Palak Paneer Recipe

Make paneer

Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Once the milk is just boiling, reduce heat to low and stir in the lemon juice or vinegar a tablespoon at a time. The milk will begin to curdle and the whey will separate (a greenish liquid). If curds do not separate, add another tablespoon of lemon juice.

Turn off the heat and let the curdled milk sit 5 minutes to firm up. Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey through to drain.

Gather the cheesecloth, rinse the curds briefly under cold water to remove any lemony flavor, then sprinkle salt over the curds and gather into a tight bundle.

Press the wrapped curds under a weighted pan or heavy object for 30–45 minutes to form a firm block. Use the 1/2 cup cold water as needed to help rinse while forming if desired.

Unwrap the pressed paneer and cut into 1.5–2 cm cubes. Set aside. (If using store-bought paneer, cut and soak cubes in warm water 10 minutes to soften.)

Blanch and puree spinach

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30–45 seconds until wilted and bright green. Immediately transfer to an ice bath (or rinse under cold water) to stop cooking. Drain well and squeeze out excess water.

Coarsely chop the blanched spinach and transfer to a blender. Add the green chili (if using) and blend to a smooth or slightly coarse puree using 2–3 tablespoons of water as needed. Set aside.

Prepare masala base

Heat 3 tbs oil or ghee in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 15–20 seconds until fragrant.

Add chopped onion and sauté 6–8 minutes until soft and starting to brown at the edges. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Add chopped tomato and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and oil begins to separate from the mixture. If the tomato is very dry, add 1–2 tbs water to help break it down.

Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, red chili powder and half of the garam masala. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.

Pour the spinach puree into the pan, mixing thoroughly with the masala. Add 1/4 cup water to loosen the sauce if it's too thick.

Simmer the spinach gravy gently for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add 1 tsp salt (or adjust to taste).

Finish with paneer and cream

Gently fold in the paneer cubes into the simmering spinach gravy. Cook 3–4 minutes so the paneer heats through and absorbs flavor. Stir in the cream (or yogurt) and remaining 1/4 tsp garam masala, simmer 1–2 minutes more without boiling hard (if using yogurt, temper it first with a little hot gravy to avoid splitting).

Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice and kasuri methi (reserve some for garnish). Adjust seasoning with salt and, if needed, a pinch of sugar to balance bitterness.

If the gravy is thicker than desired, add up to 2–4 tbs hot water to reach preferred consistency and simmer 1 minute.

Melt 1 tbs butter or ghee in a small pan and pour it over the cooked palak paneer for a glossy finish (optional).

Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi and chopped cilantro on top.

Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, or Indian breads like naan or roti. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid curdling the cream.