How to make Palak Paneer Restaurant Style, step by step recipe….

Palak Paneer is a quintessential Indian dish, a favorite across the length and breadth of India. Although originally from the North, this leafy green, mildly spiced spinach and cottage cheese gravy has its own variations in different states. The curry with all the goodness from Spinach and Paneer is super quick to make as well. Try to make the most of your time by blanching the spinach on one stove and meanwhile it’s getting done, make the masala base for the curry and you have a delicious dish ready under 30 minutes.

This recipe of Palak Paneer is just like the one that you get in your favourite indian Restaurants. The bright green colour of the spinach can be achieved by adding a small amount of baking soda in the water while blanching the spinach and making sure you do not over cook the spinach after adding it in the curry. The smoky effect that you get in Restaurant style curries is from the Dhungar method where a burning piece of coal which is kept on the curry is poured with some ghee on top and the smoke that releases is trapped in the curry. Do try this method and I am sure you will love it.

I also make a No Onion and Garlic version of this recipe which I will post soon. To cook restaurant style palak paneer recipe, palak or spinach is first blanched in boiling water and it is then cooked with spices and paneer is added to it. I love this version of palak recipe more than others and so this palak paneer recipe is a regular at my house.

I make palak paneer very often, either to go with rice, laccha paratha, Pooris or Makki Ki Rotis. Palak is very nutritious and together with paneer takes care of calcium, iron and protein levels of the body. These two main ingredients are also used in making several other tasty dishes. Here is How to make Palak Paneer Restaurant Style.

How to make Palak Paneer Restaurant Style

How to make Palak Paneer Restaurant Style

Palak Paneer

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Palak Paneer is a quintessential Indian dish, a favorite across the length and breadth of India. Here is how to make Restaurant Style Palak Paneer.

Author: Neha

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Spinach - 200 g
• Baking soda - ¼ tsp
• Green chilli - 2-3
• Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 3-4
• Onion - 1 cup ( Finely chopped )
• Garlic - 5-6 cloves ( Crushed )
• Tomato - 1 cup ( Finely chopped)
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Fresh cream - 2 tbsp
• Paneer - 200 g

Instructions

1. Heat water in a large pot.
2. Clean the spinach and wash it thoroughly under running water.
3. Once the water comes to a boil, add the cooking soda and spinach and blanch the spinach for 3-4 minutes.
4. Drain the water and run the spinach under cold water immediately.
5. Put the spinach a blender along with green chillies and make a smooth paste.
6. Heat oil in a pan.
7. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and dried red chillies.
8. Let them crackle for a few seconds.
9. Add onion and garlic and fry until onion turns translucent.
10. Add tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes.
11. Add coriander powder, garam masala powder and fry for another minute.
12. Add spinach puree and saute on high heat for minute.
13. Add paneer, salt and ½ cup water and bring the curry to a boil.
14. Switch off the heat and add lemon juice and mix well.
15. For the Dhungar, heat a coal piece until it is red hot. Keep a bowl inside the bowl with curry and keep the piece of coal on top of it. Pour a tsp of ghee on top of the coal and immediately close the lid of the main bowl.
16. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
17. Open the lid, remove the coal piece and the small bowl and give the curry a gentle mix.
18. Garnish the Palak Paneer with Fresh Cream.
19. Serve hot with Naan or Phulke.

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Step By Step Tutorial on How to make Palak Paneer Restaurant Style

1. Heat water in a large pot.

2. Clean the spinach and wash it thoroughly under running water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the cooking soda and spinach and blanch the spinach for 3-4 minutes.

3. Drain the water and run the spinach under cold water immediately. Put the spinach a blender along with green chillies and make a smooth paste.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and dried red chillies. Let them crackle for a few seconds.

5. Add onion and garlic and fry until onion turns translucent.

6. Add tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Add coriander powder, garam masala powder and fry for another minute.

8. Add spinach puree and saute on high heat for minute

9. Add paneer, salt and 1/2 cup water and bring the curry to a boil.

10. Switch off the heat and add lemon juice and mix well.

11. For the Dhungar, heat a coal piece until it is red hot.

12. Keep a bowl inside the bowl with curry and keep the piece of coal on top of it. Pour a tsp of ghee on top of the coal and immediately close the lid of the main bowl. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Open the lid, remove the coal piece and the small bowl and give the curry a gentle mix. Garnish the Palak Paneer with Fresh Cream. Serve hot with Naan or Phulke.