Palak Paneer (Spinach and Fresh Cheese)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop in the spinach and count 60 seconds — no longer — then lift it straight into a bowl of iced water.

💡 The ice bath is not fussiness. It locks in the green; skip it and by the time you serve, the curry is olive brown.

Squeeze the cooled spinach hard to get the water out, then blend it with the green chillies to a smooth, thick purée. Add a splash of water only if the blender jams.

Heat the ghee in a wide pan, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds. Add the onion and fry 6–7 minutes until golden.

Add the garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute, then the chopped tomato. Cook 5 minutes until the tomato falls apart and the mixture pulls together into a paste.

Turn the heat to low and stir in the spinach purée with about 80 ml water and salt. Warm it through for 4–5 minutes only — you want it hot, not boiling.

💡 Boiling the purée is the other way to lose the colour. Once the spinach is in, the pan should never bubble hard again.

Add the paneer cubes and fold them through gently. Cook 3 minutes so they soften and take on the sauce.

💡 If your paneer is fridge-cold and rubbery, soak the cubes in hot salted water for 10 minutes first. They come back soft.

Turn off the heat. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms into the pan, stir in the garam masala and the cream or yogurt, and serve at once with roti or rice.