Palak Paneer | Palak Tofu
Make this delicious and flavourful palak paneer/tofu in under 30 minutes. It is simple, takes minimal spices and is a great weeknight option. You can dress it up with cream or cashews for a rich version too!
Servings 3
Ingredients
For the spinach puree
- 1 bunch spinach approximately 3 cups of chopped and cleaned spinach.
- 2-4 green chillies
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
For the palak paneer gravy
- 1 tbsp ghee/vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ¾ cup onion finely chopped
- ½ cup tomatoes deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp kasoori methi
- salt to taste
- ¾ cup fresh paneer cubes
For the tadka
- 2 tsp ghee
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 bydagi/kashmiri chillies
- 3-4 cloves garlic cloves sliced thin/minced fine I like biting into garlic pieces, so slice it. Mincing fine is great too as it will mix well into the gravy.
Optional garnish
- 2-3 tbsp fresh cream
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil, about 4-5 cups. Add cleaned spinach leaves and boil it for 2-3 minutes. The leaves will wilt but will be bright green.Tip - Do not add spinach to cold water and bring it to a boil. This way, it will cook longer and the colour will become dull.
- Remove the leaves and immediately drop them in cold water. (use water for plants!)
- Now, to a pan add ghee and cumin seeds. Add chopped onions and saute until it becomes golden brown. This will take about 3 minutes on low to medium flame.
- So, in the meantime - squeeze all the water off the spinach, add chilli and ginger. Then, grind it into a SMOOTH puree.Tip - sieve this puree if it is not smooth. Note, we only add green chillies for spice. So, add as spicy as you like your food to be.
- Back to the onions, now add tomatoes and saute again for 3-4 minutes. Add a little salt so the tomatoes can soften quickly.Tip - deseed tomatoes to avoid excess seeds and water in the gravy.
- Once the tomatoes have softened, add the coriander powder followed by the palak puree. Mix well, check salt and add if required. Note that spinach contains 'salt', so check before adding.
- Reduce flame to low and after a couple of minutes, add in the garam masala and the kasoori methi. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Tip - It is important to not COOK this gravy for a long time. Ideally, low flame 2-3 minutes is enough.
- Finally, add paneer and mix it into the gravy. Ensure flame is in low.Tip - The gravy is cooked, paneer will absorb the flavours in the resting time. There is no need to cook the gravy for long after adding paneer. Essentially, LESS cooking after adding greens is the key.
- Make the tadka - in some ghee, add cumin, red chillies and garlic. Saute in a low flame until the garlic is fully browned. Add this to the palak paneer and turn the flame off. Keep closed for a few minutes and serve.
- Just at the end, some cream can be added. I usually DO NOT do this - but it looks and tastes amazing if you do. The consistency of the gravy is your choice. I prefer it on the thicker side to be able scoop rotis with. If adding cream, be mindful that it will thin the gravy.
Notes
Palak Tofu
To make this recipe vegan, make the following changes.
- Use vegetable oil instead of ghee.
- Use firm tofu - to prepare the tofu, chop it into 1 inch cubes and add some salt, garam masala and a dash of chilli powder. In some oil, saute the tofu until it is crisp. Add it in the last stage of cooking and mix well before serving.
- For a rich vegan version - soak 2 tbsp cashews in water for 20 minutes. Grind to a smooth puree and add in the end to the gravy.
- For a very 'restaurant' style Palak Paneer - do not skip the cream and cook the whole dish in butter or ghee.
- If you like your food more masala-ish, add about 1/2 tsp more garam masala.
- Just before serving, drizzle some cream on the top and add some ginger juliennes.
- DO not cook the spinach for more than 2 minutes. Set a timer if required. Move it to cold water immediately.
- DO not use red chilli powder. It will dull the green colour. All spice is only from chillies.
- Cook only for a short while after adding the spinach gravy, in a low flame. If it cooks for ten minutes, the colour will change.
- Finally, remember that your reference for 'light green' is the restaurant one laden with cream. Adding that will lighten the dish certainly. Home versions need to be easy, healthy and doable and not necessarily look straight out of a menu.