Ashleigh and I explored Jackson Heights (neighborhood in Queens known for their thriving Indian community) on a recent lazy afternoon and we bought the makings for palak paneer to bring home and cook together. Ashleigh spent a year in Bangalore, India and I was curious to see if she picked up any tricks to Indian cooking. She insists on using fresh spinach, which I admire, but I made this a second time using frozen - sorry Ash! It still tasted pretty darn good. Many times this dish is put through a food processor but Ashleigh recommended skipping this because the texture is so great as is. I have to say I agree with her on this one. This is a fun dish that you can easily experiment with, adding different combinations of spices and it's tough to mess up. Love it!

Ingredients:
paneer cheese cut in cubes the size of dice
garlic, minced
onions, chopped
tomato, chopped
spinach, washed and torn (or frozen if in a pinch)
spices (can vary - turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, garam masala, etc)

Method:

Heat oil in a frying pan and grill the cheese until it's a golden brown and all sides. Steam down fresh spinach. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pot and saute onions and garlic. When it starts to carmelize, add tomatoes, spinach and spices. Cook together until the spinach is of a desired consistency and then add the cheese just so it's heated through. Serve with rice or nan!