Okay, all you Indian food lovers, here's our thread! Everybody join in and contribute! :-o
One of my favorite dishes from our favorite Indian restaurant is their Palak Paneer. After many tries at trying to duplicate it at home (by much guessing and tasting and guessing and tasting and scouring through the internet), this is what I came up with. To us, it tastes very, very close to the one we enjoy at the restaurant- not 100% exact, but close enough for us to scarf it down with gusto, lol. It might seem long and complicated, but looks can be deceiving. It's so easy and quick once everything has been prepped:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. ghee (for sautéing the onions/spices, etc.)
20 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 dry red chili peppers, whole
1 c. finely chopped onion
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
8 oz. can crushed tomatoes
8 oz. block of paneer (Indian cheese)
2 tbsp. ghee (to cook paneer/cheese in)
1/2 c. plain yoghurt (lowfat or full-fat)
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. lowfat buttermilk
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3 tsp. curry powder (I'm partial to Penzey's Sweet Curry Powder)
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Directions (prep):
1- In a small prep bowl, add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, gram masala, cayenne, and salt. Set aside.
2- In a separate small prep bowl, add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Set aside.
3- In a separate small prep bowl, add the chopped cilantro. Set aside.
4- In a medium bowl, add the yoghurt, buttermilk, and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Directions (cook):
A- In a medium-sized Dutch oven or pot heat 1 tbsp. ghee over med-high heat until shimmering. Turn heat to medium and add onions, cooking until soft and golden (about 8 to 10 minutes).
B- To the pot, add the prep bowl of dried spices, the prep bowl of garlic/ginger and the 2 whole chili peppers. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until very fragrant.
C- Add the crushed tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes or so, and then add the bowl of yoghurt, buttermilk and heavy cream, cooking and stirring on medium until heated through.
D- Add the thawed spinach and cook until heated through (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat.
E- In 2 batches, puree the spinach mixture in a food processor for about 15 pulses or so until it is of a consistency you like. Pour back into the pot and cover to keep warm while you prepare the paneer.....
F- Cut the paneer into cubes.
G- Heat the 2 tbsp. of ghee on med-high heat in a frying pan until shimmering. Turn heat down to medium and add paneer, cooking and stirring off and on until just barely golden. Watch very closely so it does not burn, which it will do in the blink of an eye if you're not careful.
H- Drain cooked paneer on paper towels and add to the palak (spinach mixture). Heat through, add the chopped cilantro, and serve.
How do you folks make yours (inquiring minds want to know!)?
IrishLass
