Palak Panner : Side Dish

I have been cooking a lot of South Indian dishes these days and South Indian dishes would be hubby's preference any day. To take a break I made my all time favourite palak panner. I used to make this dish at least once every week but yesterday I realised that I hadn't made this for more than a month ! While I was making this I couldn't wait to relish this with hot steaming parathas. Only then I remembered that I hadn't shared the recipe here. So here is my favourite panner side dish on the blog today.

Palak Panner

Ingredients

• Onion [finely chopped] - 2 medium sized
• Tomato [finely chopped] - 1 medium sized
• Palak/Spinach - 2 bunches
• Panner - 200 gm
• Corn - 1/2 cup [optional]
• Green Chillies [slit length wise] - 2
• Ginger Garlic Paster - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp
• Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp [optional]
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Salt - To Taste

Cooking Method

• Take few drops of oil in a pan.  Wash the spinach leaves and saute them until they shrink totally. The leaves would let out some water and you need not worry as it would help making the spinach paste. Let it cool down.
• Meanwhile chop onions and tomato.
• Take a mixer. Add the spinach leaves and green chillies and make them in to a fine paste.
• Again take some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. Once the raw smell of the  ginger garlic paste goes add the chopped onions and saute well.
• Then add the chopped tomatoes.
• After the tomatoes becomes mushy and cooked add the spinach and green chilly paste. Add all the powders and salt and mix well.
• Add the corn now, give it a stir and close it with a lid. You can skip this step. I love corns so I add them to this dish.
• Make the paneer into even slices. Once the gravy thickens a bit add the panner to the gravy and close the lid again.
• Let it cook for 5-10 mins until the corn and panner gets soft.
• Now the palak panner is done and ready to be served.

Total Preparation Time - 20 mins

Serves - 3 to 4

Tips

• I love corns so I add them to this dish. It gives an amazing flavour to the entire dish. You can skip them if you do not prefer them in this dish.
• You need not chop the spinach leaves as you are anyways making it into a fine paste. Also the leaves shrink while sauteing. So just wash them and use the leaves. 

This is one of my favorite dish when it comes to sides for rotis and parathas. East to make and doesn't take much time too ! A very healthy side dish that is rich in proteins. I also give it to my 3 yr old who loves it with ghee and rice !!

♥ Aarthi ♥