Palak Paneer, Peas Palak or Corn Palak is a delicious Nort Indian vegetable that is much appreciated in my place.
Come winter and the fields around us in Panaji, yes there are fields in Panaji, start getting a lot of activity. After the water collected during rains is drained the growth is cleared there are beautiful vegetables planted and delicious fresh brinjals, corn, tamdi bhaji, dhavi bhaji, turnips, different gourds and of course palak/spinach grown and sold.
Yesterday when I asked my husband to bring palak/spinach he came back home with a huge bundle of fresh green palak/spinach. The lady plucked it from the fields before him. It was a pleasure plucking the leaves, fresh.
The reason that I am writing about this here is as Goa gets its veggies mainly from Belgaum the delicate leaves of palak/spinach are badly damaged and I hate cleaning them. Plus the veggies we get here are never of the same standard as they are in Belgaum. So basically we are paying through our noses for substandard veggies.
Now I have made Palak Paneer in different ways we have had corn palak, pea’s palak and of course Paneer palak. Somehow I never get down making Aloo Palak. If you have fresh peas make some Matar Ka Nimona.
I once made cauliflower palak and let me tell you it was a failure. I had to make cutlets as I did not want to bin them. 🙂
Peas Palak
Now basically since I have been told that I have made a decent palak vegetable I thought I will write down what I did. All of us liked it!
Did I say all? How is that possible?
Akanksha told me,” it’s not like how you get it in the hotel. It has strings in it”.
So the option was to make it all over again but then I had to strain it. I threw out so much of roughage.
Well,
at least she was happy and told me it’s like what you get in the hotel!
This is my entry for the month long Blogging Marathon under the theme "Seasonal"!
Ingredients:
- 2 bundles of palak/spinach (approx 500grms of puree)
- 2-3 onions medium sized
- 2 tomatoes
- 10 mint leaves (optional but recommended)
- 10 springs coriander
- 1 inch Ginger, peeled
- 1 garlic bulb, peeled
- 10 cashew nuts
- 2-3 green chilies(adjust as per taste)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon
- 1 green cardamon
- 1 cloves
- Jeera
- Oil
- 1 tblspn kasuri methi (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- A pinch of Amchoor
- Sugar
- Salt
- 1 tblspn ghee
- 2-3 red chillies
- ½ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- 1 ½ cup full of peas/ corn (frozen) / 250 grms paneer
Method:
- Fry the cashew nut, green chili, ginger, garlic (reserve 4-5 for the garnish) till cashew nuts are light brown. Remove from the oil.
- In the same oil add the cinnamon, cardamon, cloves fry and then transfer to the mixer.
- Add onion fry till translucent. Add the tomato and fry until mushy. Remove from the fire and transfer to the mixer. Let it cool before grinding to paste with the blanched palak, coriander and mint.
- Now here I once strained my puree with the help of the soup strainer. This is an optional step but if you want restaurant like smoothness to your palak gravy this is a much needed step.
- Crackle in oil jeera add the ground paste a little water to adjust the thickness, add the kasuri methi if using, turmeric, red chili powder, amchoor, sugar, garam masala and salt to taste.
- Add the paneer (you can fry them if you desire but I do not), corn and or peas. Bring to a boil 4-5 minutes you do not want the colour to change.
- Heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the reserved garlic and fry them slightly. Remove add there chilies and fry lightly. Remove add the hing. Pour the piping hot ghee and the garlic and red chilies on the palak.
- Serve hot with rotis or naan.
I served it with chapattis and the gals also had it with rice!! A great compliment indeed!!!
Rajani says
Wow...hotel style palak paneer made with palak plucked fresh just for you! A dish can never get better than this, right 🙂
Srivalli says
Though we grow palak in pots at home, nothing like plucking from farm right..gravy looks so green and good. and somehow when I think of vegetable shopping I remember you and Ahmedabad..:)
Vaishali Sabnani says
ha ha..Vali!!...well Arcahana next time don't cook spinach..call up and order:))..will send the parcel.Jokes apart..the spinach looks real fresh and green, and next time plz dont strain it..just chop the spinach fine and make a puree' and then use..grate the onions and puree the tomatoes..add cream...and you have the hotel style paalak paneer!!
themadscientistskitchen says
Thanks Vaishali! That will be next season now.
Priya says
Lov that super catchy and delicious greeny palak paneer, freshly plucked palak,omg its my dream..Nothing can beat this.
Swathi says
Delicious palak paneer Archana, I love it , my favorite with roti.
foodiliciousnan says
kids can be so specific about what they need! So, Akanksha dear wanted hotel style palak paneer and got it too! Looks really god to me too 🙂
nalini says
looks delicious and tempting....
harini says
Very nice. My older one loves it!
Savitha says
Very colourfull palak curry.
pinksocks says
I am really tempted to make to today for dinner. Beautiful color
preeti2kitchen says
Yummy and healthy meal for anytime with indian flatbreads
pumpkinfarmfood says
talk of belgaum, my origin, though have never been there much, it has my strings attached, and yes i can imagine the plight in absence of fresh vegetables, to top that our critics :), i loved your perseverance, end result looks fab
Pavani says
Palak picked right in front of you---you are lucky. Curry looks so fresh and delicious. Love that bright green color.
Chef Mireille says
love the vibrant color
sujigh says
Palak panner such healthy combo...
manju says
Your color is so attracting.
Suma Gandlur says
Looks inviting. Just curious, do we need the whole spices as we are using the garam masala?
themadscientistskitchen says
Yes Suma it tastes better. Use a little lesser garam masala if you feel that the spice level will be too much.