Indian · Punjab

Palak Paneer — Spinach and Cheese Technique (पालक पनीर)

Palak paneer is India's most globally recognised vegetarian main: cubes of fresh paneer in a brilliant green spinach (palak) sauce, its colour retained by the technique of blanching and immediately shocking the spinach before blending. The spinach sauce is not a crude puree — it involves a cooked base of onion-tomato-ginger-garlic into which the green puree is integrated, then finished with cream and spiced with only cumin, garam masala, and fresh chilli. The paneer can be fried before addition (firmer, with caramelised edges) or added fresh (softer, absorbs sauce better). The colour of the dish is a technical statement: dull khaki indicates inadequate blanching or too-long cooking; vivid green signals mastery.

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Serves4

Total35 min

Sourced1of 14 in BC

Cook

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The Market List

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500 g

fresh spinach

roughly chopped

Your own market

250 g

paneer cheese

cut into 1.5 cm cubes

Not yet stocked in British Columbia

30 ml

ghee

Not yet stocked in British Columbia

large onion

finely diced

Your own market

15 g

fresh ginger

minced

Origin · New ZealandPurely Artisan Foods · San Diego →

4 cloves

garlic

minced

Your own market

green chilies

minced

Your own market

200 g

heavy cream

Your own market

3 g

garam masala

Not yet stocked in British Columbia

2 g

ground cumin

Your own market

1 g

red chili powder

Your own market

4 g

sea salt

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1 g

cracked black pepper

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3 g

fresh cilantro

chopped

Your own market

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The Method

Blanch spinach in boiling salted water for 2 minutes; drain, squeeze dry, and blend with 60 ml water until smooth puree.

Heat 15 ml ghee in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat; cook diced onion until soft and translucent, 5 minutes.

Add ginger, garlic, and green chilies; cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in spinach puree and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in heavy cream and bring to simmer; add garam masala, cumin, chili powder, and salt; cook 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

From the canon — Garam masala is the crown jewel of the Indian spice pantry — a blend whose name translates simply as 'warm spice mix,' understating completely what it does t… Garam Masala (Fresh-Ground — Indian Spice Pantry) →

Heat remaining 15 ml ghee in separate small skillet over medium heat; gently fry paneer cubes until golden on all sides, 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel.

Fold fried paneer into spinach sauce; simmer 3 minutes until heated through.

Season with black pepper; garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice or naan.

Sensory Tests

◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where palak paneer lives or dies is the ice bath for the spinach — plunge the blanched spinach into ice water immediately after 30 seconds of blanching. Leave for 60 seconds, then drain and blend. The colour should be electric green — if it is olive or khaki, the spinach was over-blanched or the ice bath was skipped. This colour is the first visual signal of quality.

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