Palak paneer was one of the very first paneer dishes I tried years ago. I liked the idea of palak with its nutrients and protein rich lightly golden fried paneer pieces. A perfect marriage of ingredients resulting in the best restaurant style palak paneer.
Ensure you have fresh paneer and palak to make restaurant style palak paneer. It has some nice spices along with julienne’d ginger and some aromatic kasuri methi to finish on top. I also have a rustic home style palak paneer recipe where I do not grind the palak and leave the masala ingedients with a texture. Of course, restaurant style palak paneer has some fresh cream to finish which brings out the best flavours and creaminess.
The idea with cooking palak is to not overcook it, just a simple blanching technique is enough too cook palak. Overcooking is the worst thing to do with greens, cook them enough to bring the best flavours out and to retain all the nutrients. So do try more palak/spinach recipes from FOI, palak pakoda, palak paratha, palak dal, palak raitha. More paneer recipes from FOI, methi malai paneer, tamatar paneer gravy, aloo paneer kathi roll, methi matar paneer pulao etc.
- 200 Gm or 3 Cups chopped spinach
- 200 Gm or 1½ Cup paneer cubed
- ½ Tbsp butter
- 1 Tsp jeera
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ Tsp whole black pepper
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped tomato
- ½ Tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
- ½ Tsp garam masala
- 1 Tsp kasuri methi
- ½ Tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ Tsp turmeric
- ½ Tbsp cream/yogurt on top
- Few julienne'd ginger
- Chopped coriander
- Clean and add spinach in a colander, wash well
- In a pan, boil water
- Add washed spinach and blanch for 40s-60s
- Drain water and let it cool
- Once it cools, grind into paste and keep aside
- In another pan, add butter and let it melt
- Add jeera and let it splutter
- Next add bay leaf and whole black pepper and fry till it turns aromatic
- Add finely chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent
- Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and fry well
- Sprinkle red chilli powder and turmeric
- Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they turn mushy
- Pour little water and adjust consistency, mash well
- Next add palak paste and mix well
- Season with salt and garam masala
- Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi and mix well and bring the gravy to a simmer
- In another pan, add little ghee/oil and pan fry diced paneer
- Put the fried paneer in palak gravy and mix well
- Lastly add cream and mix well
- Garnish with paneer, cream, julienne'd ginger and chopped coriander
Add more whole garam masala like a piece of cinnamon, 1 elaichi, shahi jeera etc for extra aromatic flavours
Always add garam masala at last for fresh aroma
Restaurant Style Palak Paneer Stepwise:
Clean and add spinach in a colander, wash well
In a pan, boil water
Add washed spinach and blanch for 40s-60s
Drain water and let it cool
Once it cools, grind into paste and keep aside
In another pan, add butter and let it melt
Add jeera and let it splutter
Next add bay leaf and whole black pepper and fry till it turns aromatic
Add finely chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent
Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and fry well
Sprinkle red chilli powder and turmeric
Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they turn mushy
Pour little water and adjust consistency, mash well
Next add palak paste and mix well
Season with salt and garam masala
Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi and mix well and bring the gravy to a simmer
In another pan, add little ghee/oil and pan fry diced paneer
Put the fried paneer in palak gravy and mix well
Lastly add cream and mix well
Garnish with paneer, cream, julienne'd ginger and chopped coriander
