Grand Feast made Lazy Pt.I: Microwave Palak Paneer

Lazy Panda Cooks

Recently when my in-laws visited this lazy panda wanted to surprise them (and not shock them!) with my newly developed culinary skills. After much thought I zeroed upon few recipes that I could try.The ingredients were commonly available kitchen spices and cooking time for each was below 45 mins. Thus I began preparations for my grand feast. The 5 recipes I chose were:

For Starters:

• Kali Mirch Chicken Kebab
• Honey Mustard Chicken Kebab

For Main Course:

• Peas Pulao
• Palak Paneer
• Kadhai Chicken

It seemed like a challenging target at first but I tried to plan how to multi-task to finish off all 5 items within 3-4 hours. It was easier than I thought! I'm sharing all the recipes along with my personal tips and suggestions. As for me, the dishes came out looking and smelling heavenly and this panda became an overnight STAR! :D The in-laws could not stop raving about my hidden culinary talents and the dishes were healthy and lip-smacking at the same time!

Recipe #1: Palak Paneer

Preparation Time: 12-15 mins

Cooking Time: 8-10 mins

Serves: 4-5

Reference Image

                                                                         

Ingredients:

Palak (Spinach) - 500 gms.

Paneer (Home made cheese) - 200 gms.

Tomato - 3-4

Green Chilli - 1-2

Ginger - Garlic Paste - 2 table spoon

Oil - 2 table spoon.

Cumin - 1/2 tea spoon.

Heeng - 1 pinch (Optional)

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tea spoon

Coriander Powder - 1 tea spoon

Red Chilli Powder - 1/6 tea spoon (optional)

Cream or malai - 2 table spoon(optional)

Sugar - 1/2 tea spoon

Garam Masala - 1/4 tea spoon

salt - 2/3 tea spoon ( as per the taste)

Description:

Lazy Panda Version

1. Separate the spinach from its stems and wash it two times in a big pan.

2. Wash and cut tomatoes into big pieces, take out the seeds from green chilli and cut it into small pieces. Mix tomatoes, chilli and ginger-garlic paste altogether in a mixer and make a paste. Take out this paste in a small bowl.

3. Cut the Paneer into 1-inch square pieces, apply salt and 1 table spoon oil to the pieces and Microwave on High for 5 mins till slightly golden.

4. Put the washed leaves of spinach in a microwave safe bowl, cover it with the lid and microwave it for 4 minutes 

5. Take out the bowl from the microwave. Cool and blend it in the mixer to make a paste.

6. Take a microwave safe bowl, put some oil into it, add cumin, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and microwave it for 2 minutes without covering it.

7. Now take out the bowl after 2 minutes and add tomato puree/paste and again microwave it for 3 minutes.

8. Add spinach paste, cream, paneer slices, salt, sugar, garam masala into the microwaved tomato paste and microwave it for 3 minutes.

9. Palak Paneer is ready. Garnish it with cream and serve it with fresh hot chapatis, parantha or rice.

Reference: http://nishamadhulika.com/en/581-palak-paneer-recipe-in-microwave.html

Wait for the next lazy recipe: Microwave Kadhai Chicken on LazyPandaCooks!