Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

Palak Paneer ( Indian cottage cheese cooked with spinach)

I have kept the use of spices minimal in this recipe because I think that one needs to be able to taste the spinach and the paneer in the dish. What I have suggested here will just enhance the natural flavours and not smother them.

Palak (spinach)                        2 bunches

Paneer                                     200 gms

Hot water                                2 cups

Turmeric powder                     ½ tsp

Oil for frying

Oil                                          2 tsp

Butter                                     2 Tbs

Onions                                    2, medium, chopped fine (3/4 cup)
Cloves                                     2
Cardamom                              1
Cinnamon                                1/2" piece
Bay leaf                                    1

Ginger paste                            2 tsps

Garlic paste                             2 tsps

Red chilli powder                    1 tsp or to taste

Salt                                         1 tsp or to taste

Curd (yoghurt)                        ⅓ cup well beaten

Cooked spinach puree

Hot water                                ½ - 1 cup

Garam masala*                        ½ tsp

Ghee (Clarified butter)             3 - 4 tsps

Method

Pick and clean spinach. Wash in several changes of water until totally free from grit. Blanch in boiling water, uncovered, for about 3 mins. Drain well.

Puree the spinach in a blender. Keep aside.

Cut the paneer into ¾” cubes. Gently heat about 1 ½ Tbs of oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the paneer cubes until golden. Drain and plunge them into the hot water, tinted with ½ tsp of turmeric. Keep aside until ready to use.

Heat the oil and butter gently and sauté the chopped onions along with the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and the bay leaf until the onions are lightly coloured. Add the ginger and garlic pastes together with the red chilli powder and salt. Fry this masala (ground paste) well using a Tbs of the curd, at a time, in order to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue frying until all the curd has been used up.

 Blend in the spinach puree and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the fat separates from the gravy. Drain the paneer with a slotted spoon and add to the simmering gravy. Top up with the hot water if you find that the spinach has dried up too much during the frying process. (The tinted water may be used).

Sprinkle the garam masala on top. Add the ghee (clarified butter) and remove from heat.

Serve hot with rice or rotis [Indian breads].

*Garam masala: Roast lightly 2 parts of cloves and cardamom and 3 parts of cinnamon.

Grind to a fine powder. Sift and store in an airtight container.

Make small quantities of garam masala at a time in order to retain the aroma of the spices.

Note:  You can avoid frying the paneer if you wish. Just cut into cubes and plunge into the turmeric tinted hot water. Continue with the recipe after that.


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 Matar Paneer [Curry of Indian cottage cheese and fresh peas] Serves 4.

Paneer                                        200 gms

Oil for frying

Hot water                                   2 cups

Turmeric powder                        ½ tsp

Oil                                              2 Tbs

Onions                                        2 medium, chopped. ( 3/4 cup)

Bay leaf                                       2

Green cardamom                         3

Ginger paste                                2 tsp

Garlic paste                                 2 tsp

Tomato puree                             ¼ cup

Tomatoes                                   1 cup after skinning & chopping

Poppy seeds                               1 Tbs, ground fine with a little water

Red chilli powder                        1 tsp or to taste

Kasuri methi  *                            2 Tbs

Curd                                           1/4   cup, well beaten

Shelled peas                                100 gms. Blanch in boiling water for 3 -4 mins.

Sugar                                           ½ tsp

Salt                                              to taste

Hot water                                    1 to 1 ½ cups

Coriander leaves                          2 Tbs, chopped
Milk                                            1/4 cup

Ghee                                           2 tsp

Method

Cut the paneer into ¾ ” cubes. Gently heat about 1 ½ Tbs of oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the paneer cubes lightly. Drain and plunge them into the hot water, which has been tinted with ½ tsp of turmeric. Keep aside until ready to use.
The paneer cubes can also be used without frying. Soak in hot water tinted with turmeric until ready to use.

In a separate pan, gently heat the 2 Tbs of oil and fry the onions, bay leaf and cardamom until golden.
Add the ginger, garlic and poppy seed pastes, tomato puree and chopped tomatoes along with the red chilli powder and Kasuri methi.

Fry well on medium heat, sprinkling water when required, to prevent the masala (ground paste) from scorching and sticking to the bottom of the pan. The masala is fried when the oil separates from the gravy.

Add the well-beaten curd, peas, sugar and salt and cook for a bit. Pour in the hot water and bring to the boil gently. Simmer until well blended.

Remove the paneer from the tinted water with a slotted spoon and add to the simmering curry. Simmer for about 8 mins. Remove from heat and  add the milk,chopped coriander leaves and the ghee (clarified butter).

Serve hot.

This dish can be eaten with rotis (Indian bread) or with rice.

* Dried fenugreek leaves. Dry roast until fragrant. Crumble and use.