Makai Palak Paneer...Grilled Corn Palak Paneer

I can't stop myself to buy when I see fresh corn in the market.I love to grill it and eat it hot and spicy with fresh lime and masala smeared all over it.One corn was left over in the refrigerator untouched after having a over dose of grilled corn.So,thought of using it in a curry and as I had spinach in hand thought of mixing them both.I actually grilled the corn and marinated it with lemon and salt and the idea actually worked,it gave a nice taste to the corn in the curry.As I had only one corn I even added paneer to make it sufficient for both of us.The crunchiness and tangyness of corn in each and every bite is really amazing and I just loved it.

Ingredients:
250 gms Homemade Paneer (or store bought),cubed
1 regular fresh corn
1 big bunch spinach
1 big onion,diced
1 medium onion,finely chopped
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
4-5 green chillies
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp Garam masala
a pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp kasuri methi(optional)
1/2 tsp amchur powder
2 tbsp fresh cream(or 1/4 cup milk)
salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil

Method:

• Boil water in a big pot and add cleaned spinach leaves and whole green chillies and blanch for a minute.Add a pinch of sugar while blanching it in order to retain the green color of spinach.Strain the spinach(save the water to dilute the gravy later) and quickly run the blanched spinach under running water and squeeze out extra water.You can even saute the spinach but you should be really quick in doing it otherwise you will loose the beautiful green color of spinach.
• In that hot water(in which we blanched the spinach)soak the paneer cubes until its uasge.This way the paneer will be soft.
• Grill the corn on the flame until light black spots appear all over the corn.Quickly rub it with lemon wedge dozed with salt all over the corn and let it marinate for some time,aproximately 10 mins.Take a knife and cut the corn to get the corn kernels.
• Grind diced onion with ginger and garlic paste and keep it aside.
• Grind the spinach and green chillies to a fine paste.Open the mixer and keep it,otherwise it will change the color.
• Heat oil and butter in a big kadai and crackle cumin seeds,add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent and add ground onion mixture and fry well.
• Add coriander powder,cumin powder,amchur powder,slightly crushed kasuri methi and mix well.
• Add spinach puree and cook over medium flame.Add salt,grilled corn kernels,paneer cubes(slightly squeeze them after removing from hot water) and garam masala and mix well.If required add the strained water to dilute the gravy to get the required consistency and ook for 2-3 minutes.Do not cover the kadai while you are cooking,otherwise you will loose the green color of spinach.
• Add cream(or milk) and mix well and cook for a couple of minutes and remove it from stove.Add lemon juice and give a quick stir.

Serve it hot with roti/kulcha/naan/jeera rice.

Note:

• You can just make this with grilled corns and call it Grilled Corn Palak or you can use only paneer and call it Palak Paneer as the recipe is almost same for both of them.
• I do not add tomato in any of the spinach based dishes as I some how believe the combination of spinach and tomato leads to the formation of stones in kidney.So I avoid tomato and use instead amchur powder or lemon juice for the sourness.

This is going to participate in Sara's "Only Greens" event started by Pari of Foodelicious.

Check out other Paneer recipes in my blog:

• Kadai Paneer - Restaurant style 
• Paneer Butter Masala - Restaurant style!!
• Paneer Modak Peda
• Paneer Tikka 
• Paneer Bhurji
• Paneer Jalfrezi
• Paneer Sabzi | Simple Paneer Curry
• Palak Paneer
• Paneer Makhani/Paneer Makhanwala
• Matar Paneer