1:04in productionCh. 1 · What the dish is and where it came from/ 1:04 · ceiling 15 min
Dishes · Restaurants
Palak paneer
A spinach and paneer dish from the Indian subcontinent, made with puréed spinach and grilled paneer cubes in a tomato-onion base.
Palak paneer—or palak chhena—is a dish from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of paneer (or chhena) in a thick paste made from puréed spinach, called palak in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, and other Indian languages.
Palak paneer—or palak chhena—is a dish from the Indian subcontinent.
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How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It is prepared by boiling and puréeing spinach, mixing that purée with sautéed tomatoes and onions, then adding grilled cubes of paneer.
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What it gets right
It centers spinach and paneer—two widely recognized ingredients in the region—and uses common preparation methods: puréeing, sautéing, and grilling.
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What it does not
It contains only spinach, not other greens like mustard greens—so it differs from saag chhena, which may include them.
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What it changed
Dhaba restaurants often specialize in palak chhena, indicating its role in roadside and casual dining contexts.
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Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people seeking a spinach-and-cheese dish with regional roots.
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Is it worth your time
It is worth your time if you want a straightforward spinach-and-paneer dish rooted in the Indian subcontinent and commonly served in dhabas.
Worth your time?
Selectively. Start with the brief, then cook the parts we point at.
What works
It centers spinach and paneer—two widely recognized ingredients in the region—and uses common preparation methods: puréeing, sautéing, and grilling.
What does not
It contains only spinach, not other greens like mustard greens—so it differs from saag chhena, which may include them.
Cook it if
Skip it if
The written brief1 min read
What the dish is and where it came from
Palak paneer—or palak chhena—is a dish from the Indian subcontinent. It consists of paneer (or chhena) in a thick paste made from puréed spinach, called palak in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, and other Indian languages.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It is prepared by boiling and puréeing spinach, mixing that purée with sautéed tomatoes and onions, then adding grilled cubes of paneer.
What it gets right
It centers spinach and paneer—two widely recognized ingredients in the region—and uses common preparation methods: puréeing, sautéing, and grilling.
What it does not
It contains only spinach, not other greens like mustard greens—so it differs from saag chhena, which may include them.
What it changed
Dhaba restaurants often specialize in palak chhena, indicating its role in roadside and casual dining contexts.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people seeking a spinach-and-cheese dish with regional roots. It is not for those seeking a mixed-greens preparation, since it uses spinach only.
Is it worth your time
It is worth your time if you want a straightforward spinach-and-paneer dish rooted in the Indian subcontinent and commonly served in dhabas.
A thick, creamy Thai curry from central Thailand, made with red curry paste cooked in coconut cream until oils separate, often featuring peanuts and grilled or simmered meat.