Palak Paneer

Daddy’s b’day has come and gone. It was a quiet family affair. I am sure he must have missed his family and friends back home all the more, although wishes poured in the form of phone and google calls, and I heard even somebody mentioning how they already started missing his absence. It made perfect sense to me because as long as I can remember my Dad and Mom never failed to entertain guests and their doors were always wide open. As their friends circle expanded, so do entertaining at home. Through it all, I gained a real insight of different communities and of course through it all cuisines. So our kitchen was always a hotpot of cuisines and my palate, an acquired one.

I have often heard from our guests after years, how well they were received at home and of course the food Mom made. I must admit both entertaining and cooking an art in itself, which my parents were good at and I have not taken it entirely from them ....... I am striving for it doggedly.

Now back to the story, it is all about the real hero - my treacherous chocolate sponge - I thought to pile it up and make a black forest cake. 

So Daddy’s girl was busy perfecting chocolate sponge for 2 days. It was like this …..first day, I ended up with a deflated choco sponge that was too eggy. Second try, it was perfectly made, but as I shifted it from cake tin to a plate it collapsed. Roughly put it this way, I could not breathe life into my black forest cake.
My heart is looming with grief (okay!Signs that you are more involved in the work you are doing) even though the catastrophic sponge was turned into a black forest trifle.

But again, I believe there are some days, how much ever you try things won’t unfold the way you want it. After being the victim of bad baking days, hope I will perfect my skill for a good chocolate sponge soon. I never knew when people talked about the skills it take to make a perfect sponge. 

So with whatever josh I am left  …… I am taking you on a desi tadka.  I have always admired Sikh community for their so called josh. Ok, more on how they opened their doors to a mallu girl …... I will be writing it soon.

Ingredients
Spinach - 3 bunches
Paneer - 250 gm
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Tomato - 1 big
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 3 pinches
Cream - 1 tbsp

Method
Immerse paneer cubes in hot water. This will make it soft and ready to be thrown into the curry. Chop off the stems and wash the leaves thoroughly. Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes and immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice cold water (this will retain the green color of palak/spinach leaves). Now squeeze the spinach leaves well and transfer it to a blender and make a puree out of it. (You can totally skip the pureeing part and leave the spinach as such - this also gives fab results)

Heat oil in a kadai, allow cumin seeds to splutter. Now add ginger, garlic, and chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn slightly brown. Add tomatoes and cook them well to get a mash. Now add spinach puree, salt, and paneer cubes. Sprinkle kasuri methi and garam masala. Add cream before serving.

Enjoy with rotis.