Palak Paneer

We had no idea it was this simple to make this dish, one we often don’t get for fear of lackluster spinach, that we will now be making all winter. There are of course many ways to do this, it’s great with palak (Indian cottage cheese), but if you can’t get your hands on that, a regular cottage cheese will do. Here it is in 3 easy steps.

PREPARE YOUR SPINACH

Wash, dry. Then blanch or just give your spinach a quick saute. We do it with a quick saute because we’re afraid to over-blanch. The saute is nice for this dish because you can add a chili or two to spice things up. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, blend, using the drippings from the saute, or a bit of olive oil. Add a few cashews to make things a bit creamier.

PREPARE YOUR BASE

Sweat some onions, add chopped garlic. A bit of tomato paste or whole roasted tomatoes is a nice touch. If you do add tomatoes, let that simmer about 10 minutes or more. Add spices of your choosing - garam masala, fenugreek, turmeric, chili powder.

MIX TOGETHER

Add the spinach to the mixture and let everything cook together for a moment. Add cream, coconut cream, or milk as a coolant for serving right at the end. Toss in some palak or use a dollop of cottage cheese. Serve with fresh onions, lemon and some homemade roti with the Severson flour.