Palak Paneer ~Spinach

Palak Paneer

 

Spinach is rich in iron and vitamins and is particularly a favourite on the Indian vegetarian menu.

It is easily grown and widely available in the fresh and frozen aisles of most supermarkets. I have a number of varieties of leaves to pick from. Like butter chicken, palak paneer has now become just as popular, especially for the average take-away.

Palak Paneer

Click for Paneer

Made from dairy and an excellent source of calcium, paneer is made freshly in Indian households on a daily basis. The water, which is the basis of the buttermilk, is drunk by all as a light and refreshing drink.

In Canada, we can find paneer in supermarkets recently labelled as "fresh cottage cheese."

Click for  Garam masala

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1-2 green chillies

900 gm/ 2 lb spinach

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 large golden fried onion

3 tbsp cream 

Paneer; 450 g/1 lb, diced

(To prepare the Paneer )

In a pan, heat some oil and fry the pieces till golden brown. Sprinkle immediately while warm with a little salt and garam masala. Remove and place on a paper towel to dry.

 

In the same pan, heat a touch of additional oil and add

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

Spinach, washed and chopped

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 cup golden fried onion, chopped

Cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat, covered. When all the liquid has evaporated, stir in the paneer. Gently stir in the cream. Do not allow it to boil.

Tips

It's easier to use a day-old, refrigerated paneer, where the water content has dried out with the refrigeration cold. Dice the paneer as equally as possible. 

In some countries, like the UK, perfectly diced paneer perfect for this recipe is available in supermarkets.

Evaporated milk is a good substitute for cream if need be. 

Fresh or frozen spinach, both work just as well. Use a blend of spinach if you prefer. Adding handfuls of methi-fenugreek, mint, or corriander can all work well.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Miso Fish with Soba Noodles.

Soba noodles are made of buckwheat and may need some getting used to. They are healthy and nutritious. Japanese cuisine often showcases them well.

This is a healthy meal served family style, enough to serve 4.

Step 1

4 pieces of salmon fish, 10 cm/ 4-inch squares; marinated for 30 minutes or overnight. Bring it to room temperature before cooking. 
Remove the marinade and grill or pan fry the fish until cooked.

1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger or 1 tbsp ginger syrup
1 tsp Nanami Togarashi (Japanese chilli powder with sesame seeds)
3 tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp horseradish paste or wasabi
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp sake
3 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp honey
A pinch of salt

Step 2

350 g/12 oz packet soba noodles, cooked for 8 minutes in an open pot of boiling water, salt, and a tsp of oil, and drained well.

Step 3

Choose five of your favourite vegetables and cut them all evenly on the diagonal. Stir fry them in 1 tbsp of oil in a large wok for 5 minutes. Do not overcook. 

I used 1 carrot, 1 celery stick, 5 mushrooms, 1 courgette/zucchini, 1 baby eggplant, 12 green beans, 3 green onions, 3 florets broccoli, 3 florets cauliflower, and 6 small bok choy slit in half 

1  long red chilli pepper
1  long yellow chilli pepper
3 finely chopped garlic cloves

Assembly
Toss the vegetables in the stir fry, add the cooked noodles to the stir fry, toss the remainder of the marinade all over Stir well and then divide it into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with one piece of fish and serve immediately. 

Tips
An alternate pasta/noodle that taste  just as good and are healthy is one made up of rice and spinach and is available in supermarkets.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is an award-winning book. It was self-published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking: Reviving an Ancient Cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through Amazon Book Depot, Book Depository, and from the publishers.

The Mighty Caulis-Floris

Variety of Cauliflowers fresh and  colourful

Each year, people who like to eat healthy seem to concentrate on rejuvenating one ancient vegetable.

These folks are taking the time and trouble to educate us on all the goodness of it, eventually hoping that by the end of the year, after sharing every tiny detail of its health benefits, we will be clever enough to make that particular vegetable a part of our lifestyle.

 

With kale now being an intrinsic part of my daily life, we are ready to face the mighty cauliflower. The caulis, or stem, has the higher share of the magical stuff. The floris, or flower, takes its share from the root itself. Like everything else, a raw vegetable gives you the maximum benefit.

 

Unsure of its true origins, there is a toss-up between the 12th century Arab gardeners and the Romans, almost a thousand years prior. It is commonly grown in the Mediterranean region; the Spanish and Italians consume it on a daily basis. The Medici and other Medici royals from France and Italy served many elegant dishes made of this flower-head at their royal feasts. It is believed there is a chance that it originated in Cyprus, as the French often referred to it as Chou de Chypre!

 

Imagination is a wonderful artform of the human mind; taking a moment to stare at the Mighty Cauliflower suggests it is a clever vegetable. The hard-rooted white base holds the delicately grape-like clusters of flowers, while the strong green leaves naturally protect the delicate florets! Nature, it seems, is a genius.

 

Trivia

The French call it a chou-fleur; the literal translation is cabbage flower.

Not all cauliflowers are white and green; there is an all-green variety and a purple one as well.

Canada has started growing an orange one, which has 25 times more vitamin A than any other.

Unlike other vegetables, their size does not affect the taste, but their age does. Be sure to find a young one.

Frost destroys the crop, yet it is a spring vegetable that takes 75 days to grow.

 

Health Benefits

It helps alleviate arthritis pain and it is known to prevent prostate cancer 

For more Parsi Food recipes and its history and origin read my cookbooks
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine. and The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders.