Salads
Cypriot Halloumi Salad
A fresh Cypriot salad with grilled halloumi, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olive oil, lemon, and oregano.
ChefLock Recipe
Palak Paneer
Palak paneer combines a smooth spinach sauce with tender paneer cubes. Cumin, ginger and garlic give savoury depth, while a small cream finish rounds the greens. The spinach should remain prominent rather than being hidden under an orange tomato gravy.
🥗 Vegetarian
v2.0
Home Cook View
Follow the measured ingredients, numbered method, substitutions, safety notes and cooking mode below.
Professional Kitchen View
Standard Yield4 servings
Professional Chef Notes
Production target: 4 portions. Hold the spinach puree separately from the masala until close to service whenever possible; this protects colour and gives better control over consistency.
Blanch spinach in a wide pot so the water returns to temperature quickly. Chill immediately, drain thoroughly and blend only with enough water to move the blades. Excess blending water creates a thin sauce that takes too long to reduce.
Cook the onion-tomato base fully before adding the spinach. Once the puree goes in, use gentle heat and a short cooking time.
Add paneer near service and heat only until the centre is hot. Long hot-holding makes paneer firm and darkens the spinach.
For batch service, keep the spinach sauce below a hard boil, stir from the bottom every few minutes and add cream only to the quantity needed for service. Final quality check: vivid spinach aroma, smooth but not watery sauce, tender paneer, no raw garlic note and no greasy cream layer.
About This Recipe
Palak paneer should taste unmistakably of spinach: fresh, savoury and gently spiced, with soft paneer folded through a smooth green sauce. This version briefly blanches and cools the spinach before blending, builds a restrained onion-tomato masala separately, and adds the paneer only at the end so the greens stay bright and the cheese stays tender.
Before You Start
1. Read firstRead every step once before switching on the cooker.
2. MeasureWeigh and prepare all ingredients in the order listed.
3. Control heatLow means a gentle bubble, medium cooks steadily, and high is for quick browning.
4. Check donenessUse the texture, timing and safe-temperature checks written in the method.
Equipment
- ✓ Large saucepan for blanching
- ✓ Large bowl of cold water
- ✓ Colander or fine-mesh strainer
- ✓ Blender or immersion blender
- ✓ Wide heavy frying pan or sauté pan
- ✓ Chef’s knife
- ✓ Chopping board
- ✓ Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- ✓ Kitchen scale
- ✓ Measuring jug
Ingredients
- For the Spinach Puree
- For the Masala
- To Finish
Easy Step-by-Step Method
Complete one numbered step before moving to the next. Keep the heat and timing exactly as written.
Blanch the Spinach Briefly
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a full boil. Add the spinach and press it under the water. Cook for 60–90 seconds, only until fully wilted and bright green.
- Lift the spinach into a bowl of very cold water, or rinse immediately under cold water. Drain well. This stops the cooking and helps preserve a fresher green colour.
Blend the Spinach
- Put the drained spinach in a blender with the green chilli, 10 g ginger and 60 ml cold water. Blend until smooth. Add only enough extra water to keep the blades moving. The puree should be thick enough to coat a spoon, not watery.
Cook the Onion Base
- Heat the oil or ghee in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 20 seconds.
- Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden at the edges. Do not dark-brown the onion; a very dark base will muddy the spinach flavour and colour.
Cook the Aromatics and Tomato
- Add the garlic and remaining 10 g ginger. Cook for 60–90 seconds until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the tomato, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and crushing the tomato, until the mixture is thick and no longer watery.
Add the Spinach Puree
- Lower the heat and stir in the spinach puree. Bring only to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes. Do not boil aggressively; prolonged high heat dulls the colour and makes the spinach taste flatter.
- If the sauce is too thick, add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time. The finished sauce should flow slowly from a spoon but still cling to the paneer.
Warm the Paneer Gently
- Add the paneer cubes and fold them through the spinach carefully. Simmer on low heat for 3–4 minutes, just until the paneer is hot. Do not keep boiling once the paneer is heated; overcooking makes it firm and rubbery.
Finish the Sauce
- Turn the heat to its lowest setting. Stir in the cream, garam masala, optional kasuri methi and optional butter. Warm for 1 minute without boiling hard.
- Taste for salt. The final dish should taste clearly of spinach first, with cumin, ginger and garlic in the background rather than a heavy tomato or cream flavour.
Serve
- Rest for 2 minutes, then serve with basmati rice, roti or naan. Spoon enough spinach sauce with every portion so the paneer does not sit dry on the plate.
Chef Notes & Tips
The spinach should remain the dominant flavour. Tomato, cream and garam masala are supporting ingredients, not the main taste.
For the best colour, blanch the spinach only until wilted, cool it immediately and avoid a long hard boil after blending.
Paneer texture varies by brand. If your paneer is very firm from the refrigerator, soak the sealed packet or the cut cubes in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain before adding to the sauce.
Do not fry paneer automatically. Frying adds colour but can make some paneer rubbery; this version keeps it tender by warming it directly in the spinach sauce.
If the sauce is watery, reduce it before adding the paneer. If it becomes too thick, loosen with hot water a tablespoon at a time.
If the spinach tastes bitter, first check salt and cooking time. Excessive browning of garlic, spices or onion can also make the whole dish taste harsh.
If the colour turns dull, do not try to repair it with food colouring. Focus on clean flavour and correct seasoning instead.
Kasuri methi is optional. Use only a small amount because too much can overpower the spinach.
Ingredient Substitutions
- ↔ Paneer → firm tofu for a different version, also replacing dairy cream if needed
- ↔ Double cream → cooking cream
- ↔ Green chilli → omit for a milder sauce
Food Safety & Doneness
Use pasteurised dairy products and keep them refrigerated until needed. Follow package use-by instructions, and refrigerate prepared food promptly in shallow containers.
Serving & Plating
Serve with rice or flatbread and distribute paneer evenly. A small cream swirl is optional; avoid using garnish to compensate for a thin spinach flavour.
Storage
Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat only the portion needed to at least 74°C throughout. Discard food left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.
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