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• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1-inch ginger, skin removed
• 1-2 Serrano peppers, deseeded
• 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more if pan-searing paneer
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lb fresh spinach, washed & stems removed*
• 2 Tablespoons ghee or butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 oz store-bought paneer** or 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala (buy it on Amazon)

In a food processor, blend onion until finely chopped. In a large, deep pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and the chopped onion. Sauté for about 10 minutes, until onion begins to brown. While the onions are cooking, add the garlic, ginger, and serrano peppers to the food processor and chop finely (don’t worry if it’s not perfectly uniform—it will be pureed later). Add to the mixture on the stove and cook for an additional 2 minutes, until aromatic.

Add the tomatoes to the food processor and puree until smooth. Add the tomatoes to the pan with the onion mixture. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and salt and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

If you’re using paneer, cut it into 1″ cubes and then cut in half again. If you want to sear it (optional, but adds a nice texture), heat an additional 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sear on each of the larger sides. Remove from heat.

If you’re using chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces or strips and season with salt and pepper. In a frying pan over medium heat, sear on each side until fully cooked through. Remove from heat.

Transfer the spinach mixture to the food processor. Blend on low into a rough purée. Transfer back into the original pan over medium-high heat. Add the ghee/butter and stir until melted. Add the 1/2 cup of water, milk, and heavy whipping cream. Stir to combine. Add your protein (paneer or chicken) and gently stir to coat. Cook on medium-low until everything is warmed through. Add the lemon juice and garam masala and stir to combine.

Serve with basmati rice and naan.

*In Hindi, “palak” means “spinach” and “saag” means “greens” in general. In most cases, spinach is used for both. Ideally, you’ll want mature spinach leaves sold in bundles (about 3 bundles per pound of spinach). Alternatively, you can find bags of pre-washed spinach (not baby spinach) that you could substitute for each bundle. If neither of those are available, frozen spinach is generally recommended above using fresh baby spinach.

**I use Gopi brand, but any brand should work. I personally like to double the amount of paneer. Alternatively, you could make your own using this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats. However, homemade paneer tends to crumble when cut and/or pan-seared without the addition of food-grade calcium chloride.