Palak Paneer — Indian Spinach and Cheese
Spinach turns a dull dark green from long cooking. The fix: blanch it for two minutes and move it straight into ice water — the thermal shock stops the enzymes and locks in the chlorophyll, so it stays a bright fresh green.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Calories
- 340
Photo: Lopanayak — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Palak paneer is India's best-known vegetarian curry, on every Indian restaurant menu: puréed spiced spinach with cubes of soft fresh cheese. And paneer is the easiest cheese you can make at home — milk and lemon, nothing else.
Method
-
1
Make the paneer
Bring the milk to the boil, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice gradually while stirring until it splits. Strain through muslin, rinse with cold water, squeeze and press under a weight for 30 minutes, then cut into cubes.
⏱ 45 min -
2
Blanch the spinach
Boil the spinach and green chillies in boiling water for two minutes only.
⏱ 3 min -
3
The ice bath — the colour secret
Move them immediately into a bowl of iced water and leave for two minutes. This shock is what fixes the green colour.
⏱ 3 min -
4
Purée
Squeeze the water out of the spinach and blitz it to a smooth purée (leave it a little coarse if you prefer).
⏱ 4 min -
5
The base
Heat the butter, sizzle the cumin seeds for 30 seconds, add the onion and soften for 6 minutes, then the ginger-garlic paste for two minutes.
⏱ 9 min -
6
Spices and tomato
Add the tomato, coriander, turmeric and salt and cook for 6 minutes until the oil rises to the surface.
⏱ 7 min -
7
Combine
Add the spinach purée and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes only — longer and the dark colour comes back.
⏱ 5 min -
8
Finish
Add the paneer cubes, garam masala, the fenugreek leaves crushed between your palms, and the cream. Stir for two minutes and turn off the heat.
Cooked it? Rate it
Your rating tells the next cook whether this recipe is worth their time.
✓ Thanks — your rating is in.
Tips that actually matter
- The ice bath immediately after blanching is the difference between bright green and murky green.
- Do not cook the spinach for more than four minutes after puréeing.
- Paneer is made at home with just milk and lemon — cheaper and softer than shop-bought.
- Crush the dried fenugreek between your palms before it goes in; it releases the aroma.
People also ask
What is paneer?
A fresh, unsalted Indian cheese made from milk and acid that does not melt when heated. Substitutes: firm cottage cheese, or halloumi soaked to draw out the salt.
Why did my spinach turn dark?
It was cooked too long, or it never went into ice water. Two-minute blanch, ice bath, and a short cook after puréeing — all three are needed.
Can I make it fully vegan?
Yes — swap the paneer for firm tofu, the butter for oil, and the cream for coconut milk.
Cook mode
Palak Paneer — Indian Spinach and Cheese
-
1
Make the paneer
Bring the milk to the boil, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice gradually while stirring until it splits. Strain through muslin, rinse with cold water, squeeze and press under a weight for 30 minutes, then cut into cubes.
-
2
Blanch the spinach
Boil the spinach and green chillies in boiling water for two minutes only.
-
3
The ice bath — the colour secret
Move them immediately into a bowl of iced water and leave for two minutes. This shock is what fixes the green colour.
-
4
Purée
Squeeze the water out of the spinach and blitz it to a smooth purée (leave it a little coarse if you prefer).
-
5
The base
Heat the butter, sizzle the cumin seeds for 30 seconds, add the onion and soften for 6 minutes, then the ginger-garlic paste for two minutes.
-
6
Spices and tomato
Add the tomato, coriander, turmeric and salt and cook for 6 minutes until the oil rises to the surface.
-
7
Combine
Add the spinach purée and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes only — longer and the dark colour comes back.
-
8
Finish
Add the paneer cubes, garam masala, the fenugreek leaves crushed between your palms, and the cream. Stir for two minutes and turn off the heat.
Comments
Cooked it? Tell us how it went, or ask a question — we read every comment.