of the palak paneer is very simple yet very attractive in looks and tastes yummy.

INGREDIENTS FOR YUMMY PALAK PANEER:-

• 400 grams -of palak
• 200 grams -paneer
• 3/4 cup-cut onion
• 2-3 -green chilies
• 1 teaspoon- ginger-garlic paste.
• 1 tablespoon-any vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 -bay leaf
• 2-pieces of cinnamon (1-inch long)
• 1 teaspoon- red chilly powder
• 1 teaspoon- of coriander powder
• 3/4 teaspoon-turmeric
• 3/4 teaspoon- of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon- garam masala
• 1 tablespoon – of butter
• 1 tablespoon- of fresh cream (optional)

Let us use these ingredients to make nutritious palak paneer.

MAKING OF PANEER:-

• This is a by-product of cow’s or buffalo’s milk, which is boiled and curdled when still hot using an acid medium such as lemon juice, vinegar, etc,
• The water left in the curdling process is called whey water and is very nutritious.
• The curd part is tied in a cloth and pressed to remove water completely.
• Now you get a soft white slab of PANEER, which can be cut as required or kneaded to make soft and smooth dough for paneer-based sweets. 
  

MAKING OF PALAK PUREE:-

• Take about 2 big bunches of palak.
• Remove thick stems and wash in running water.
• Drain out the extra water.
• Keep 1 liter of plain water to boil on a medium flame.
• Put 1 teaspoon salt in it.
• Let the water boil.

• Now add the palak leaves to it and immerse them.
• After 1 to 2 mts, put off the flame, and remove the boiled palak leaves from the water.
• Remove the palak from the hot water.
• Again immerse the palak leaves in Ice cold water.
• This process helps the palak retain its green color.

• Now blend the leaves in a blender to make a smooth puree.

• Beautiful green palak puree is ready.
• Palak puree is ready to use.

• Cut the paneer into small 1-inch square pieces.
• Cut the onions into small pieces.
• Keep all the dry spices ready. (measured)
  
• PROCEDURE:-(Cooking of colorful and NUTRITIOUS PALAK PANEER)

• Take oil in a pan and heat on a low flame.
• When the oil gets heated, add pieces of green chilly, Cinnamon, and Bay leaf along with cumin seeds.

• Saute for a few seconds and then add dry spices, such as Red chilly powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric, and ginger -garlic paste at last.

• Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and saute so that the spices do not get stuck to the bottom of the pan and burn. (saute for 30 seconds).
• Now you can add cut pieces of the paneer and combine them together.

• Now is the time to add salt. mix well.
• Now add palak puree, and mix well.

• Add Garam masala and saute.
• At last add butter and mix.

• Do not cook for long or cover, as the color of the palak goes on changing. (gets darker),
  However, the taste doesn’t change.

• Additional taste and decor can be given with a tablespoon of fresh cream.

SERVE HOT WITH THE CHOICE OF BREAD YOU LIKE ROTI, NANN, KULCHA, etc.
DID YOU LIKE IT?

one more curry of interest may be this:-https://padmas-navaruchi.in/2022/05/dum-aloo-a-mouth-waterring-curry/

NOTES:-

• Now a day, you get ready paneer, Make sure to keep it at room temperature while using it to get a soft paneer texture.
• Fresh cream is totally optional.
• Never cook covered.