Bright green spinach gravy with golden pan-fried paneer cubes and a hit of crushed dried fenugreek leaf. Vegetarian, naturally gluten free, ready in under 40 minutes.
Prep
15 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£1.70
Difficulty
easy
The trick to keeping palak paneer green rather than khaki is blanching the spinach briefly and shocking it in cold water before blending, and adding it to the pan at the very end. The kasuri methi crushed between your palms right before serving is the flavour most people can never quite place.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and fill a bowl with cold water and ice. Drop the spinach into the boiling water for 45 seconds only, then lift it straight into the iced water.
Overcooking at this stage is what gives you a dull, olive-coloured curry. Forty-five seconds is genuinely enough.
Squeeze the cooled spinach hard to remove as much water as you can, then blend with the green chillies and 3 tbsp fresh water to a coarse purée. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of the ghee in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the paneer cubes for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until golden on two or three sides. Lift out onto a plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp ghee to the same pan, drop in the cumin seeds and let them crackle for 20 seconds.
Add the chopped onion and cook for 8 minutes over a medium heat until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the ground coriander and the remaining salt, stir for 30 seconds, then pour in 100ml water and let it bubble down for 3 minutes into a loose base.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the spinach purée. Cook for just 3 to 4 minutes, no longer, then stir in the cream.
Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms directly over the pan, add the garam masala, then fold the paneer back in. Warm through for 2 minutes, finish with lemon juice and serve.
Rubbing the kasuri methi between your hands releases far more aroma than dropping it in whole.