Palak Paneer – Indian Spinach Curry with Homemade Fresh Cheese

Name: Palak Paneer – Kari Bayam India dengan Keju Segar Buatan Sendiri
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 batch homemade Paneer ((Indian fresh cheese; recipe linked below)); 30 g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter ((for pan frying, Note 2)); 30 g /2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter ((Note 2)); 1 1/2 onions (, finely chopped (brown or yellow)); 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (whole) ((Note 3)); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 3/4 tsp salt (, kosher/cooking salt (if using table salt, reduce by 1/4 tsp)); 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 g arlic cloves (, finely chopped); 2 tsp ginger (, finely grated (20g)); 2 tomatoes (, peeled, seeded and diced (Note 4)); 1 g reen chilli (, finely sliced (cayenne, Note 5)); 700 g / 1.4lb fresh spinach leaves (English spinach) (, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped (~9 cups very tightly packed) (Note 6)); 1/4 cup water; 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cream ((pure, heavy or thickened)); 1 tbsp lemon juice

Recipe video above. A dish this iconic demands to be made properly – from scratch, with lots of fresh spinach and homemade paneer (Indian fresh cheese!) This is a magnificent vegetarian curry, packed with an extraordinary amount of nutrition and goodness!

⏱️ 70 min 🔪 Prep: 45 min 🔥 Cook: 25 min 📊 Medium ⭐ 4.9 (46) 👁️ 5 views

👨‍🍳 Start Cooking

Palak Paneer – Kari Bayam India dengan Keju Segar Buatan Sendiri

Foto: RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

6 servings

1 batch homemade Paneer ((Indian fresh cheese; recipe linked below))
30 g / 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter ((for pan frying, Note 2))
30 g /2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter ((Note 2))
1 1/2 onions (, finely chopped (brown or yellow))
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (whole) ((Note 3))
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp salt (, kosher/cooking salt (if using table salt, reduce by 1/4 tsp))
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 g arlic cloves (, finely chopped)
2 tsp ginger (, finely grated (20g))
2 tomatoes (, peeled, seeded and diced (Note 4))
1 g reen chilli (, finely sliced (cayenne, Note 5))
700 g / 1.4lb fresh spinach leaves (English spinach) (, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped (~9 cups very tightly packed) (Note 6))
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cream ((pure, heavy or thickened))
1 tbsp lemon juice

Steps

Saute onion & spices: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened but not golden.
Add garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomato and chilli, cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat.
Add spinach: Add about 1/3 of the spinach – or as much as you can handle in the pot (!) – and stir until wilted. Then add more spinach along with the water, cook again until wilted. Repeat until all the spinach is wilted.
Cook 10 minutes: Cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes still on a medium heat.
Cream & lemon: Add the cream and lemon juice. Cook, stirring gently, for 3 minutes.
Puree half spinach: Remove half the spinach into a tall container and blend it to a puree using a stick blender. Pour pureed spinach back into the pot, and stir to combine.
Add Pan Fried Paneer: Gently stir in golden pan-fried paneer (see below). Stir gently to mix through.
Serve over basmati rice with fluffy, chewy homemade naan on the side!
Cut paneer into 1.25cm / ½" thick slices. Then cut each slice into 2.5cm x 2 x 1.25cm thick pieces / 1 x ⅘" x ½" pieces – approximately!
Melt half the ghee or butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Place half the paneer in the pan and cook for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until light golden - I tend to make it deep golden because colour = more flavour, but traditional is just a hint of gold Turn, then cook the other side until light golden.
Remove onto paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining butter and paneer. Use per recipe.