Fresh Cheese with Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon asafetida powder 
• 1 teaspoon indian chile powder red
• 3 inch cinnamon sticks 
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds cooled toasted finely
• 2 teaspoons ginger fresh peeled finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves finely chopped
• 0.8 pound paneer fresh cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Indian cheese)
• 1.5 cups pearl onions peeled
• 4  plum tomatoes peeled chopped
• 1 pound pkt spinach 
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric 
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil (this page)
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• sieve

Directions

1. Stir together turmeric, 1 1/2 cups water, and paneer and let stand 20 minutes.
2. Drain cheese in a sieve and gently pat dry.
3. Cook spinach in remaining 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan, covered, over moderately high heat until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Coarsely purée spinach, without draining, in a food processor. Mash garlic with ginger to a paste.
4. Heat 6 tablespoons ghee in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown paneer in 2 batches, gently turning to avoid breaking up and transferring to a bowl as browned.
5. Add onions and sauté, stirring, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate.
6. Add garlic paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
7. Add coriander, chile powder, asafetida, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
8. Add tomatoes and spinach purée and simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened and almost all of liquid is evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Gently stir in paneer and salt to taste.