Adam Liaw’s palak paneer

• 200g paneer, cut into 4cm cubes

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 2cm ginger

• 4 garlic cloves

• 2 green chillies

• 1 bunch spinach, washed and trimmed

• 10 raw cashews

• 15g butter

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 cardamom pods, bruised

• 5cm cassia or cinnamon stick

• 4 cloves

• salt, to season

• ¼ tsp ground turmeric

• 2 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

• 100ml pouring cream (optional)

• ½ tsp garam masala

Tadka (flavoured oil)

• 10g butter

• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

Method

1. Step 1

   Pour boiling water over the paneer, stand for 10 minutes, then drain. Blend the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli to a smooth purée. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and blanch the spinach for a few seconds. Shock in iced water and drain well. Add the spinach to the blender, with the cashews and blend to a smooth purée.

2. Step 2

   Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter and oil. Add the cardamom, cassia and cloves and fry until fragrant. Add the onion mixture and fry for about 5 minutes until the oil starts to separate. Season with salt, then add the turmeric, about ¼ cup of water and cook for a further 3 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Add the fenugreek leaves and spinach puree and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir the cream (if using) and garam masala through the spinach gravy, add the paneer, and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving plate.

4. Step 4

   Make the tadka by heating a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and garlic and fry until the garlic is golden. Add the chilli powder and remove from the heat. Pour the tadka over the paneer to serve.