From the Kitchen

Palak Paneer, restaurant-style

A creamy, vibrant green spinach curry with soft paneer cubes — restaurant flavor made at home, pressure-cooker method, for a fraction of the cost.

30Minutes
4Servings
1Pot

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Color tip — blend the cooked spinach with a few ice cubes rather than warm. The cold shock keeps the gravy a vibrant green instead of dull olive.

Ingredients

For the gravy base

  • Onion, roughly chopped 1 (~150 g)
  • Tomatoes, quartered 3 (~350 g)
  • Ginger 1 chunk (~15 g)
  • Garlic 6 cloves (~18 g)
  • Dried red chilies, divided 2
  • Spinach, packed 8 cups (340 g)
  • Water, for pressure cooking 60 ml
  • Ice cubes, for blending 4

For tempering & paneer

  • Paneer, cubed 400 g
  • Mustard oil or ghee 30 g
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
  • Bay leaf 1
  • Turmeric 1/2 tsp
  • Salt, to taste 1 tsp
  • Hot water, for soaking paneer 475 ml
  • Salt, for soaking paneer 1/2 tsp

Method

  1. Prep the paneer — cut paneer into cubes. Soak in hot water with salt for 10 minutes — softens it and makes it extra tender.
  2. Load the pressure cooker — add onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and 1 dried red chili. Add 60 ml water.
  3. Add spinach and pressure cook — pile spinach on top. Pressure cook 6 minutes (or 1–2 whistles on stovetop). Let pressure release.
  4. Blend the gravy base — transfer cooked veggies and spinach to a blender. Add ice cubes to keep the color vibrant green, and blend until smooth.
  5. Make the tempering — in the same pot, heat mustard oil/ghee. Add remaining red chili, bay leaf, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Sizzle 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Simmer the gravy — pour in the blended spinach gravy and salt. Simmer 4 minutes.
  7. Add the paneer — drain soaked paneer and gently add to the gravy. Simmer another 2–3 minutes.

Notes & Swaps