Method
1. Heat half the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and crackle them for 10-20 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion. Mix well and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until golden.
2. Meanwhile, chuck the tomatoes, tomato puree, green chilli, ginger and garlic into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour into the pan with the onion and add the garam masala, fenugreek and plenty of salt. swirl 100 ml of water around the foo processor and pour into the pan. Mix well. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes for the flavours to develop. Take off the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes to thicken.
3. Meanwhile, blanch the spinach in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and place into a bowl of iced water. This will just cook it but keep the colour. Once cool. Drain again. Chuck into a blender and blitz into a lovely green sauce. There should be enough liquid in the spinach to blend until smooth.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the paneer and cook for 1-2 minutes on two side to get super golden.
5. Stir the spinach into the tomato sauce. Mix well and check the seasoning, adding salt to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes to warm it though and then add the paneer. Stir together and serve immediately with a drizzle of cream if you like.
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 tbsp groundnut oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 green chilli – use ½ if you don’t like it too hot
1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp fenugreek leaves or ½ tsp ground fenugreek
500g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
500g spinach
50ml double cream – optional
Sea salt
