Serving 4
INGREDIENTS:
300 g spinach (washed and clean, about 6 cups packed spinach)
1-1/2 cups paneer (cubed into bite size, about 150 g of paneer)
1 tomato (finely chopped, this will make 3/4 of chopped tomato)
1 green chilli (chopped)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 onion
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/8 tsp asafetida (hing)
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
5 green cardamom + 3 cloves + cinnamon stick (1 inch) (whole garam masala)
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi)
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp oil
1/3 cup heavy cream
PREPARATIONS:
- First blanch the spinach, this helps to keep the spinach colour bright. To blanch the spinach, boil about 6 cups of water in a saucepan, and let the spinach boil for one minute. Drain the water and put the spinach in ice cold water for about two minutes. Drain the water.
- Blend the spinach and green chilli. Spinach should be creamy but not pasty.
- While cooking, spinach can splatter, use larger sauce pan. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan, over medium high heat. Add the onion and fry till it becomes brown. Sprinkle salt.
- Add the tomato and fry it. Cool the mixture and then blend it in a blender.
- Now heat 2tbsp oil in the frying pan. Add the whole cumin. Once it cracks add the sugar and allow it to caramelise. Add the asafoetida, saute for a minute and then add the mixture of onion tomato paste.
- Add ginger garlic paste and saute still oil leaves from the mixture.
- In a bowl add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and Kashmiri chilli powder and make a paste with little water. Add this mixture into the pan.
- Saute till oil leaves. Now add the spinach.
- After spinach comes to boil lower the heat to low, and let the spinach cook for about 5-6 minutes do not cover the pot. This helps keeping the green colour of spinach.
- Add the cream and then the paneer (cottage cheese). Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with vegetable fried rice, naan, paratha or roti.
