Restaurant/Dhaba Style Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a very popular Indian curry prepared with spinach and cottage cheese (paneer) . It has a creamy texture and has firm consistency.

It's usually served with roti, butter nan and tandoori rotis.

Its one of my personal favorite dishes,  even kids love this dish. 

I prepare this dish with one secret ingredient which is used while preparing palak paneer in restaurants. This secret ingredient was revealed by one of the renowned chefs in town. 

Let's prepare the delicious palak paneer in restaurant style. 

Ingredients: 

1 bunch of palak (spinach) 

3-4 green chilies 

5-6 cloves of garlic 

1/2 jeera 

1-inch ginger

1 large tomato 

1 large onion

1 tsp red chilly powder 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1 tsp kasuri methi 

1 onion - chopped 

1 tsp butter

200 gm paneer 

1 medium-size tej patta (bay leaf)

1 small cup grated processed cheese

2 tsp cream

Water as required

Salt as per your taste  

Procedure:

Take paneer cubes on a plate and sprinkle some salt, turmeric powder, and red chilly powder and marinate for 30 min.

Shallow fry paneer in a pan and keep it aside.

The paneer should be a little crispy on both the sides as shown.

Clean each and every leaf of spinach.

Rinse the leaves well in running water.

Use the stems if they are tender or else discard them. 

Place a pan with 2 litre of water to boil and add half tsp of salt to it.

Once the water starts boiling add spinach leaves in it and let it cook for 1-2 min.

Turn off the gas immediately and transfer the leaves into a cool water bowl.

Blend the spinach leaves in a jar and make a smooth paste, do not add water at all.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add jeera and let it turn golden. Add garlic cloves and ginger and saute well.

Add onion, green chilies, and tomato to it and mix it well, cook well until smooth.

Turn the gas off and let it cool down. 

If tomatoes are not cooked well it can spoil the taste of palak paneer due to its own smell.

Make a smooth paste of it, add little water if required.

Heat butter and half tsp of oil together in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp chopped garlic, bay leaf to it, and saute very well till garlic changes its color to golden.

Further, add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder, kasuri methi, and mix all the masalas on low flame. 

Now pour tomato-onion paste into it and keep mixing. Cook the paste on low flame till you see the butter releasing on the sides.

Add palak puree and paneer to it and cook on low flame. The gravy should be thick and no moisture should be left.

Now add the secret ingredient ie., grated cheese, and give it a proper mix. 

Taste the gravy and check if the salt is accurate otherwise sprinkle salt as required all over and mix well.

Lastly add fresh cream to it and turn off the gas in a minute. 

Enjoy meals..