Search Results for: coconut milk

Thai Mushroom Soup – Tom Kha Hed

May 9, 2013 by Nupur 25 Comments

Have you heard of Bollywood Actresses’ reply when being asked their favourite Cuisine? Almost all of them say “Thai” and the least favourable Cuisine is “Italian”. Not that I am comparing the two, I equally adore both of these now. But back then, I always used to wonder why is Thai such a hot favourite for everyone. Well, now I know that, since it’s my hot favourite too and there is not just one reason behind it but many. First of all, it offers the taste that is closest to our Indian spicy mix. Secondly, good range of vegetarian options, plus most of the ingredients are mostly available easily in any part of the world. And last but not the least, its healthier than most of the fried and cheesy stuff we get otherwise. And on top of it – ITS NOT EVEN A SALAD !! All the above factors make this cuisine adored by most health freaks across the world..

Here in the UK, whenever I go out for dinner the top most choices are of course Thai and then Italian. And the first thing I order in Thai restaurants is this Mushroom Soup. It’s such a warm and tangy appetizer which soothes the throat and energise you to the core. In winters specially, I enjoy this at least once every week.. It brings such warmth to the body and prepare me for a stomach full of Thai dinner afterwards 😉

Thai Cuisine offers some amazing combos in food world one of which is Coconut milk and Lemongrass . Lemongrass is indeed actually a grass that is native to Asia, and has a citrusy flavour with distinctive hues that are simultaneously sweet and tangy. To get the most out of it, use the slightly thicker root ends and bruise them with a mallet or back of a knife, then infuse the lemongrass in whatever you are cooking. Here, I’ve infused the lemongrass in a simmering mixture of coconut milk (one of my favourite ingredients of all time) and vegetable stock to get this delicious Soup ready in no time.

Calling this soup Tom Kha Hed is a bit of a misnomer since the “kha” means galangal and I did not have any of that (“tom” means soup and “hed” means mushroom in Thai.. Yes ! I have done my bit of research !! ), but it tasted pretty darn close to anything I’ve ever had in a restaurant. The flavors are clean and bright, and it’s about as summery as a hot soup can get. You can turn this into an even more substantial meal by adding tofu. And – bonus! – it’s ready in about 20 minutes!

What you need?

1 cup coconut milk
4 cups vegetable stock – I prepared my own, recipe in Notes
3 pieces root end lemongrass (bottom 3-4 inches), chopped finely
2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced
1 stick Butter
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tsp Red Chili flakes – optional

How to make ?

Put the coconut milk, vegetable stock, and bruised lemongrass in a pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is infused with lemongrass flavour. Strain and remove the lemongrass and keep aside
Heat butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, until just softened.
Add in the prepared stock and simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle some red Chili flakes on top to increase the hotness and serve immediately.

Notes:

Recipe for the Homemade vegetable stock : take 1 cup chopped assorted vegetables ( celery, potato, carrots, beans etc) and boil them in 5 cups of Water for 20-25 minutes along with 1 tsp Salt, 1 big chopped onion and 3-4 minced cloves of garlic. Strain and store
I have not added Garlic in the soup since its already added in the vegetable stock. You may omit it from the stock and add in the soup while sautéing the mushrooms.
I have also seen the same soup but without Coconut milk, and that gives an entirely different flavour to the dish. You may try that too, if you are fond of clear soups like me.

This goes as my second entry to Jagruti’s Potlick Party , Julie’s “Flavours of Cuisines – Thai” hosted by Swasthi this month

Thai Green Curry – Flavorful and healthy !

March 12, 2013 by Nupur 17 Comments

One thing I have learnt from my ‘almost’ three years of kitchen adventure is learning how to balance and harmonize flavours. Even the fresh ingredients, such as herbs, spices and vegetables, can differ depending on their freshness, the soil and climate condition where they are grown, the way they are packed and stored etc. Same chilli I had bought few days back was less spicy and the tomatoes were more juicer than the one from my previous shopping trip to same old supermarket. Similarly, tamarind puree from same brand may differ in degree of sourness depending on how thick or thin it is made while the colour of chilli powder may be brighter than the last pack you consumed.

For any cook, amateur or experienced, it is important to make adjustments in the quantity used to bring out the right flavour of the ingredients to suit your taste buds rather than blindly following the given recipes religiously. Recipes should serve as guidelines as they cannot speak for our taste preference or the variance in the ingredients we get from different places. Rather following the cooking instructions, I follow my instinct and my palate as it is these two which tells me what I would like in a particular dish, a hint of this a dash of that which creates a perfect harmony between flavour, aroma and the complete satisfaction of creating something which my loved ones enjoy.

Following your instinct and taste should not be limited to the ingredients you are familiar with, to the food which you are grown up with or to the one’s which you have had tasted hundred times. For me it is more important when I create a foreign cuisine where the ingredients used can vary considerably from batch to batch, brand to brand and seasonality. Never hesitate to cut down the number of chillies if you can’t take too much of heat, increase the amount of lime juice if you enjoy sharp and sour taste. Don’t panic if you are short of one or two ingredients. Add or omit herbs and spices to suit your taste and adjust the flavour according to your preference. Play around with the ingredients until you get the right combination of flavors that are most suited to your palate.

One cuisine which I feel I can safely tweak to my preference is Thai food. Who wouldn’t fall for a subtle blend of hot, salty, sweet and sour flavors of Thai curry which makes the taste buds tingling? When cooked with home-made curry paste it’s a cherry on icing. Don’t hesitate to make these curries if you are short of any ingredients and pick vegetables of your choice depending on your taste and seasonality.

Dont be scared of the Long List of ingredients given below, its not at all that difficult as it seems. The cooking time is very less and hassle free if all the right ingredients are present with you. When I made this Red Thai Curry before, it was just for experiment, but this highly versatile Cuisine has gotten its place as a staple in my home. Serve it with Thai Coconut rice as a base and am sure, you will love it too 🙂

What you need ?

For Thai Curry Paste:

3 Green Chillies
1 cup Fresh Thai Basil Or replace with sweet Basil
2 cups Fresh Coriander
6 Spring Onions chopped
1 tbsp Fresh Galangal ( you can use Ginger instead, but fresh Galangal is really the best for authentic flavour )
3 cloves Garlic chopped
3 stalks Lemon grass chopped, white core only
1 tbsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Black pepper ground
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lime zest
1 whole Lime Juiced
2 tbsp Olive oil

For the Curry Base :

1 can tick coconut milk/cream
Selection of Vegetables ( we used baby corn, red peppers sliced, Mango Touts, Beans, and sliced button mushrooms )
Fresh Coriander and red chilli for garnish

How to Make ?

Chop all the ingredients for the Curry Paste roughly, and blend in a mixer in a coarse Paste. Keep aside.
In a wok or pan heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil, add 2 tbsp Green Curry Paste and fry for 30 seconds.
Add all the vegetables and fry for next 3-4 minutes, cooked.
Add Coconut Milk and Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
Taste for seasoning and add more lime/sugar as required

Easy isn’t it !! 🙂

My Notes:

Using fresh Galangal is very important in this recipe, but if you dont get it fresh ginger can be used as a substitute. Although it wont taste the same, but still will not give you the feel about it.
Many vegetables can be used in this recipe, including Tofu. Which should be shallow fried separately after all the vegetables. And then should be mixed with the vegetables, if you mix it along with them the water oozing out might spoil the taste.
Fresh Coconut milk will always serve better for flavors, but store bought coconut milk is pretty much OK. I used the same Canned one, but then dont use Sugar since its much sweet than fresh one.

Methi Aalu Parantha

November 29, 2012 by Nupur 17 Comments

Winters are approaching near and in India, market must have starte daccomodating Green leafy vegetables like Spinach, Mustard Green, Fenugreek etc. I totally love almost all green leaves listed, and can have them everyday in some or the other form. While some dont really like the bitter taste of this leafy green, am an absolute fan of that same flavour.

Every week in my grocery shopping Fenugreek is a key ingredient. I buy it literally every week and then pass it on to poor S for shelling the leaves out, ignoring his puppy face … 😛 .. But then, it’s not my fault.. I love the taste and I love the Veggie.. Combining a lot of good ness in itself, this wonder leaf and herb is a medicine in itself. Am sure you will try to incorporate them more, after reading the benefits

Fenugreek leaves add flavor and zest to your cooking and you can add fenugreek leaves to any kind of cooking that involves dal, vegetable, rice, or atta (chapathi flour). Ensure that the leaves are washed well before cooking. Fenugreek leaves also have exceptional medicinal uses and can be used as a beauty aid as well. Anemic patients can consume fenugreek leaves regularly as they are a rich source of iron. Some of the uses are a s below:

• Fenugreek leaves paste applied on palms and soles alleviates burning sensation.

• A cup of fenugreek leaves decoction added to honey and a teaspoon of ginger powder clears the phlegm and cures cough.

• Fenugreek leaves paste applied on swellings, sprains and burns heals them effectively.

• Fenugreek leaves consumed regularly tones your respiratory system, nervous system, reproductive system and neuromuscular system.

• Fenugreek leaf powder significantly increases the antioxidant system in diabetics.

• Fresh fenugreek leaves paste and coconut milk applied over the scalp is believed to prevent hair-loss, promote hair growth, preserve its natural color, delay graying of hair and make it silky soft.

• A paste of methi leaves mixed with vinegar is good for treating dandruff.

• A pimple and blackhead prone skin when treated with the paste of fenugreek leaves and turmeric, improves the skin tone.

What you need ?

3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbsp Gram Flour
2 tbsp Oil (optional)
1 cup Yogurt
Warm water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Yogurt

Stuffing

2 large boiled Potatoes, at room temperature
1 cup packed Fenugreek Leaves, chopped small
1 Onion, chopped very fine
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Grated Ginger
A pinch of Black Pepper (optional)
Salt to taste

How to Make:

Knead the dough using all the ingredients and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.This will make the dough pliable and smooth.
Meanwhile, mix up all the ingredients for stuffing with the help of your palms.
Roll out discs and fill in stuffing, cook on medium flame on griddle as normal Stuffed Paranathas.
Serve with your favorite Chutney or Pickle. I had them with butter, what else ! 🙂

My Notes:

Chop Fenugreek very small, else it may create problem while rolling out the stuffing.
You can also add Kasuri MEthi in the dough for more dominant flavour
Adding yogurt gives softer texture

Linked to Breakfast Recipes event running @ Cooking for all seasons.

Thai Red Curry

October 23, 2012 by Nupur 29 Comments

Why is the combination of Coriander, Lemongrass and Garlic so Thai ??? This question always popped up in my mind, whenever I read of any Thai recipes any where. Unless one of my friend gave me a whole one hour intensive lecture on Thai cuisine and its Culture. She had stayed in Thailand and Singapore for almost four years and is very much acquainted of the Region. She acknowledged me of a lot of facts, some of which I wanted to share with you here in this post and the upcoming ones in near future.

There are three main reasons why the combination of Coriander, Lemongrass and Garlic is so typical of Thai Cooking. The first has to do with convenience all these ingredients grow quickly and abundantly throughout Thailand and are available year round. Lemongrass grows just like normal grass, only with more of a tendency to form clumps. Garlic and Coriander are also fast growing and the latter has the advantage of furnishing the cook with three distinct products : seeds, roots and leaves.

The second reason for the importance of these ingredients in Thai Cuisine is their contribution to a healthy diet. Unlike westerners, Thais do not make a clear distinction between food and medicine and all three plants are considered medicinal. Coriander is believed to enhance the appetite, improve digestion and clear phlegm. Lemongrass is another appetite stimulant and considered t be good for headaches and fevers. Garlic, meanwhile is thought to cleanse the Blood.

Unsurprisingly, the final reason why Garlic, Lemongrass and Coriander are so central in Thai cooking is all about taste. All three contribute to the perfumed clarity that is so characteristic of Thai dishes, both individually and together.

Since for the true taste of Thai Curry, curry paste needs to be freshly made and not store bought. It is best done by pounding the ingredients using a stone pestle and mortar. But I did it with my Mixer at home. And although there were many recipes over the net, I found this one suiting my taste and preferences entirely. Being a vegetarian, I have not added Shrimp Paste into the Paste which is btw a key ingredient to any Thai Curry. Its like adding Turmeric to any Indian Curry. you know.. A Key Ingredient !! But if you can, go ahead and add this Shrimp Paste to your curries to get that exotic Taste perfectly !

The recipe which I have prepared here is called Gaeng Pet Jay which is Coconut Vegetable Curry. Although it was very difficult to get the exact ingredients the recipe called for but somehow I managed most of them. If you dont get all, dont get disappointed.. you still can create an exquisite Thai Curry with just those 3 magical ingredients 😉

What you need ?

8-10 red chilies
2-3 shallots, chopped finely
3-4 large Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped Galangal
4 Lemongrass stalks, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped Lemon Peel, (originally called for Kafir Lime Peel though )
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Root
1 tsp White Pepper corns
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds

For the Curry :

3 cups assorted vegetables (Pumpkin, Courgettes, Baby Corn, Green beans, broccoli etc)
2 large tomatoes
1 Medium Onion, roughly chopped
1 cup Coconut Milk , thick variety
1 tbsp Lime Juice
2 cups Water
2 tbsp Oil

How to Make ?

To make Curry Paste, start with the hardest ingredient and then add the other ingredient one at a time. KEep aside after grinding everything well.
Heat the Oil in a Large Pan, add the onion and Curry paste and stir well. Add the coconut cream, salt and bring to a boil then reduce the hear and simmer for 3 minutes
Add the vegetables and cover the pan. Cook for about 10-12 minutes then add the water, stirring occasionally
Check seasoning and cook further till the vegetables tender down at your desired consistency. Stir in the Lime juice and serve immediately.

My Notes:

You can replace Galangal with ginger, if absolutely necessary. Though you wont get the same taste, but still the feel of it
You can direct the quantity of the Curry PAste as per your likings and taste.

Sending this to Julie’s “Flavours of Cuisines – Thai” hosted by Swasthi this month

Vegetable Biryani | Low oil, healthy dinner ideas

July 7, 2011 by Nupur 1 Comment

I am a pure vegetarian and my Husband loves non-veg dishes and specially Biryani is one among his hot favourites on any trip outside. He doesnt get a chance to have his fav. recipes that often for the reason I dont make them at home and he is too lazy to prepare himself. Men, huh! So, I made this one with the hope of him getting the non-veg taste but the real fight was to lower the quantity of oil since I knew that Biryani involves a generous amount of Oil .. I surfed blogs and tried some of my own things, and tried this very low oil recipe for Veg Biryani.. It turned out to be soooo gud and he couldnt believe that I used only a tsp of oil :)..

Now, I always have known that you really have to cook the biryani with a lot of patience and care since it does take time to get the real flavours out. An authentic vegetable biryani is always slow cooked on dum, which is an age old method of slow cooking on lowest flame. This cooking on dum gives the biryani its uniqueness and originality. It is one of the most likeable, grand, and delectable recipe from India.

Still this quick version is worth a try, considering it has very less amount of fat used and it can be made much quicker than the actual thing.. Am sure you will surprise yourself looking at the results, just give this a go 🙂

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Mixed Vegetables : Carrot, Green Peas, Beans, cauliflower, brocolli ( chopped finely)
2-3 Onions – Thinly sliced vertically
2 Large tomatoes, pureed
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves – 1/2 cup

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 2 tsp
1 tsp black peppercorns ( sabut gol kali mirch)
Milk – 3 tbsps
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp ( Elaichi )
Clove – Cinnamon powder – 1/2 tsp ( laung- dalchini powder)
2 tbsp Kasuri Methi

Salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil
1 Cup low fat yoghurt

Method:
Mix 1 tsp garam masala , Turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, tomato purée and ginger garlic paste with yoghurt . Add all the chopped vegetables and mix well. Vegetables should be well coated. Keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Boil 3 cups of water with milk, cardamom powder, clove-cinnamon powder, peppercorns. Add Basmati rice and cook till water evaporates and the rice is almost cooked. NOTE that the rice must not be completely cooked and mushy. It should be separated well.

Drain the rice in a colander and keep aside.

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree, meanwhile we fry the vegetables

Now, heat the oil in a pan and add the marinated vegetables into it. Fry them uncovered on a medium-low flame for around 10 min till they are tender but still crisp. Vegetables should not be mushy. Turn the gas off and keep the vegetables covered for another 5 min.

Now take an Oven safe dish and layer the rice and vegetables one by one. Make sure the top layer is rice.

Cover it with Aluminium foil and cook in oven for around 20 minutes. Sprinkle the garam masala over the biryani and Kasuri methi and cover again. Bake for further 20 minutes

Heat a pan and roast thinly sliced onions on a medium flame. If it sticks, sprinkle some water on it till it turns brown and crispy.

Just before serving, sprinkle chopped cilantro and roasted onion on top

Notes:

You can cook in thin coconut milk instead of water for more intense flavour. Check the seasoning before serving since it will bring some sweetness to the Biryani
You can also add 1/4 cup of roasted coconut along with the ingredients to marinate
Add some butter oil or ghee generously to get rich taste

Reposting to Revathi’s Cooking with Rice event

Creamy egg curry with methi leaves | Methi anda curry

November 9, 2016 by Nupur 17 Comments

Ohh this weather! It has started to get really chilly now and while I like sipping a cuppa in the morning, I absolutely hate the idea of cooking especially in the evenings after work. It’s.just.too.cold.to.cook. Brrr..

Most of the times, I get away by whipping up this quick and super easy Carrot & tomato soup, which BTW is amazing. But then in our family, we can’t have soup every day and do need our share of curries and sides for a satiable meal to end the day. Thanks to our Indian genes!

I do try to keep my time in the kitchen as short as possible and prepare dishes that are really easy and quick to prepare with keeping the health quotient in place. There are loads of dishes which are a regular in winter like-> Paalak aloo (potatoes with spinach), Patta gobhi matar (Cabbage stirfry with peas), Batata chi bhaji (potatoes cooked with coconut and curry leaves), Aloo gobhi (potatoes stirfry with cauliflower) etc.

And then there are lentils. Yummy, protein rich lentils! So its kind of a lentil + side dish combo which I try to maintain in my kitchen over weekedays.

Occasionally, I spur an excited nerve and jump in to create something special (i.e. time taking) to treat myself and Mr. Husband. All the pain and hard work does seem worth it at the end though. Happy spoonfuls of delicious anda curry with rice or roti does end the day on a satisfying note. Ahh, little joys of life!

Coming out of my melodramatic zone, this Egg curry with methi (methi is one such dish which I can totally vouch for. Its fairly easy to make, is quite nutritious and gives a feel of a luxurious dish. You could easily pair it up with simple lemon rice or laccha paratha and that would make quite a royal treat in itself.

More rich curry recipes-> Malai Kofta | Beetroot Koftas in avocado gravy | Chickpeas cauliflower curry | Chettinad paneer curry

I had it first time in a Pakistani restaurant in Southall here and instantly fell in love with it. Have had it a couple of times since then and yet havent grown out of it. So I have kind of created this recipe of my own which tastes quite similar to the original one. The only difference which I feel is that the eggs in the restaurant were used as deep fried. Whereas I like to have them lightly sauted in tad bit of butter. You can take your pick or totally leave the extra fat out of it.

Click here to see how to make perfect hard boiled eggs.

Methi leaves (fenugreek) blend in so well with cream and eggs, it is like a jodi of Jai-Veeru from Sholay or Penn & Teller for my non Indian friends. Click here to see the health benefits of methi leaves (fenugreek). The only drawback is that you might never want to fall back on the good old egg curry again and always would want some methi in it.

Very quickly- I usually use fresh methi leaves to prepare this and any other dish, but lately I have come across frozen methi leaves and that has kind of changed my world! So if you havent used frozen methi yet, give it a try folks. That will save you hours of picking the leaves and cleaning. Of course I know that the fresh ones are better but I would rather have the frozen ones than to not include them in my diet at all. Phew! Over and out.

This is a Gluten free curry. Click here to see more gluten free recipes.

Methi masala egg curry is a rich and creamy Indian curry that goes well with roti, naan, paratha or any simple rice dish. Great party dish

4.74 from 15 votes

Creamy egg curry with methi leaves

This rich and creamy egg curry with methi leaves can make any simple meal, royal!

Course curry, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Author Nupur @ The Veggie Indian

Ingredients

6-8 eggs hard boiled
1 leaves bunch of methi or 1 cup of frozen methi
½ cup cream
2 onions chopped roughly
3-4 garlic pods crushed or minced
1 tomato pureed
3-4 cardamom pods crushed
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
½ tsp coriander powder dhaniya powder
½ tsp cumin powder
A pinch of nutmeg powder
½ tsp Garam masala
1 ½ tsp salt or as per taste
A few sprigs of coriander leaves
2 tbsp of oil (i used Sunflower oil for this curry)
1 tbsp of butter- optional

Instructions

Peel the boiled eggs and prickle them with knife or skewer roughly a few times. Keep them aside, covered in a bowl else they might start stinking soon.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, throw in the crushed cardamom and fry for about 10 seconds. Add the minced garlic and sauté it for a minute.
Add chopped onion and fry for good 5-6 minutes. The onion pieces should turn pink and start to caramelize.
Once the onion start getting golden brown, turn off the flame and transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the tomato, let the mixture cooled down a bit and just pulse it once or twice to blend into a course paste. DO NOT blend it while it’s still hot, give it at least 8-10 minutes to cool down. And do not make a runny paste out of it. You could also skip this blending part if you like onion pieces a bit chunky.
In the meanwhile, add 1 tbsp of oil in the same pan. Add methi leaves and fry them for a few minutes till they get all wilted and shrink in size.
Once the methi leaves are cooked, pour the onion tomato paste into the pan and start cooking again at low flame.
Add in the cumin powder, red chili powder, salt and turmeric powder and cook covered for a few minutes till it starts to dry up a bit and tomatoes get well cooked.
Add about ¾ cup of water, mix and let it come to boil, then turn the flame to the lowest.
Add the eggs, one by one, gently folding them within the mixture. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes at low flame so the eggs start soaking in the flavours from the spices.
Finally, add the cream along with nutmeg powder and garam masala, gradually mixing it with the eggs and the gravy. Keep the gas at the lowest. Simmer this curry for the next 7-8 minutes, folding the eggs very gently once or twice in between to coat them evenly with the gravy. If adding butter, add at this point.
Once done, turn off the gas and let the curry sit there, covered for a couple of minutes before serving.
Finally garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or paratha.

Recipe Notes

If you are using frozen methi leaves, thaw them properly and squeeze any excess water out of them If the cream curdles when you add it to the gravy, try adding 1 tsp of corn flour with it.

You could also add some dried Kasuri methi towards the end along with garam masala and nutmeg powder.

You could also roast or saute the boiled eggs into butter lightly, before adding to the gravy. It gives an amazing taste to the curry

More egg recipes you might like:

Kashmiri style Egg curry

Pizza frittata

Kerala egg roast curry

Punjabi Egg curry

Baked eggs with spinach nad tomatoes

Indian style Masala omelette

20 minutes Palak paneer- No onion garlic recipe

November 4, 2016 by Nupur 3 Comments

This one has to be nominated for the quickest Palak paneer ever! Hard to believe but it does get ready in 20 minutes straight. That is, of course, if you follow the step by step process I have mentioned below and do things simultaneously.

Some other recipes which get ready under 15 minutes– Avocado Pesto sandwich | Moong dal Cheela | Instant spinach rava idli | 10 minutes Coconut Laddoo | Avocado basil hummus

Palak paneer has always been my favourite dish if I want to have some “paneer-y” meal. Its one of those things you know. You are tired after a day’s work and absolutely do not want to sulk in the kitchen for more than 30 minutes. Or you have finished up every single vegetable in your fridge and Paneer is the only “veggie” you have left in there. Or simple because you love paneer! And you want to make something healthier with it rather than putting up work into a complex Paneer Tikka Masala curry or even the simple Tawa Paneer. You know the feeling, right!

I usually make paalak paneer with some full fat milk and simmer it for a while. Sometimes I add cream into it and turn it into Palak “malai” paneer which is an absolutely stunning dish. But this 20 minutes easy version of Palak paneer is my go to recipe when I am just want some paneer with a no chop vegetable like spinach.

A little handy tip– I usually keep spinach leaves chopped in a zip bag since I use a handful almost everyday in something for my meal. Just take some out of the bag, wash them and you are good to go. You could use frozen spinach as well to save more time.

I do sound like a big time Paneer fan, don’t i? Here are a few more paneer recipes if you are like me-

I have given a quick process flow below so you could match it up with the detailed recipe below and prepare this Palak paneer as quickly as I do. Lets start, shall we?

Preparation: Chop everything roughly in chunks. no need to worry about the shape and size here.

Step 1 & 2 combined: Wilt the spinach + prepare the tempering (6-7 minutes)

Step 3 & 4 combined: Allow them to cool down a bit + chop paneer cubes (3-4 minutes)

Step 5 & 6 combined: Blend the spinach and masala together + heat some milk in microwave (2-3 minutes)

Step 7: combine everything together and simmer- (3 minutes)

That’s it! Your palak paneer is ready in 20 minutes and the taste is as awesome as always. Do check out some more easy and healthy Spinach recipes here.

If you are using frozen spinach-> take it out in a glass bowl and cover with a lid. Place this glass bowl into a larger pot full of hot water and cover with a lid. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Then strain the excess water out and use as required in the recipe. You don’t need to wilt the spinach in this case.

If using packaged paneer-> Keep it in hot water for at least 10-15 minutes before you start working on the recipe.

This is a no onion garlic + Gluten free recipe and is perfect as a quick side dish

Healthy & Easy recipe to make quick palak paneer at home

4 from 1 vote