Photograph: Kind courtesy: Dethans/Wikimedia Commons
Palak Paneer is hardly new to Indian kitchens.
Indeed, India LOVES paneer, especially Palak Paneer.
Recently, it's been making headlines for strange reasons. There was an incident at the University of Colorado, Boulder, when a member of the faculty objected to an Indian anthroplogy PhD student heating Palak Paneer in the shared department microwave. He said it smelled, because it was too pungent.
The altercationf-of-sorts led eventually, shockingly, to two rustications, then a lawsuit and a settlement a few days ago. But the long and short of it was that Palak Paneer eventually won the day. How could the universally-loved PP not win?
Ironically, that very hoo-ha is what drew me to cooking it for our weekend lunch.
It's a fairly straightforward dish, but I believe every home has their own way of making Palak Paneer.
Some prefer its palak to be silky smooth, others like a coarse blend of onion and tomato. Many choose to fry the paneer, some leave it soft. Most gourmets opt for cream for richness or yoghurt for a hint of tanginess. Other cooks add besan for thickness.
Basically, there's are no hard and fast rules.
Palak Paneer At A Dhaba Near Mandi
My favourite version is one I tasted in Himachal Pradesh, at a wee place near Mandi. Sitting at a roadside dhaba, cold winds biting, a piping-hot plate of Palak Paneer served with Tandoori Rotis felt like soul food at its finest.
Was it the freshness of the paneer (claimed to be made from milk from the dhaba owner's dairy)? Or was it the locally-grown palak (the kind now sold under flashy 'certified organic- labels)? Maybe it was the freshly-ground masalas. Or that fragrant chaunk of garlic and mirch that sealed the deal.
I suppose the real difference between homestyle and dhaba-style Palak Paneer lies in the gravy.
Unlike the silken, pureed versions at home, dhaba gravies are more rustic, with finely-chopped onions and tomatoes, well sauteed, not blended smooth. There's texture. And bite! Rather than a melt-in-the-mouth finish. And that's exactly what makes it perfect with hot phulkas, parathas, tandoori roti or even a simple bowl of fluffy rice.
Dhaba-Style Palak Paneer
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 bunch palak or spinach, pureed
- 1 cup malai paneer or cottage cheese, cubed, if using low-fat paneer soak it in warm water for 10 min
- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 badi elaichi or black cardamom
- 4 laung or cloves
- 1 small stick dalcheeni or cinnamon
- ½ jeera or cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilly paste
- ¼ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 tsp chilly powder
- 2 tsp dhania-jeera powder
- 2 tbsp fresh cream
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves, toasted and crushed
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- Salt to taste, about 1 tbsp
- Water
For the tempering:
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1 tbsp roughly-chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- Pinch haldi or turmeric powder
- Pinch hing or asafetida
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 whole dry Kashmiri red chilly
Method
- Start by shallow-frying or air-frying the paneer cubes in a little oil until lightly golden.
Transfer to a bowl of warm water to keep soft.
- Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan or a kadhai and add the elaichi, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and let the spices crackle for a few seconds.
Add the onions and saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until light golden.
Stir in the ginger-garlic-chilly paste and cook for another minute.
Add all the dry spice powders and mix well, sprinkling a little water if needed, to prevent the masala from sticking to the pan.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften.
Now add the spinach puree, fried paneer cubes, salt and water too, as required, to adjust the consistency.
Mix well and let it cook for two minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Finish by lightly mixing in the well-whisked, lump-free cream, crushed kasuri methi, garam masala.
Cook for another two minutes.
- For the final touch, prepare the tempering by heating the ghee in a small frying pan or tempering pan over medium heat.
Add the tempering ingredients and saute for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the chilly powder.
Pour this tadka over the Palak Paneer.
- Serve hot with your choice of flatbread.