Palak Paneer Recipe

So I hear winter is here. Not in Mumbai where it's still hot in the afternoons (come on weather, it's December!) But I see across India temperatures are mellowing. And I am seeing fresher greens in the market (my favourite part of winter!) so I have hope. 

Palak Paneer Recipe

Greens like the ones I see in the market are to be celebrated. And I do. I love these leafy vegetables so much that I get them home at least twice a week and make different versions of them. You'll hear more about these treats I make as we go.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Palak paneer is the qunitessential Indian spinach dish. Ask anyone to name an Indian dish with spinach in it and palak paneer will be in the top 3 (if not the top). And why not? This dish has soft cottage cheese cooked in a creamy, flavourful spinach gravy. Who can resist that? Here's my recipe of palak paneer for all you lovely people reading this.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

30-35 spinach leaves separated from the stalk
5 cups water
2 tbsps oil
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 medium onion choppped
1 medium sized tomato
2 green chillies
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
200 grams paneer cut into 1 inch peices

2 tbsps cream
Salt to taste

Method

Bring the water to a boil. When it's done, dip the spinach leaves in it for about 2 minutes. Remove and run them under cold water. 

Blend these in a mixer with the tomato and green chillies.

Heat oil in a pan. Add in the ginger and the garlic paste. Fry for 30 seconds.

Add in the onions and saute till they turn pink.

Now add the spinach puree, garam masala and salt and cook for 2 minutes on a low flame.

Add in the paneer and cream and mix well. Keep for a minute.

Serve hot.

Mooli ke Paranthe/ Muli ke Paranthe Recipe

Every time I make paranthas I can hear, "Garam garam paranthe ko thandi thandi dahi mein dooba kar phat se munh mein dalna chahiye." Yes, I am that big a fan of Hindi romantic movies that I can quote dialogues from bad ones too. But after all I am an Indian girl raised in the 90s... what do you expect?

Mooli ke Paranthe/ Muli ke Paranthe

But that's taking away from the topic... so coming to mooli ke paranthe. Mooli ke paranthe get this unique sharp tang from the taste of the raddishes. For lovers of spice (like me), this is heaven! Add to it flavours from home-made masalas and you've got an absolute winner!

Mooli ke Paranthe/ Muli ke Paranthe

Here's my recipe of garam and masaledaar mooli ke paranthe.

Mooli ke Paranthe/ Muli ke Paranthe Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: about 2 minutes per parantha

Makes: 10 paranthas

Ingredients

1 cup grated white radish
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
2 tsps jeera (cumin) powder
1 tsp laal mirch (red chilly) powder
3 tsps dhaniya (corriander seed) powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup water for kneading the dough
Salt to taste

2 tbsps whole wheat flour for dusting
Oil as required for roasting the paranthas

Method

In a large dish, mix the grated radish with the dried spice powders, the carom seeds and the salt. Mix together well with your fingers.

Now add the flour and start kneading the dough by adding a little water at a time. Knead a hard dough as the radish will keep losing water and the dough will keep getting soft. Rest the dough for 10 minutes.

Make balls of the dough of 1/2 inch diameter and roll out thin paranthas. Roast lightly on both sides, brush some oil and then cook the paranthas through.

Serve hot with yoghurt, chutney or pickle of your choice.