Palak paneer – spiced spinach with Indian paneer cheese

01Method

1. 1

   Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves and let them drain. Peel the onion and finely chop it.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a deep skillet or saucepan and add the cumin seeds — let them sizzle over medium heat until fragrant. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and the ground spices — turmeric, chili, garam masala, and pepper. Pour in the tomatoes, stir everything together, cover with a lid, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. The oil will begin to separate and rise to the surface.

3. 3

   Roughly slice the spinach into strips, add it to the tomato sauce, and stir until wilted. Add a splash of water, stir to combine, and simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Season with salt.

4. 4

   Cut the paneer into roughly ½-inch cubes. Heat the ghee in a skillet and fry the paneer cubes on all sides until golden brown.

5. 5

   Fold the pan-fried paneer into the spinach mixture, gently stir to combine, and serve topped with crispy fried onions or fried ginger to taste.