Spiced Spinach with Paneer (Palak Paneer)

Spiced Spinach with Paneer (Palak Paneer)

A great spinach side dish, using the high-in-protein Indian cheese paneer. It has a similar texture to tofu, so holds its shape perfectly and doesn't melt, meaning it is fantastic for cooking with. It goes perfectly with spinach, and the spices in the Balti paste I use really gives this traditional accompaniment a wonderful flavour.

Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Difficulty: Moderate

Spiciness

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This recipe features

Ingredients

400g fresh spinach leaves
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra oil for deep frying
400g paneer cheese, diced into 2.5cm cubes
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tomatoes, diced
4cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp Patak's Balti Paste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Methods

Put the spinach in a colander. Pour over boiling water to wilt the leaves. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain well and purée in a food processor.
Heat the oil for deep frying in a heavy based pan to 190°C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Deep fry the paneer for 2-3 mins, until brown on the edges (use a metal spoon to stop it sticking to the pan). Set aside on kitchen paper to drain.
In another saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle add the ginger, garlic and green chilli. After about 1 minute stir in Patak's Balti Paste. Sprinkle with a little water and allow to cook for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
Add the spinach and stir well. Bring to a simmer, then mix in the paneer. Allow to heat through for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve with hot chapattis. Simply delicious!