Dhaba Style Palak Paneer

Step 1: Boil Water for Spinach

In a pan, bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp sugar and 0.5 tsp salt.

Step 2: Blanch Spinach

Add 200g of washed spinach leaves to the boiling water. Press down to submerge. Blanch for exactly 2 minutes without a lid.

Step 3: Shock Spinach

Immediately remove the blanched spinach from the hot water and transfer it to a bowl of chilled water (preferably with ice cubes) to stop the cooking process and retain its vibrant green color.

Step 4: Prepare Spinach Puree

Transfer the spinach from the chilled water to a grinding jar. Add 4-5 green chilies and a handful of fresh coriander leaves. Add 2-3 tsp of the spinach boiling water if needed, and grind to a fine, lump-free, slightly liquidy puree.

Step 5: Heat Oil and Butter

Heat 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan until it reaches its smoking point. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cube of butter (approx 1 tbsp).

Step 6: Add Whole Spices

Once the butter melts, add 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp whole cumin seeds, and 2 dry red chilies. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.

Step 7: Sauté Onions

Add 2 medium finely chopped onions. Sauté on medium-low heat until they turn light pink and soft, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 8: Add Ginger-Garlic Paste

Add 1 tsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste. Optionally, add 1 tsp green chili paste if you prefer more spice. Sauté until the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 9: Add Tomatoes and Dry Spices

Add 3 medium finely chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp salt. Mix well. Then add 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 0.5 tsp garam masala powder, and 1 tsp dry roasted and crushed kasuri methi.

Step 10: Cook Masala

Cook the masala on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft and the oil separates from the spices, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 11: Add Spinach Puree

Pour the prepared spinach puree into the pan with the cooked masala. Mix thoroughly.

Step 12: Adjust Gravy Consistency

Rinse the grinding jar with less than 0.5 cup of water and add it to the gravy. Mix well. Cook the spinach gravy for 7-8 minutes on medium-low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and the oil to surface.

Step 13: Add Paneer

Add 300g paneer cubes to the gravy. Gently mix to coat the paneer.

Step 14: Prepare Garlic Tadka

In a separate small fry pan, heat 1-2 tbsp of ghee or oil. Add 8-10 finely chopped garlic cloves. Fry until the garlic turns golden brown.

Step 15: Add Kashmiri Red Chili to Tadka

Turn off the gas flame. Immediately add 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder to the hot ghee/oil and garlic. Stir quickly to mix.

Step 16: Final Tadka

Pour the prepared tadka over the palak paneer gravy. Cover the pan immediately with a lid for about 1 minute to allow the flavors to infuse.

Step 17: Serve

Serve the Dhaba Style Palak Paneer hot with roti, naan, paratha, or rice. Optionally, garnish with a swirl of fresh cream or milk malai.

• Add sugar and salt to boiling water for spinach to retain its green color.

• Blanch spinach for only 2 minutes without a lid.

• Immediately transfer blanched spinach to chilled water (ice bath) to stop the cooking process and preserve its vibrant green color.

• Grind spinach to a fine, lump-free puree.

• Add salt to tomatoes to help them cook faster.

• Dry roast and crush kasuri methi for enhanced flavor.

• Turn off the heat before adding Kashmiri red chili powder to the tadka to prevent burning and retain its bright color.

• Add fresh cream or milk malai for a richer taste (optional).

• Add 2-3 green cardamoms to the whole spices.

• Use regular red chili powder instead of Kashmiri red chili powder if you prefer more heat.

• Fry paneer cubes before adding them to the gravy for a different texture and enhanced taste.

• Adjust gravy consistency by adding more or less water according to preference (thick for roti/naan, thinner for rice).