• Cut about 1/2 an inch of the bottom of the spinach bunch, then untie the bunch and wash the leaves very well to get rid off the dirt and impurities. Lift out he leaves to drain.
• I like to use my salad spinner to get rid off some of the water from the leaves, you could also place the clean leaves on a clean kitchen towel and rid some of the moisture.
• Place the spinach and cilantro leaves whole in a large pot on medium heat so the steam wilts the leaves, this will take a few minutes. Toss the leaves around so every leaf has wilted. Transfer the leaves to a blender. Pulse a few times and blend it to a puree(but not as smooth asss as smoothie. You can also do this with an upright hand blender.
• Heat ghee/oil in a large, wide-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds once they sizzle add the chopped onion and sauté for about 7-8 minutes on medium heat, until lightly golden brown.
• Add garlic, ginger, and green chili and cook for 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, ground spices, and salt and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the fat starts to separate. If needed, deglaze again with a few sprinklings of water.
• Pour or spoon the pureed spinach into the pot and mix very well. Add some water to get all the spinach out of the blender jar. Turn up the heat and bring the spinach to a gentle simmer. Add the crushed fenugreek leaves and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes so the spice mixture is well incorporated with the spinach. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
• Add the paneer, stir in the cream or cream cheese. If using cream cheese it will melt and assimilate into the spinach. Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes stirring frequently. Be mindful of not breaking the paneer, the paneer will soften but not melt. Take it off the heat and serve.

Pan Fried Paneer (optional)

• To pan fry/sear the paneer~Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the paneer cubes in a single layer and cook, turning constantly, until lightly golden on all sides, ~6-8 min in total. If it starts to platter/pop, reduce the heat and keep turning. Transfer the paneer from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate. Cover and set aside or add to the spinach.