Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches of spinach, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed
• 3-4 green chilies, crushed
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of whipping cream
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 lb diced paneer
• 2 large tomatoes (chopped finely)

Steps:

1. Wash the spinach. Since spinach is a ground grown vegetable, make sure to clean it thoroughly.
2. Boil spinach and chopped green chillies for 10 minutes. Cool and grind to a fine paste. Roast Kasuri methi on a tava for half a minute (see that you don't burn it). When cooked, cool it and then powder it by rubbing it between your palms.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry ginger till brown.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till oil shows on top. Add palak paste and Kasuri methi and fry. Add milk. Add garam masala powder and 2 tbsp cream and diced paneer. Add salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Before serving add 1 tbsp of butter (optional).
6. Serve hot with parathas or naan.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of Palak
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
• 3 medium sized potatoes
• 3 medium sized tomatoes / one small tin of tomato paste
• 1 big onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 pepper balls
• 1-2 cloves depending on the taste
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp curds
• Salt
• Oil

Steps:

Microwave

1. Poke potatoes with a knife/fork & make tiny holes on them. Sprinkle salt over it.
2. Microwave them for about 5 minutes.
3. Peel the potatoes later & cut them into the desired shape.
4. In a pan add little oil & heat. Place the potato pieces in the pan & roast them on all sides. Keep them aside & prepare the gravy.

Pressure cook

1. Pressure cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker by adding little salt & turmeric powder.
2. Peel the cooked potatoes & cut them into the desired shape.
3. Poke each cut piece with a fork.
4. In a pan add little oil & heat. Place the potato pieces in the pan & roast them on all sides. Keep them aside & prepare the gravy.
5. Fry them & cook them along with palak.

Prepare the gravy

1. Use a pan, heat oil & add jeera, cloves, pepper, Cinnamon, coriander & turmeric powder. (medium flame)
2. Add onions & fry until they sweat.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste & saute for a minute.
4. Add palak & fry for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add chili powder, garam masala & salt.
6. Mix well & then add tomatoes along with curds.
7. Cook till the tomatoes become soft/get cooked well in the pan.
8. Let the mixture in the pan cool down completely.
9. Grind the mixture to a thick fine paste.
10. Put the mixture back into the pan & cook on medium flame.
11. Add the potato pieces & water. (Addition of water depends on how the potatoes are to be cooked. If they were microwaved or pressure cooked & fried, add little water else a little more)
12. Cook for 5 minutes & remove from fire.
13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, raw onion, Kasoori methi or roasted cashew nuts or almonds.

Tips:

• Poking the potatoes with the fork is done so that the masala penetrates into the vegetable.
• Fry the palak separately, make a paste out of it & then add it to the gravy.
• Fresh cream can be used along with curds.