This dish is for all the spinach lovers out there! Palak Paneer is without a doubt one of the most popular Indian vegetarian dishes. It is a wonderful way to enjoy the green goodness of spinach and protein packed paneer. It is hard to believe that something that tastes this good could actually be good for you. I use paneer (which is an unaged cheese) in this recipe which you can easily find in any Indian grocery store. If you cant find paneer, look for something called bread cheese. It has slightly salty flavor and is very close to paneer in texture. Ricotta also works fairly well. If all else fails, you could actually replace paneer with potatoes. The star of this dish is spinach after all!

What you need:
2 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped.
5 tablespoons sunflower oil
8 ounces paneer, cubed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, freshly made.
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala powder
Salt to taste
1 inch cube of butter, cut into small pieces
1inch fresh ginger, julienned

How to make:
• In a large saucepan, add 2 teaspoons of oil on medium heat. Add the spinach and allow it wilt a little.
• Add about 1/4 cup of water.
• Cover the pan and allow the spinach to cook for 5 – 7 minutes till the spinach cooks completely and reduces in quantity.
• Put the spinach in a blender and make into a smooth paste. Add a little water if the mixture gets too thick.
• In another pan add 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add the paneer and lightly fry till till it turns slightly golden. Do not let it turn too brown or else it will become rubbery. Remove the paneer from the oil. Keep aside.

• Add the remaining oil to the pan.
• Add the cumin seeds and allow it to splutter. Add the garlic and saute till it gets fragrant.
• Add the onions and cook till the onions soften and become slightly brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the chilli powder and turmeric. Cook for a minute.
• Add the tomatoes and cook the till the tomatoes soften. Add the tomato paste and blend well. Cook the mixture till the oil separates.
• Add the spinach puree and paneer and salt. Stir well. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking to the pan.
• Sprinkle the garam masala and the butter and stir well. Allow it to simmer for 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the julienned ginger.