PALAK PANEER

Palak paneer, rumali roti, raita and mirchi achaar

Palak paneer is a very loved dish and it is a healthy way of getting everyone to enjoy spinach. Nutrition wise it’s a good combination of calcium, protein and fibre besides the vitamins and minerals. It’s easy to make and pleases everyone. I use various shortcuts when in a hurry. Add fried potatoes or green peas for variety along with paneer. 

Ingredients

500 gms boiled spinach

1 chopped onion

1 chopped green chili

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped ginger

200 gms Paneer cubed

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp butter

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

250 ml tomato puree

4-5 tbsp cream

Method

1. Heat oil & butter together, add cumin seeds. Saute until light brown. 

2. Add chopped garlic, chillies & ginger. Saute till golden.Add onions & saute.

3. Add the spices and saute for few seconds until light aroma emits.

4. Now pour in the tomato puree and saute well. Let the spices blend & simmer till oil separates.

5. Add the spinach puree & mix well. 

6. Now put in paneer pieces and stir. 

7. Cover and cook for about 10 mins on low-medium heat.

8. Stir in cream &  let the curry cook & come together well so that it doesn’t leave any water. Add 1 tbsp flour if needed.

9. Pour into a dish. To spice up more, heat butter, add chopped garlic & saute till golden. Put a little chili powder and pour on top of the curry. Pour a tbsp of cream to decorate. Serve hot with rice or naans.

Tips- 1.Use tofu &  rahm spinat instead for a quick meal. Tastes similar ,needs less planning.

2. Saute paneer in butter for added richness.

RAW BANANA SQUARES IN GREEN CURRY

INGREDIENTS FOR SQUARES
2 raw bananas boiled
3 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
1/6 tsp hing
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp haldi
Salt to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY
500 Gms chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
Hing
1/2 tsp jeera
2 tbsp butter/ ghee
1/2 cup milk/2 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp any sabzi masala
Salt
1/2 lemon
METHOD
1. Mix all ingredients for squares and mash well.
2. Put into a greased container and steam for 10 mins till the color changes. Cool and cut into squares. You can fry these for added taste and serve them as snack too sprinkled with chaat masala.
3. Heat butter, add hing and jeera.
4. Add ginger paste and sauté.
5. Add chopped onions and sauté.
6. Add all spices and sauté 30 secs.
7. Add tomatoes and cook through.
8. Add spinach and cook. Add water, cook till soft.
9. Churn roughly with hand blender. Don’t purée.
10. Add the squares.
11. Cover to cook or pressure cook for 5 mins.
12. Open and add milk/cream and mix well. Adjust consistency you like.
13. Add lemon juice and serve.

Potato and spinach bake

        This baked dish I ate at a German friend's place. We just fell in love with it.It has the goodness of spinach and potatoes which the kids love. It can be kept away and can be made into small squares and given at school too for lunch box.
Serves:4-6
Ingredients
Thinly sliced potatoes                          4-5 large
Sliced onion                                        1 large
Chopped garlic                                    1 tbsp
Olive oil                                              1 tbsp
Pepper                                                 1/2 tsp
Seasoning of choice                            1/2 tsp
Milk                                                    1/2 cup
Frozen spinach with cream                 400 gms
(Alternatively- blanched,crushed spinach mixed with 1/2 cup cream and seasoning)
Grated cheese                                    100 gms
Salt to taste


Method
In a baking dish, smear the base with butter.
In a bowl,mix in sliced potatoes,onions, garlic,salt, oil and seasoning.
Put this into the baking dish and spread evenly.
Pour the milk on it.
Season the spinach mixture and spread evenly on the potato mixture.
Cover this with grated cheese.Put this into a pre heated oven at 200 deg for 20 mins.
Reduce the heat to 150deg and bake further till the liquid is evaporated, potatoes are cooked through (check by poking a fork in) and cheese is browned well.
Serve hot with garlic bread.Or cool, refrigerate and cut into squares.

Dal palak -Lentil with spinach

       This one of the most loved dishes in my home.It has the goodness of greens and proteins from lentils.Goes very well with rice or chappatis.If made a little thin,can be had almost like a soup.The goodness and smell of fresh spinach makes me want to eat bowl fulls of this lovely dish.
Ingredients
Bengal gram lentils                   100gms
Chopped spinach                     2 cups
chopped tomatoes                    2 nos
chopped onions                        1 no
chopped garlic                          1 tbsp
chopped ginger                         1/2 tsp
chopped green chilli                  1 no
lime juice                                  1-2 tsp
chilli powder                             1/2 tsp
coriander powder                      1 tbsp
tumeric powder                         1/2 tsp
garam masala                            1/4 tsp
bay leaf                                     1 no
cloves                                       3 nos
cumin seeds                               1 tsp
hing
salt to taste
Ghee/oil                                    1 tbsp
Method
Soak lentils (chana dal) for 30 mins.Pressure cook with water,tumeric and salt to 2 whistles in pressure cooker.
Heat ghee/oil and add hing and cumin seeds.Put in the bay leaf and cloves and let them colour.
Put in ginger and garlic and let them get golden.Now add chopped onions and let them cook till golden brown.Now put chilli powder, coriander and garam masala and stir well.
Now add the tomatoes and let them cook well together.Drop in chopped spinach and mix well.Simmer for 5 mins.Pour in the boiled lentils and mix well.Adjust consistency by adding more water if required.Boil for about 10 mins.Finally pour in the lime juice and serve piping hot with rotis or rice.

Palak paneer/tofu

      Just this morning having heard 2 people mention this dish, I thought even if I am not able to upload the picture of this lovely dish, I need to put up this recipe on the blog.Hetal ,this is specially for you and I am so happy you are liking my recipes and enjoying them.
     There hardly anyone I know who does not love palak paneer.It is healthy, delicious and very nutritious.Its mum's favorite thing to make and kids too love it, but for different reasons.Mums for the greens and kids for paneer.I substitute it many times for tofu.The kids barely make out the difference.India does have lovely spinach leaves fresh out of the fields.Love the colour and the tender green ones.Here in Germany the spinach is much different, but if made well, the kids would just have it anyways.
     I would make it quick by even using the frozen spinach with cream.It cuts down my job to nearly few minutes in the kitchen.No cleaning boiling and crushing.But here I would give the recipe with both options.I love my palak paneer suited to my taste.I do not like my spinach pureed completely but like it a bit crushed roughly as it does away with that little bitterness spinach has.I just whisk it once with the handblender to get a rough texture.So here is my version.I would upload the picture shortly.
Ingredients
Paneer/tofu                               200gms
boiled spinach                          250gms
cream                                       25 ml
or frozen spinach with cream     250 gms
chopped onions                        1 no
chopped tomatoes                    3 nos
chopped garlic                          2 tbsp
chopped ginger                         1 tbsp
chopped green chillies               1/2 tsp
coriander powder                      1 tsp
chilli powder                              1tsp
haldi                                          1/2 tsp
salt to taste
cumin seeds                               1/2 tsp
hing                                            1/4 tsp
garam masala                              1/2 tsp
ghee                                            1 tbsp+1tsp
Lemon juice                                1 tsp

Method
Run the hand blender in the boiled spinach such that the spinach is just crushed.Heat 1 tbsp ghee, add hing and jeera.Let it splutter.Add chopped 1 tbsp garlic and chopped ginger.Saute well.Add chopped chopped onions and saute till they are slightly brown.Add finely chopped tomatoes and all the dry masalas and cook till ghee seems to separate.Chop the paneer/tofu into 1'' pieces.Add it to the cooking tomatoes.Pour in the spinach and cook.(If using frozen spinach with cream, defrost that and pour in now, do not add the cream in this case).Cook well.Add the cream and cook  for 10 mins.Pour in lime juice and mix well.
Heat 1 tsp ghee and add the other tbsp of garlic.Saute till golden brown add 1/4 tsp chilli powder and pour on top the curry.Serve hot with hot rotis or parathas.

Baked penne in white sauce with spinach and mushrooms

I love the taste of pasta in white sauce baked with golden cheese on top melting and tempting you.My daughter is more fond of pasta with tomato sauce.So it was tough trying to get her to eat it, but I wouldn't give up and finally this recipe got her asking for more.It had spinach and so its a mum's dream to have her kids tucking it all in.The right mix of ingredients are a great way of doing a good dish and getting acceptance from all.
Ingredients
Pasta of choice                    400 gms
White sauce                         200 gms
finely chopped spinach          3 cups
chopped onions                     1 no
chopped garlic                       1 tbsp
cream                                    50 ml
sliced mushrooms                   250 gms
olives                                      14-15 nos
chopped dry red chillies          2 nos
Mixed Italian herbs                 1 tbsp
salt to taste
olive oil                                   2 tbsp
grated cooking cheese             100gms

Method
Boil pasta in salt and water with some olive oil till just done.Rinse in cold water and keep aside.
Heat oil and chopped red chilles and saute.Drop in garlic and saute.Put in the chopped onions and saute till translucent.Add the sliced mushrooms and spinach and cook on high heat to reduce the water in them.Sprinkle the herbs and salt.Pour in cream and olives.Add the boiled pasta and mix well.Pour in to a baking dish.Top with the white sauce and sprinkle cheese and bake at 200deg till the top is golden brown.Delicious pasta is ready to enjoy.