Easy Spinach And Paneer Cheese Curry No Onion Or Garlic Recipes

PALAK PANEER RECIPE | SPINACH PANEER

Steps:

• Pluck only the young & tender spinach leaves and discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste. If using baby spinach you can use the stems as well.
• Add them to a large pot of water. Rinse them well few times & drain to a colander.
• Allow the water to drain completely otherwise it will let out lot of moisture while cooking.
• Heat half tablespoon oil in a pan. Saute green chilies, cashews and spinach for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly & raw smell of spinach has gone away. [OR another option is to blanch the palak in 4 cups of hot water with ¼ tsp salt for 2 mins. Then immerse in ice cold water. Drain completely.]
• Cool this completely. Blend this along with ¼ cup water to a smooth puree. The puree should be smooth and thick. You may add 1 to 2 tbsps more water to help in blending.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter and half tablespoon oil to the same pan, Once they melt, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds.
• When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions and fry till they turn transparent to golden.
• Next saute ginger garlic paste for 1 to 2 minutes or until you begin to smell it nice.
• Then add tomatoes with salt. Saute until they break down and turn mushy.
• Add garam masala & saute until the masala smells good. This may take 2 mins. (for a smoother curry refer notes)
• Pour ¾ cup water and cook covered until onions are completely soft. There should be some water left in the pan. (for consistency check video)
• Lower the flame, add kasuri methi and pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins. If the curry is too thick you may add a few tbsps of hot water.
• Avoid overcooking. Add paneer & mix well. Turn off and remove to a serving bowl. Optionally garnish with cream.
• Serve palak paneer with naan, roti or Jeera rice.

EASY SPINACH AND PANEER CHEESE CURRY (NO ONION OR GARLIC)

Steps:

• Thaw the frozen spinach in the microwave for 7 minutes on high, or until well thawed. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Put the thawed spinach into a food processor. Add the tomato, flour, ginger, ground coriander, cayenne powder and turmeric. Puree.
• In a large nonstick frying pan put the oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cubed paneer cheese and cook until well browned. Place the cheese on paper towels to drain and set aside.
• Remove half the remaining oil in the frying pan. Reheat the pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the spinach mixture and stir-fry for about 10 minutes until everything is well cooked.
• Add the salt and garam masala (optional) and stir to blend.
• Remove pan from the heat and stir in half the cream, milk or yogurt (or a combination, or leave out entirely). When well blended, add the rest of the cream, milk or yogurt and mix again. Add extra dairy if you like it creamier.
• Put the frying pan back on the heat. Stir in the fried cheese and cook just until the curry is heated through.
• Good served with either rice or Indian bread. Also delicious adding a bit of it to an omelet.
• Variations: Instead of paneer cheese, you could add diced potatoes, chickpeas, or frozen green peas stirred in at the end. You may also serve the spinach plain without the cheese, potatoes, chickpeas or peas.