Palak Paneer Recipe

Ingredients

• 150 grams (1¼ cups) paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
• 3½ to 4 cups (100 to 120 grams) palak (spinach)
• 2 tablespoons oil (or half oil & half butter)
• 2 green chilies (deseeded) (less spicy kind)
• ¾ cup (90 grams, 1 small) onions (fine chopped)
• ½ cup (1 small) tomatoes (deseeded & chopped or pureed)
• ¾ teaspoon ginger garlic paste (read notes for substitute)
• ½ teaspoon salt (use as per your taste)
• 8 to 10 cashew nuts (read notes for substitutes)
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) (skip if you don't  have)
• ¼ cup water to blend spinach
• ¾ cup water to cook the gravy
• 3 tablespoons cream (can sub w/evaporated milk) (optional)
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) (optional)

Whole spices

• 2 green cardamoms (elaichi) (optional)
• 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini) (optional)
• 2 cloves (laung) (optional)

Instructions
Preparing the Spinach

1. Pluck only the young & tender spinach leaves and discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste. If using baby spinach you can use the stems as well.
2. Heat half tablespoon oil in a pan. Saute green chilies, cashews and spinach for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly & raw smell of spinach has gone away. OR another option is to blanch the palak in 4 cups of hot water with ¼ tsp salt for 2 mins. Then immerse in ice cold water. Drain completely.
3. Cool this completely. Blend this along with water to a smooth puree. The puree should be smooth and thick. You may add 1 to 2 tbsps more water to help in blending.

Cooking

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and half tablespoon oil to the same pan, Once they melt, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds.
2. When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions and fry till they turn transparent to golden.
3. Next saute ginger garlic paste for 1 to 2 minutes or until you begin to smell it nice.
4. Then add tomatoes with salt. Saute until they break down and turn mushy.
5. Add garam masala & saute until the masala smells good. This maytake 2 mins. (for a smoother curry refer notes)
6. Pour water and cook covered until onions are completely soft. There should be some water left in the pan. (for consistency check video)
7. Lower the flame, add kasuri methi and pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins. If the curry is too thick you may add a few tbsps of hot water.
8. Avoid overcooking. Add paneer & mix well. Turn off and remove to aserving bowl. Optionally garnish with cream.
9. Serve palak paneer with naan

From: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/palak-paneer-recipe-easy-paneer-recipes-step-by-step-pics/

 

Italian Meatballs on Parmesan Noodles

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for baking
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic paste
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth, divided, or more as needed
• 1 pound 80% lean ground beef
• Parmesan Noodles
• 12 ounces egg noodles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (225 degrees C). 
2. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Stir in egg, milk, and 1/4 cup beef broth. Add ground beef and stir with a fork just until combined.
3. With wet hands, roll meat mixture into medium-sized balls and place in a large casserole dish. Pour in 1 cup beef broth, or enough to fill the casserole 1/4 inch deep. Sprinkle meatballs with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake meatballs in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn meatballs over, and bake until no longer pink at the center, about 15 minutes more.
5. For noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender with a bite, about 10 minutes; drain.  
6. Place noodles in a bowl and immediately add butter, garlic paste, Parmesan, oil, black pepper, and parsley. Stir to combine.
7. Remove meatballs from the oven. To serve, spoon noodles onto a plate and top with meatballs. Sprinkle with more parsley. Enjoy!

From: https://www.allrecipes.com/italian-meatballs-on-parmesan-noodles-recipe-11783729