This quick, easy recipe for puréed spinach, golden cubes of paneer and plenty of spices will become a veggie dinner staple.
Ingreadient
- 500g/1lb 2oz spinach
- 500ml/18fl oz boiling water
- 3 tsp cornmeal or fine polenta
- 4 tsp ghee or 6 tsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 400g/14oz paneer, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 20g/¾oz fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 20g/¾oz garlic, finely chopped
- 125g/4½oz onion, finely chopped
- 2–3 small green chillies, seeds in (bird’s eye or similar), chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
Direction
- Tip the spinach into a saucepan and pour over the water. Bring to the boil and cook for 4–5 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving 50ml/2fl oz of the cooking water. Transfer the cooked spinach to a bowl.
- Add the cornmeal to the cooked spinach, along with the reserved water. Blend to a smooth purée with a stick blender. Set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the ghee or oil in pan over a medium heat, then fry the paneer chunks until evenly browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee or oil, then add the cumin seeds. As soon as they begin to sizzle, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion and chillies and cook for another 7–8 minutes on a medium heat until the onions are softened.
- Stir in the turmeric, garam masala and salt and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the puréed spinach, lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes, then add the cooked paneer and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Serve hot with a flatbread or plain rice.
