Palak Paneer (Spinach with Indian Cheese)

This is my absolute favourite meal at the moment....ok, I fibbed, I have a million favourite meals at the moment, ok, I exaggerated. How could I possibly have a million favourite meals? I first tried this Indian recipe via Frozen Fast Food. Amy's Fast Food to be exact and it was delicious. Recently I found Palak Paneer without all the rice, but with just the spinach sauce and paneer cheese in a little microwavable bag and I thought I'd died and gone to Bollywood. Seriously, I love Indian food. So get this.....not only did I find a recipe to make my own Paneer Cheese, but I have a recipe to make my favourite Palak Paneer. When I eat this I need nothing else, every spice, the textures, the smells, the taste, fantastic! I'm going to print the recipe I found and if I can find the Paneer Cheese recipe I'll print that too. You can buy paneer cheese at an International or Indian grocery store. And, if you don't feel like making this, just buy it frozen or from the shelf and pop it into the microwave. It's the best fast food I've ever had!

PALAK PANEER (Spinach with Indian Cheese)

Ingredients:

2 lbs fresh baby spinach leaves (or frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained)
1 lb of paneer cubes (about 28-30 cubes)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced
½ tsp turmeric (haldi)
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp red chili powder, to taste
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
½ cup cream (you can use light cream or even half & half)
2-3 tbsp oil, vegetable of canola

METHOD:

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the spinach leaves for just a minute or two. Remove, drain well in a colander and run under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and also set their lovely green color. Using a food processor or blender, puree the spinach into a smooth paste. Do not over blend otherwise you may end up with spinach juice! Obviously if you are using frozen spinach leaves, they don’t need to be blanched.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add about 1 tbsp of the oil and lightly fry the paneer cubes until they are browned on all sides. Drain well on absorbent paper towels and set aside until needed. This step adds a wonderful depth of flavor but is optional, you can add the paneer directly to the spinach without browning it.

To the same skillet on medium high heat, add another tbsp of oil (if needed). When the oil is hot, add the onions and let cook until they are translucent (around 5-6 minutes). Now add the ginger and garlic. Stir fry for a few more minutes and add the spices (turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, salt and pepper). Let the spices cook for a few more minutes and then care fully add the pureed spinach. You can add a little water if needed, the traditional consistency of this dish is that of a thick gravy. But you can add as much or as little water as you prefer. Mix well to combine all of the ingredients, reduce the heat to medium low and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add the paneer cubes, cream and the freshly grated nutmeg. Stir and let cook for a few more minutes until the paneer cubes have warmed through. Serve with fresh rotis and fragrant Basmati rice.