Palak Paneer

When you travel to India, you will witness how they literately adore their cows, and I adore what they do with the milk from their cows.  This is a quintessential Indian dish made with paneer - a firm, yet chewy cheese made from cow's milk - in a creamy sauce made from spinach, coconut and a whole lot of spices.

1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
 2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 large fresh tomato, diced
2 tsp favorite curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup coconut milk
8 cups spinach
12 oz Paneer, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Heat a few tablespoons canola oil in a very large skillet or shallow pot.  Sauté the onion, cumin, coriander and fennel over medium heat for about 15 minutes, to color and flavor the onion. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomato, curry powder and garam masala and cook another 5 minutes over high heat, to cook the tomatoes down quickly.  Add the coconut milk and then put the spinach on top of the bubbling sauce.  Cover and cook down the spinach for a few minutes, until softened.  Stir well to mix the spinach with the sauce.  Use an immersion blender and whip the spinach, tomatoes and onions together to get relatively smooth sauce.  Add a bit of water if necessary, to make a saucy consistency. 

Meanwhile, heat about 1/4 cup canola oil in a large non-stick skillet until just shimmering.  Add the paneer and brown the paneer on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Drain the paneer using a slotted spoon and add to the spinach. Add a bit of water if necessary on order to make a creamy sauce.  Heat through.

Serve with rice.  Serves four.

Cow lounging peacefully in Mumbai