Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. baby spinach (palak)
  • ½ lb. fried or plain cubed paneer
  • 1 medium onion, roughly cut into ½ inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1 green chili, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons oil
Directions
  1. In a wok or a frying pan heat oil over medium high heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add onion and sauté it until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garam masala, dhana-jeeru, green chili, ginger and garlic. Sauté everything for two more minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add spinach and ½ cup water. Cover the pan and let spinach cook until slightly wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, add kasuri methi and let spinach cook until it is fully cooked, 4 to 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
  2. With a blender or an immersion blender puree the spinach until smooth. Transfer pureed spinach to a wok or a frying pan again and add fried paneer. Let it simmer for 5 minutes covered with a lid.
  3. Serve warm with Paratha or Nan.
Notes
If fried paneer or cubed paneer is not available, cut paneer into ¾ inch cubes. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a non-stick pan and sauté paneer until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

 

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Palak Mung Dal Sabzi

Palak Mung Dal Sabzi

Prep time: 

Cook time: 

Total time: 

Serves: 4

Spinach with Mung Dal
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. baby spinach (palak)
  • ¾ cup mung dal (without skin)
  • 1 medium onion roughly cut into ½ inch dice
  • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1 green chili, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (ground coriander and cumin blend)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 5 tablespoons canola oil
Directions
  1. Pick through mung dal and rinse it.
  2. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a medium sized soup pot over medium high heat. Add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds and let it sizzle. Add ½ teaspoon of each turmeric and chili powder. Add 1 ½ cups of water, mung dal and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Stir everything. Cover the pot and let it come to boil. Uncover once it is boiling and let it cook until the foam on top subsides, about 7 minutes. Cover the pot and let dal cook for another two minute or until tender.
  3. In a separate wok or a frying pan, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add remaining mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add onion and sauté it until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garam masala, dhana-jeeru, green chili, ginger and garlic. Sauté everything for two more minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add spinach and ½ cup water. Cover the pan and let spinach cook until slightly wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, add kasuri methi and let spinach cook until it is fully cooked.
  4. With a blender or an immersion blender, puree the spinach until smooth. Transfer the pureed spinach to wok or frying pan again and combine it with mung dal. Let it simmer for 5 minutes covered with a lid.
  5. Serve warm with Paratha or Nan or over rice.

 

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