Palak Paneer

also called palak panir · saag paneer · spinach paneer · palak-paneer · saag panir

The table

1 medium(finely chopped)yellow onionsweat 8 minfry in 2 minsimmer 6 min, until the tomato goes to pulpfold in, simmer 5 min
3 Tbs(42 g)ghee
1 Tbs(17 g)ginger-garlic paste
1 tspground cumin
1 tspground coriander
1/2 tspgaram masala
1 large(chopped)tomato
1 1/4 tspkosher salt
1 lb(450 g; stems and all, washed)spinachsteam 2 min, then run under cold waterblend to a coarse purée
2(slit)green chiles
2 clovesgarlic
12 oz(340 g; cut in 3/4-in cubes)paneer
3 Tbs(45 mL)heavy cream
1 tsp(crumbled)kasuri methi
Palak is spinach and saag is greens in general so a saag paneer at one shop is mustard leaf and at the next is this. The cheese can go in raw which is what happens here and keeps it soft or be fried gold in ghee first and dropped into hot water to soften again before it goes in — firmer browner the version most boards mean. Either way it never melts which is the whole reason it can be cubed at all
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1sweat 8 min

2steam 2 min, then run under cold water

4fry in 2 min

goes in with what step 1 made

5simmer 6 min, until the tomato goes to pulp

goes in with what step 4 made

6fold in, simmer 5 min

goes in with what steps 3 and 5 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 21 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
10 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 6 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 50 min.

  1. steam 2 min, then run under cold water

    2 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. sweat 8 min

    8 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. blend to a coarse purée

    not timed2 min in

  4. fry in 2 min

    2 minneeds you8 min in

  5. simmer 6 min, until the tomato goes to pulp

    6 minwalk away10 min in

  6. fold in, simmer 5 min

    5 minwalk away16 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need blender · heavy pan · pot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Palak Paneer
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: paneer, spinach, indian, vegetarian, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: palak panir, saag paneer, spinach paneer, palak-paneer, saag panir
>> pairs-with: paneer, naan, pilau-rice
>> servings: 4
>> time: 50 min
>> step.1: steam 2 min, then run under cold water
>> step.2: blend to a coarse purée
>> step.3: sweat 8 min
>> step.4: fry in 2 min
>> step.5: simmer 6 min, until the tomato goes to pulp
>> step.6: fold in, simmer 5 min

Steam @spinach{1%lb}(450 g; stems and all, washed) with @green chiles{2}(slit) and @garlic{2%cloves} in a covered #pot{} ~steam{2%min}, then tip it into a colander and run it under cold water until it is cold to the hand. That is what keeps it green; spinach left hot in its own steam goes the colour of an army coat.

Blend @&(~1)wilted spinach{} in a #blender{} to a coarse purée, stopping while there is still texture in it — palak is not a soup and should not be smooth.

Sweat @yellow onion{1%medium}(finely chopped) in @ghee{3%Tbs}(42 g) in a #heavy pan{} ~fry{8%min}.

Fry @ginger-garlic paste{1%Tbs}(17 g), @ground cumin{1%tsp}, @ground coriander{1%tsp} and @garam masala{1/2%tsp} into @&(~1)softened onion{} ~fry{2%min}.

Simmer @tomato{1%large}(chopped) and @kosher salt{1 1/4%tsp} with @&(~1)masala{} ~simmer{6%min}, until the tomato has gone to pulp.

Fold @&(~4)spinach purée{} into @&(~1)masala{} with @paneer{12%oz}(340 g; cut in 3/4-in cubes), @heavy cream{3%Tbs}(45 mL) and @kasuri methi{1%tsp}(crumbled), and ~simmer{5%min} on low.

Palak is spinach and saag is greens in general, so a saag paneer at one shop is mustard leaf and at the next is this. The cheese can go in raw, which is what happens here and keeps it soft, or be fried gold in ghee first and dropped into hot water to soften again before it goes in — firmer, browner, and the version most boards mean. Either way it never melts, which is the whole reason it can be cubed at all.