The dish that everyone non-Indian knows about! Made of paneer and a creamy spinach gravy, this is hearty, healthy, and flavorful. Eat it with some makki ki roti to feel like you’ve been transported to a Punjabi village.
Main dish for: 4-5 people. Prep Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 45 minutes. Note: pay attention to whether recipe asks for seeds, powder, or leaves – it matters.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups spinach
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1-2 green chillies
- 1.5 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 pieces long (clove)
- 1/4 tsp jeera seeds
- 4 pieces whole black pepper
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 small green elaichi (cardamom)
- 1 large black elaichi (cardamom)
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powde
- 1 teaspoon Dhaniya powder
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 200 gms of paneer, cubed
- salt to taste
The Process:
1. Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, and green chillies.
2. In a small bowl or plate, take out long (clove), jeera seeds, cardamoms, whole black pepper, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. This whole masala mix will all be put in oil at the same time so no need to separate them out. Pour out the mustard oil in a pot. Allow the oil to heat up enough- the measure if when a few jeera seeds immediately fizzle in the oil.
3. When the garlic and ginger are a little cooked, add the onions and sauté really well (they will turn pink and almost caramelized).
4. Keep stirring and allowing the onions to carmelize. On the side while this is happening, dice the tomatoes.
5. When the onion mix is well done, add Dhaniya powder. Mix everything for a bit.
6. When the onion mix is well done, add the diced tomatoes. Mix everything for a bit and allow the water from the tomatoes to escape.
7. Now add the spinach and let it mix in with everything until the spinach turns a darker shade of green.
8. Add the dollops of cream cheese. Once that is mixed in, use a hand blender to make a puree of sorts (see picture for consistency).
9. Lightly mix the cubed paneer in and let the spices seep into the paneer.
10. Serve hot with some roti and enjoy!
