Palak Paneer is a popular North Indian dish made with paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked in a flavorful spinach (palak) curry. Here’s a basic recipe for Palak Paneer:

Palak Paneer Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 250 grams paneer (cubed)
• 4 cups fresh spinach leaves (washed and chopped)
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 cup fresh cream (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee

Instructions:

1. Blanching the Spinach:
   • Boil water in a pot, add spinach leaves, and blanch for 2-3 minutes.
   • Drain the water and transfer the blanched spinach to a bowl of ice water to retain the vibrant green color.
   • Blend the spinach into a smooth paste.
2. Cooking the Paneer:
   • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan, add paneer cubes, and fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Preparing the Gravy:
   • In the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
   • Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
   • Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, sauté for 1-2 minutes.
   • Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft and the oil starts to separate.
4. Making the Palak Paneer Curry:
   • Add the spinach puree to the pan and mix well.
   • Add garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the spinach is cooked and the flavors blend.
   • If using fresh cream, add it at this stage and stir well.
5. Adding Paneer:
   • Gently add the fried paneer cubes to the spinach gravy. Mix carefully to coat the paneer with the curry.
6. Simmering:
   • Let the Palak Paneer simmer for a few minutes until the paneer absorbs the flavors.
7. Serving:
   • Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.

Enjoy your delicious homemade Palak Paneer!