Palak paneer: Difference between revisions

'''Palak paneer''' ({{IPA-hns|paːlək pəniːɾ|pron}}) is a [[vegetarian dish]],<ref name="Palak Paneer">{{Cite web |url=http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/palak-paneer-indian-fresh-spinach-with-paneer-cheese-25348 |title=PALAK PANEER (INDIAN FRESH SPINACH WITH PANEER CHEESE) |last=Pastime |first=Palatable}}</ref> consisting of [[paneer]] (a type of cottage cheese) in a thick [[paste (food)|paste]] made from [[purée]]d [[spinach]], called palak in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and other Indian languages. <ref>{{Cite web|title=spinach - Meaning in hindi - Shabdkosh|url=https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-hindi/spinach/spinach-meaning-in-hindi|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.shabdkosh.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=spinach - Meaning in marathi - Shabdkosh|url=https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-marathi/spinach/spinach-meaning-in-marathi|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.shabdkosh.com}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|title=spinach - Meaning in gujarati - Shabdkosh|url=https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/english-gujarati/spinach/spinach-meaning-in-gujarati|access-date=2020-10-13|website=www.shabdkosh.com}}</ref>

The terms palak paneer and [[Saag|saag paneer]] are sometimes used interchangeably in restaurants in the United States and Canada. However, saag paneer is different from traditional palak paneer in that it contains other [[Green, leafy vegetables|green leafy vegetables]], such as [[mustard greens]], whereas palak paneer only contains spinach.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/palak-paneer/|title=palak paneer recipe, how to make palak paneer {{!}} best palak paneer recipe|last=amit|first=dassana|date=2013-05-22|work=Veg Recipes of India|access-date=2018-11-02|language=en-US}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news|last=LeVaux|first=Ari|date=15 May 2020|title=Summer blend: Mix up some spinach, spices for palak paneer|work=The Palm Beach Post|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/lifestyle/20200515/summer-blend-mix-up-some-spinach-spices-for-palak-paneer}}</ref> <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2013-05-22|title=Palak Paneer {{!}} Easy Palak Paneer Recipe » Dassana's Veg Recipes|url=https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/palak-paneer/|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Dassana's Veg Recipes|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Dhaba]] restaurants often specialize in palak paneer.

Palak paneer is prepared by first boiling and pureeing spinach. The puree is then mixed with sauted tomatoes and onions. Grilled cubes of paneer are then added to the puree. Palak paneer is typically spiced with ginger, [[garlic]], tomatoes, [[garam masala]], turmeric, [[chili powder]] and cumin.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Palak Paneer Recipe {{!}} How to Make Palak Paneer {{!}} Palak Paneer|url=https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-palak-paneer-98895|access-date=2020-10-13|website=NDTV Food}}</ref> <ref>{{cite book|last1=Pitre|first1=Urvashi|title=Indian Instant Pot® Cookbook: Traditional Indian Dishes Made Easy and Fast|date=September 19, 2017|publisher=Rockridge Press|isbn=978-1939754547|page=88}}</ref>

In recent years, there have been fusion variations of palak paneer. In July 2020, a Bangalore-based food blogger posted her variation of palak paneer [[idli]]. The dish sparked conversation on Twitter and Instagram about the unusual combination of these two North and South Indian dishes. <ref>{{Cite web|title='Palak Paneer Idli' is a North-South Fusion Dish that Twitter Doesn't Want to Have|url=https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/palak-paneer-idli-is-a-north-south-fusion-dish-that-twitter-doesnt-want-to-have-2741407.html|access-date=2020-10-14|website=News18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-30|title=There’s now a palak paneer idli that has sparked a debate on social media|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/palak-paneer-idli-reactions-6528972/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> In September 2020, Vietnam-based Pizza 4P's created unique fusion pizzas in honor of the [[International Day of Peace]]. One of these variations was a palak paneer-[[chapli kebab]] pizza to symbolize peace between India and Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Ritu|date=2020-09-22|title=Vietnamese Restaurant Introduces India-Pakistan ‘Peace Pizza’, Twitter Is Not Impressed|url=https://www.india.com/viral/palak-paneer-kebab-pizza-anyone-vietnamese-restaurant-introduces-india-pakistan-peace-pizza-4149154/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=India.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Agarwal|first=Akanksha|date=2020-09-21|title=People React To Indo-Pak 'Peace Pizzas' With Delhi's Palak Paneer & Karachi's Chapli Kebab|url=https://www.storypick.com/peace-pizza/|access-date=2020-10-14|website=Storypick|language=en-GB}}</ref>