Chetna says: “I am aware that I have shared recipes for palak paneer in my previous books, but every so often you cook a recipe with variations and it turns into something extra special. I have always cooked this dish very simply, with salt, chilli and garlic, but this time I have cooked it in a style similar to what you find in restaurants in India. I hope you will love it! Great served with some flatbreads or rice.”

Ingredients

400g (14oz) fresh spinach
40g (1½oz) fresh coriander, roughly chopped
10g (¼oz) fresh mint, leaves only
200ml (7fl oz) water
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
400g (14oz) paneer, cubed
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
2 tablespoons double cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the tadka:

4 tablespoons ghee
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chilli flakes

Method

Put the spinach, coriander and mint in a pan, pour in the water, then cover and cook for 5 minutes until wilted. Blitz to a puree in a food processor.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a minute over a medium-low heat. Add the green chilli and onions and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato and cook for 10 minutes. Add the spices and salt, followed by the herby spinach puree, and cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the paneer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves, cream and lemon juice.

In a separate small pan, heat the ghee for the tadka, then add the garlic and cook for a minute until it starts to change colour. Remove from the heat and add the chilli flakes. Pour the tadka over the palak paneer and serve.

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