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1
Blanch the Spinach
5 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the spinach in handfuls and cook for 2 minutes, just until wilted and bright green. Drain immediately and plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking and keep the colour vivid.
Do not overcook the spinach — two minutes is enough, and longer blanching dulls the green.
Done when: Leaves fully wilted, bright green, and cool enough to handle.
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2
Blend the Spinach Smooth
3 Mins
No heat — room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Squeeze the cooled spinach gently to remove excess water, then put it in a blender with the drained cashews and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the water. Blend for 1–2 minutes until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides once.
A truly smooth puree is what makes this dish silky — blend longer than you think you need to.
Done when: A thick, smooth, vivid-green puree with no visible leaf pieces.
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3
Fry the Onion, Ginger & Garlic
8 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Melt the ghee in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the ginger, garlic and green chilli and cook for 1 minute more, then add the tomato and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes until the tomato softens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
Let the onion turn properly golden — pale onion makes a pale, flat-tasting sauce.
Done when: Onion soft and golden, tomato broken down, and a thin sheen of ghee at the edges of the pan.
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4
Simmer the Spinach Sauce
10 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Pour in the spinach puree and the remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water, stirring well. Add the salt and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon and the raw spinach taste is gone. Stir in the garam masala and the crushed kasuri methi.
Keep the heat gentle — a hard boil can make the spinach sauce grainy and dull.
Done when: Thick, glossy sauce that coats a spoon and tastes rounded, not raw or grassy.
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5
Add the Paneer & Cream
5 Mins
Low heat, until steaming hot, about 74°C (165°F)
Gently fold in the paneer cubes and simmer for 3 minutes so they warm through and absorb the sauce. Turn the heat to low, stir in the cream, and warm for 1 minute more without boiling. Taste and adjust the salt.
Fold, do not stir hard — paneer cubes break easily once they are warm.
Done when: Paneer hot all the way through, cream fully mixed in, sauce steaming but not boiling.
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6
Rest & Serve
2 Mins
Off the heat — resting from about 74°C (165°F)
Take the pan off the heat and let the curry rest for 2 minutes so the flavours settle. Serve hot in a warm bowl, with an extra drizzle of cream on top if you like.
A short rest lets the sauce thicken slightly and the paneer soak up more flavour.
Done when: Thick, creamy green curry with soft paneer cubes, served steaming hot.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the palak paneer hot, with a drizzle of cream on top, alongside warm naan or basmati rice.
India
1h 5m
France
Vietnam