Spinach and Indian Cottage Cheese "Palak Paneer"

Day3 of Blogging Marathon: While this dish may seem similar to the "Saag Paneer" post I did sometime last year, its not! There are some new ingredients involved in making this one and this is slightly more rich(ie: packed with calories) than the previous version what with using heavy cream and butter!Obviously, my hubby said he likes this version better. Well, what can I say? Heavy cream and butter makes everything better!
For those of you wondering what the difference is between Saag Paneer and Palak Paneer here is a brief explanation(clearing the air of doubt, if you will)-
Saag means "Greens", Palak means "Spinach"(a subset of Saag), Paneer means "Cottage Cheese" in Hindi. While Saag Paneer can be made with "any" greens(including Spinach), Palak Paneer can be made with ONLY Spinach. Hope this helps!
 
I know there are plenty of Paneer freaks(like me)..ahem, Paneer fans out there. So here are some Paneer dishes I have posted before: 
Paneer Butter Masala, Skillet Paneer and Peas(Muttar Paneer), Paneer and Collard stuffed Mushrooms, Paneer and Vegetable Pilaf, Microwave Malai Kofta

Ingredients:

• 14 oz Nanak brand Paneer
• 6 handfuls of finely chopped Spinach
• 1-1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1-1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 Medium Roma Tomato, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp Oil + 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
• Salt as needed
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil for frying the Paneer

For Grinding:

• 1 Medium Yellow Onion
• 3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1" Ginger, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 Hot green chili
• 1/4 Cup Cashew
• 2 Medium Roma Tomatoes
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Procedure:

• Cut the Paneer in cubes and shallow fry them in batches until they are "lightly" browned. I feel non-stick pan is better for this purpose. Paneer sticks in steel pan.

• Fry the ingredients under " For grinding" in the given order in 1-1/2 Tbsp of Oil. First add onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies.Once the onions are browned add the cashew and fry till they are slightly browned.

• Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they are raw no more.Cool this mixture.

• In another pan, add a tbsp of oil and 2-3 Tbsp of butter. Add all the powder and cumin seeds. Reduce the flame and fry until it starts emitting aroma(for a minute or so).

• Add the chopped tomatoes and give it a toss.

• Add the chopped Spinach and stir gently until its coated with spices.

• Grind the cooled onion-cashew mixture to a fine paste.

• Add the paste along with heavy cream and salt to the pan and gently combine.

• Throw in the fried paneer and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes.

• The resulting mixture should be in the form of a thick gravy. Switch off the stove and add a dab of butter on top(optional).

• Serve this warm and decadent dish with choice of flat-bread or steaming white rice.

Enjoy!