Sometimes when I know the week is going to be complicated, I buy frozen Indian food, and of all the dishes, my absolute favorite is Palak Paneer, which is creamy spinach with sautéed paneer cheese (similar to fresh cheese).
I’ve also eaten it fresh in Indian restaurants, and since I saw the recipe on Marcela’s blog, I knew I had to make it at home, and this week, since spinach was on sale, what could be better?
I went for it, and in the end, I based it on Marcela’s recipe from the blog Food, Travel, and Drinks. I recommend it, and on this other one I found on the internet. I didn’t add cheese because I didn’t have any at home.
I served it with golden potatoes and shrimp, and I adapted the recipe to use only one pot and make it quicker and easier. I was very happy because the flavor turned out very authentic.
Spinach with cheese, Indian style (Palak Paneer)
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Burgos cheese or ricotta in cubes | 100 grams |
| Leaf spinach | 500 grams |
| Large chopped onion | 1 |
| Freshly grated ginger (equivalent to one teaspoon) | as needed |
| Garlic cloves | 2 |
| Large chopped tomatoes | 2 |
| Tomato paste | 1 tablespoon |
| Vegetable cream (optional) | to taste |
| Chili pepper | to taste |
| Crushed cardamom | ½ teaspoon |
| Garam masala | 1 teaspoon |
| Cumin | ½ teaspoon |
| Butter | as needed |
| Salt | to taste |
Utensils
- Frying pan
- Low and wide casserole dish
Step 1
Finely shred the spinach. Melt a little butter in a pan and add the spinach. Season with salt and cook over medium heat, adding a little water if necessary, until tender. Set aside.
You can boil it, but I prefer to do it in a pan since we don’t use much fat and we don’t lose a lot of nutrients in the cooking water.
Step 2
Cut the cheese into cubes and set aside.
Step 3
In a large, shallow saucepan, melt about 75g of butter and cook the julienned onion in it over medium heat until it softens slowly. I usually add salt while it’s cooking because it helps the vegetables cook more evenly.
Halfway through cooking, add the chopped garlic, grated ginger (a small piece or the equivalent of a teaspoon), cardamom, cumin and chili pepper (if you want it spicy).
In the list of ingredients you can see the quantities I usually use, although this is a matter of taste and it’s about you trying until you get the “point” that you like.
It is cooked slowly, allowing the aromas and flavors of the spices to meld together, without letting anything burn or over‑toast.
Step 4
Grate or crush the tomatoes and add them to the previous mixture, along with a tablespoon of tomato paste. Cook over low‑medium heat for about 15 minutes. Taste and add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar if the tomato is too acidic. Adjust the salt to taste.
When cooked, the tomato changes from red to orange. That’s the point we need to reach.
Step 5
Once the sauce is cooked, add a level tablespoon of garam masala and the spinach. Cook for about 5 more minutes.
Step 6
Finally, add the diced cheese and continue cooking until it is incorporated into the dish.
Some people fry the cheese, especially if it’s a firm cheese, but I add it raw.
If you use unfried cheese, some of it will melt into the sauce, adding creaminess to the dish. If you don’t fry the cheese, and you want to achieve that consistency, you can add a little plant‑based cream or heavy cream, keeping in mind that this will reduce the intensity of the spices, so you may need to adjust the seasoning.
Notes
- For this recipe, I substituted paneer cheese with a Burgos cheese or a ricotta‑type cheese. Similarly, I substituted ghee with commercial butter. The original ingredients aren’t easy to find, and these substitutes work very well.
- Garam masala is a spice mix that is bought ready‑made, although you can find countless recipes online if you want to prepare it to your liking.