Palak Pappu

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard
6 - 8 curry leaves
3 tbsp Oil


1 cup toor dhal
1 bag palak/1 - big bunch of palak
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tomatoes - chopped finely
1 - large onions - finely chopped
6 cloves garlic 
2 green chillies
1 tsp cumin powder
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Pressure cook toor dhal and smash it (not needed to puree)
• It a hot pot/pan add oil
• Add mustard and let it sputter
• Add cumin seeds
• Add curry leaves
• Add crushed garlic & fry till lightly brown (do not fry it too much)
• Add chopped onions, chopped green chillies and sauté it
• Now add chopped tomatoes, fry until soft
• Add chopped spinach leaves and some salt
• cook until spinach is almost cooked
• Take a hand blender and slightly smash the spinach
• Add smashed dhal, more salt if required, red chilli powder & cook for a few mins on low flame
• Do not add extra water, let it be thick consistency.

Palak Paneer Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp butter (optional)
1 bag palak/1 - big bunch of palak
1 tbsp cream fresh (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tomatoes - pureed
1 - large onions - finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic ginger paste
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 green chillies
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 cup paneer cubes (shallow fry paneer to golden brown if paneer not very fresh)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
Few whole garam masalas 
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Clean and wash spinach and immerse in boiling water with little salt, for 2 min without closing the lid 
• Remove the water from spinach (save the water to use it for later if needed)
• In a small pan fry green chillies
• Mash green chillies & spinach with a hand blender/mixer to puree it
• Heat oil/butter in a deep pan
• Add cumin seeds let it splutter
• Add whole garam masala [ Chakka + bay leaves + Cloves]
• Add garlic ginder paste fry it until light brown
• Add chopped onions fry till golden brown
• Add turmeric + red chilli powder + coriander powder + Cumin powder
• Add pureed tomatoes fry well till it oozes out oil
• Now add the spinach (palak) paste and cook till it oozes out oil 
• Add some saved spinach water to get the right consistency (Dont make it to watery)
• Add Paneer pieces to the gravy and simmer in on low flame for few min 
• Top with little cream & butter ( optional).