Microwave Palak Paneer

A year ago, I barely use my microwave for re-heating, popping some corn kernel and rarely for milk sweet! But today, I ve found is pretty easy to melt, blanching; baking potato even baking Chocolate cake is done in a jiffy! The microwave cooking event created by Valli gave me an opportunity to explore this gadget!
Every month, one microwave dish is cooked under the waves and always amazed about the outcome of the dish in less minutes.
This month, Rak’s kitchen took the turn to host the microwave event and chose Paneer, which is the Indian cottage cheese. I turn the microwave-cooking book of Tarla dalal and stop on Palak paneer page. I checked the ingredients list in my fridge and cooking time: 6 minutes! The only thing, I realized in middle of my cooking, the dish serving will be enough for one adult and probably a child.
I really got a small cup of palak paneer (refer to my first picture)! So if you follow this recipe, I would suggest that u make another curry too!
I slightly modified to get more gravy consistency by grinding the onion/ginger and increasing the green chilies.





My microwave Cooking time: 7 min + 20 sec
Yields: small cup/ appro less than 2 adult servings

Ingredients:

Spinach/Palak: 4 cup chopped
Paneer: 6 to 8 cubed pieces (cubed pieces available in store or homemade)
Green chilies: 4 numb (can be reduce-if u want really mild)
Ginger: 1 tsp grated
Onion: ½ cup chopped (or small onion)
Heavy cream: 2 tbsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Water: ¼ cup (can be added more if u want to make thin gravy)
Salt: according ur taste
Oil: 1 tsp

Method:
Take a microwave safe bowl.
Add the spinach and green chilies; keep in microwave for 1 minute 20 seconds (+ or – seconds)
Cool completely and make a puree in a blender.
In the same microwave bowl, add the oil, onion and ginger. Set the microwave for 2 minutes. (I personnaly don’t like raw onion smell). Cool completely and ground into coarse paste.
Add the ground masala (Onion-ginger) + spinach /chili puree, coriander powder, turmeric, cream, garam masala, cumin + add water and adjust the salt. Set the microwave for another 3 minutes (check after 2 minutes and mix the gravy)
After 3 minutes, take out add the paneer and keep in microwave for another 1 minute.

If you want u can always add more cream and sprinkle some garam masala.


Serve hot with chapatti/Roti or rice.


This dish contains some dose of green and paneer which could please kids: sending to Cooking for kids: Paneer hosted by Preety and started by Neivediyam.

Comments

raaji said…
Hi cham.......
Nice to see u and ur recipes after a long time....
Wish u and ur family happy new yr and pongal....
FH said…
Isn't that so easy and less messy to cook in the Microwave than the stove top? I was amazed too that we can make a good side dish completely in the MW. Palak Paneer looks wonderful, we can always double the recipe for more. Great entry, great recipe! :))
lubnakarim06 said…
Wow fast and yum curry.
Cham said…
He he Asha MW method messy or not messy I feel far easy to clean up other than my stovetop!
Deepthi Shankar said…
Iam yet to start cooking in Microwave.sounds soo easy & simple
Laavanya said…
Oh that sounds delicious... somehow i still haven't started using the MW for entire procedures..save a few recipes. You make it sound super easy so must try soon.
Usha said…
Looks delicious, I have this book from Tarla Dalal too and am yet to try this....I rarely make anything beyond snacks in the microwave :-)
Preety said…
hey i never thought we can even make palak paneer in a microwave..i must say microwave is the one of the many gadgets i love it makes life so easy ..gr8 reciep..and thanks for sending it for the kids event..
suvi said…
When my lil one asks for green mummum (food, this is the recipe I turn to...works perfectly well, doesn't it? Your palak paneer has a lovely green color, Cham. And thanks for visiting my blog, hope to see you there often :)
Priya Suresh said…
U know wat, my next trial with paneer in MW is palak paneer...u did it..i can give a try easily as urs turned very prefect..Lovely colour n prefect for both entries CHam...
Anonymous said…
Everyone has been cooking panner in the MCW!! have to gather up some guts & try it!
Gita Jaishankar said…
The dish looks so gorgeous Cham palak paneer in 7 minutes! now I should try this one :)
CurryLeaf said…
Lovely Cham.I cook veggies in MW,but complete curry nver ever tried.The dish looks tempting and easy.Yum yum yum.
Varsha Vipins said…
Cham..Palak paneer is ma favvvv dish..Bt I couldnt get palak here..I don like it with normal spinach...
Wat a green gal..lovely..:)
Anonymous said…
thats too great to cook in Mv..i loved the spirit and palak paneer looks yummy.
Vijitha said…
Hi Cham
Palak paneer looks so lovely! quite easy to fix. Thanks for sharing.
Sunshinemom said…
What a nice color! Cham, my m/w palak paneer made some 4yrs back turned bitter and after that I always made it on stove. Yours looks so delicious.
Jamie said…
GREAT idea Cham. Will have to give this a try!
Sum Raj said…
hey cham..sterday i prepared palak panner in micro...urs looks dam gud nd tempting pic..
Dershana said…
I too am a little hesitant to try any Indian dish in the microwave. Urs surely looks doable. good attempt, cham! adding u to my blogroll.
Unknown said…
has really come out so good and perfect..lovely colour..looks yumm
Divya Kudua said…
I am seeing so much of palak recipes these days and I don't know how I can not yield to the temptation!!Shall definitely try this easier MW method!!
Raks said…
Thank you Cham,for your participation in the event!
I too feel that,if we use microwave oven for this kinda gravies,its less mess and cleaning the glass bowl is far better.....!
I too thought of trying palak paneer for the event,gald u sent it,anyways I will try for sure!
notyet100 said…
EVEN I USE MICROWAE MOST OF THE TIE FOR RE-HEATIN PURPOSE,..UR RECIPE LOOKS YUM,..ND YA NICE CLICK TOO,..:-)
Finla said…
I neve ruse my MW. Just for heating up.
I should start using them....
I love paneer, but don't like paneer? Nut have to admit palak paneer is not my favourite.
Lov ethe colour.
Hi cham
nice try and the palak paneer looks good too.....will follow your advice for the bigger crowd and do it in 6 minutes.
Looks delicious, Cham.
Much as my daughter loves paneer she will not eat it with palak. But my husband and I enjoy it.
I use my microwave a lot and I just love the green colour that is retained when veggies are cooked in it.
Dori said…
Yum, makes me wish I had a microwave right about now!
thanks for all the help...i will be asking u more questions though...hope u dnt mind :)

hey Cham hve never made palaak paneer in MW...this one looks great!
sra said…
Cham, you've inspired me to MW my palak from now on - I have a bunch wilting in the fridge - whatever I make, the palak will be MWed.
bee said…
this looks lovely. i make the most horrible palak paneer, so i've stopped trying.
palak paneer looks yummy cham. microwave is indeed very useful.
veggie belly said…
very cool idea! and what a quick way to make palak paneer! im guessing the 2 minutes is enough to cook the onion and garlic well enough that the raw smell goes away?
Bong Mom said…
Wow that is super fast and easy. i too use the MW for very limited purpose
Premyscakes said…
sounds delicious and looks quite simple too.
CurryLeaf said…
Thanks for reminding me about the Vday event,I am send the choco truffles to her.Thanks
karuna said…
wwowowo, palak paneer in the microwave, that is something. nice one cham
Sig said…
Wow, a whole dish in m/w? That's great! Mine is a rice cooker + reheater... :)
Uj said…
I have never tried cooking with m/w except for making besan laddus. Got to try it soon. Loved the colour of the final product. Looks yummy
Jaishree Iyer said…
Awesome! Looks, great, delicious and very healthy too..Love the colour..Nice entry
lovely cham.. white an green best combo... I shold give a try in oven.
kamala said…
That is a lovely valentine template Cham..Never thought to make Palak paneer in MW..Perfect color...Btw..Becos of ur detailed instructions I could do this water mark..U know How stupid I am ...It took 2 full days to work on this on Adobe..So clever U R!!!
AnuSriram said…
Thats so easy to make.. Looks delicious!
Paru ... said…
Wow!! luv that deep green..Looks amazing Cham..Great recipe..
Andhra Flavors said…
good to see u and ur recipes after a long time. looks wonderful.
Suganya said…
This is a very nice recipe. Looks so good. Never tried palak paneer in Microwave. YUM!

BTW loved ur blog's template.
Rathna said…
I just love the way you change your back ground seasonally. I always wanted to do that, but heck a lot of work !
palak paneer looks delicious. I'm worried about the mess it would make inside the microwave. Did you place a lid ?
On another note, I want to let you know about an event started by me at Asvadha. Please participate if you are interested. Thank you.
A_and_N said…
Am making this tomorrow for sure. Will let you know how it came!
Srivalli said…
That sure is a lovely entry Cham..