Holi Special – Palak Paneer with Beetroot Paranthas ( Homemade Cottage Cheese in Spinach Gravy served with Beetroot Bread)

So this new year, I decided to make a resolution to eat healthy and the first thing that came to mind was to add more greens in our diet and what could be more green that spinach, right ? 🙂  It is also the most difficult thing to feed kids and adults alike, my husband being one of them!.

So, I decided to make something Indian where spinach is cooked down and is not in its leafy form – the evergreen, Palak Paneer and to give it a twist of taste and make it more healthy, I served it with Beetroot Paranthas.

This leafy green is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, vitamin B6 and dietary fiber… phew!! This recipe is a very popular dish in North India and one that has many variations to it. This one however, is the greenest, healthiest and tastiest of them all… Read on and you will know why.. Here is what you will need.

Palak Paneeer!

Greener!

• Start by blanching the spinach leaves. In order to blanch them, boil some water in a deep dish and add the spinach leaves. Leave them to boil for 2-3 minutes. Immediately remove them from the heat and drain the water. Refresh the leaves immediately in cold water. This was help you retain their green color. Grind the spinach along with the green chlles  in a blender to form a puree.

Healthier!

• Take 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and wait till they crackle. Now add all the chopped garlic and sliced onion. This makes this dish really healthy. Garlic promotes the well-being of the heart and immune systems with antioxidant properties and helps maintain healthy blood circulation. One of garlic’s most potent health benefits includes the ability to enhance the body’s immune cell activity.

Tastier!

• Once the garlic and onions turn lightly brown, add the spices – turmeric, coriander, ginger powder, salt to taste. Saute for another minute, lower the flame and add the curd. If you have ROCK SALT, add that along with the regular salt. It gives great flavour to the dish. Now add the spinach puree and cook for a few minutes. Add the cottage cheese cut in small cubes and serve hot!

You can also add a dash of cream to your spinach gravy to make it rich. Since this was the healthier version, I refrained from adding any!

Beetroot Paranthas!

Note: While making the dough for the Beetroot paranthas, the amount of flour required per beetroot can vary with the size of the beetroot you are using. Adjust the amount of flour accordingly. You don’t necessarily need to follow my measurements, just follow the ingredients 🙂

Try this recipe this holi and treat your guests to a colorful meal 🙂

Enjoy!

Nupur