Cooking for Comfort: Palak Paneer and Reflections on Peace
I love silverbeet season. Big veined, colour stalked, plump and wrinkled. To make a palak paneer on a chilly Friday night is a joy when your vegetables come wet with rain from the garden.
How lucky we are to be able to grow vegetables, to live in relative freedom in a relatively peaceful country. I often feel incredibly privileged and very grateful.
The last week has been awful elsewhere in the world, from earthquakes to war, and even here, we have our divisions and arguments as we choose the battlegrounds on which we stand so determinedly and fiercely.
As I sit here and think about others grieving, worrying about their people, their loved ones, their freedom, I marvel with sadness at those who choose words of violence and anger, not knowing or understanding that this never gets us anywhere but deeper into the quagmire. And I am equally moved by those who plea for peace, compassion and understanding, however often used and empty these words can be, or choose critical, deep thought over reactionary, incendiary language.
I don't know what to say, and delete the comments I rush to write in response to those I staunchly disagree with. I don't really want to be part of the problem.
So I make palak paneer, and break paratha with my man, and feel grateful for the silverbeet.
What else can one do, in the face of it?
❤️💚🤍🖤
Palak Paneer with Coconut Milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion (I used garlic tops)
2 tbsps grated ginger
2 tablespoons palak paneer spice mix (available at Indian grocers) - or, a tsp each of cummin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric poder, garam masala and optional chilli powder)
1 can of tomatoes or 3-4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 large bunch of leafy greens (e.g., silverbeet, broccoli leaves, or spinach), washed and chopped
1 can of coconut milk
Vegetable stock or salt, to taste
200g - 300 g paneer, crumbled and cubed (available at Indian grocers)
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the coconut oil, then saute the onion. Sprinkle the palak paneer spice mix over the onions and ginger, stire well and sauté for another minute to allow the flavors to blend nicely.
Add the tomatoes, and simmer for about five minutes. Add the greens and let wilt and reduce in volume. Pour in the can of coconut milk, stirring to incorporate it with the other ingredients.
Transfer to a blender and blend until it reaches your desired level of creaminess. You can make it completely smooth or leave it slightly chunky. Return the blended mixture to the pan and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes to thicken and develop the flavors further. Taste, and add stock powder or salt if you like.
Add half crumbled, half cubed paneer to the pan, and heat through.
I serve it with paratha but you can serve with rice, pickle or naan too.
With Love,
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Looks delicious 🤤,I am feeling hungry. I have finished my 🥞 breakfast a few hours ago though.
It is probably not as good as a proper Indian one but was pretty yummy!
😅, have fun mam enjoy your meal.
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Honestly, I wanted to try your dish because that is the first time knowing that kind of recipe. Is that pita bread the one in circle shaped?
It's paratha, an Indian bread. It's delicious!!!
Thank you for your peaceful words, and your uplifting post. The more we elevate, wherever we are, the less others will suffer elsewhere. I will use Hive as a vehicle for peace. I see good signs today, the international community saying "no!"
I love palak paneer! Maybe I'll try this with beet greens. I imagine almost any green will do? Of course, the nearest Indian market is at least 100 miles away, now that I live in hillbilly country.
I put beet greens in mine too! Nettles as well. Yum!
https://www.recipetineats.com/how-to-make-paneer-fresh-indian-cheese/
I must get around to it. I just never buy whole milk but I'm gonna!!!
The spice mix I'm sure you can find online or you can just do what I used to do - fresh ginger, chilli, cummin, coriander!
It's so easy! I'm going to try to make this this week. I have a great source for milk. I think this dish might be showing up on my thanksgiving table! oh yum, and happy day!
Perfect, I am so glad that I am not the only one with silver beet (swiss chard) love affair. I really need to make this for me. Currently, the silver beets are struggling between the rocket plants that took over. But I will definitely make this for me asap!
And those reflections. Sometimes I just wonder if we gardeners and cooks cannot create world peace by breaking bread and sharing food. But this is just a fantasy I live with in my head. Such a shame, but you are right in saying how privileged we are to have relative stability and safety.
Stay strong and safe.
I think we live the same fantasy.
💚🌱
JUMMMIEEEEE, loving this one! Having a rogan josh shimmering here for two hours now already, so I totally get your vibe!
yuuuuummmmm so good. I love making Indian inspired food.
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Wow! So delicious,I am here with my appetite ready to eat my own portion. Hope it's not yet finished 😁
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Thanks for sharing!
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OMG that looks delicious and can I come and live with you and I'm very quiet (believe it or not) and I won't correct you almost ever - promise
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Here you go :)
Your post was among the best, you deserve it!