PALAK PANEER – SINDHI STYLE

I tried this from Mallika badrinath’s cookbook.It tasted excellent and easy to prepare. Its a nice combo for roti  & naan..

INGREDIENTS :

• SPINACH/ PALAK bunches – 2  nos (medium size ) or 2 cups of leaves.
• Paneer – 250 gms
• Butter or  Ghee – 2 tbsp

To grind :

• Big onion – 2 nos.
• Tomato – 4 nos
• Green chilly – 2 nos
• Ginger – 1 inch piece
• coriander leaves – 1/4 bunch
• Curry leaves – a few
• Cardamom – 1 no
• Cloves – 2 nos
• Cinnamon stick – 1 inch length
• Grated coconut – 1 tbsp
• Khus khus / poppy seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Dhaniya powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Jeera / cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

METHOD:

• Wash & chop the spinach leaves .Heat oil in a kadai and saute the leaves , add little water & allow it to cook.
• Grind all the ingredients given above to a smooth paste and finally add the cooked palak .. Grind smoothly & set aside.
• Heat a kadai with ghee and add the ground paste. Saute till the raw smell disappears.
• Take the paneer cubes and put it in boiling water for15 mins.Put the paneer cubes in the masala and add little water.
• Cover cook for sometime stirring in between.
• Switch off the flame and add few drops of lime juice before serving.

Enjoy hot with roti, naan ..

KITCHEN CLINIC :

PALAK / SPINACH : Spinach is one of the top 10 healthy vegetables that you can eat. This wonder green leafy vegetable can be eaten in many different ways but to enjoy it's maximum nutritional value, it should be consumed fresh (juice), steamed, or quickly boiled. Apart from being a rich source of many vitamins like A, B, C, E and K, spinach is also rich in many essential minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium. Additionally it is known to be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium. It's benefits have been well known for a long time. Although, with researches happening frequently, more benefits as well as drawbacks are being discovered. In World war I, the french soldiers were said to be given spinach juice mixed with wine, to help the blood loss due to injuries. Spinach falls under the category of protective food group. In fact all vegetables and fruits that are rich in beta -carotene and ascorbic acid, fall in this category as well. you might ask, "why the name protective?". The reason is that beta-carotene (which is converted into vitamin A) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) help support the body's resistance and protect against infection and ailments. * Spinach is an extremely powerful antioxidant. It contains 4 times more beta-carotene and 3 times more lutein than broccoli. Hence, it helps in destroying the free radicals in the body and thus prevents against cancer. It is rich in fibre that helps lower the blood cholesterol. * Consumption of spinach and other leafy greens may help in curing depression. The reason being high levels of folic acid present in spinach. It is proven that folic acid deficiency can cause severe depression, irritability, forgetfulness and even insomnia. Spinach and other greens can help in raising the folic acid level in a natural way. * Spinach juice has the ability to reduce pain. The anti-inflammatory properties of greens can help in reducing pains in arthritis and other rheumatic conditions. Mix spinach juice with the juice of carrot, beetroot and celery, is a remedy for pain relief in arthritis. The alkalinity of this juice dissolves the deposits around the joints to reduce pain and swelling . * Spinach juice is a natural diuretic. Spinach juice mixed with tender coconut water can be given during bladder infections to increase the urine formation. * Drinking spinach juice twice a day may help in correcting the power of the eyes. A friend of mine once did that and in one month, she no longer needed spectacles. Drawbacks As with most foods even spinach comes with a few drawbacks. Due to the presence of oxalates in spinach, people with existing kidney stones or gallbladder stone problems should avoid eating raw spinach. Due to the presence of goitrogens in spinach, people with thyroid problems should also avoid raw spinach.

 

WISH U ALL A VERY HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR  :)