Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add fresh spinach leaves and cook for just 2 minutes until they wilt. This helps keep that beautiful green color. Drain immediately and plunge into ice-cold water — a trick that makes your Indian spinach curry vibrant instead of dull.

Pop the blanched spinach and a couple of green chilies into a blender. Blend until smooth. This puree is the heart of a good creamy saag recipe.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil or ghee in a non-stick pan. Add the paneer cubes and fry until golden on all sides. This step gives them a delicious, slightly crispy edge that stands out in a creamy paneer dish. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add the rest of the oil or ghee. Toss in cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown — this is where the aroma of a traditional Indian curry starts filling your kitchen. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook for a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and the oil begins to separate. Then mix in turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt. This spice blend is the backbone of many North Indian vegetarian recipes.

Pour in your green spinach puree and stir well. Let it simmer gently for 5–6 minutes so the flavors blend into a rich, earthy saag gravy.

Add the fried paneer cubes back in along with garam masala. Stir gently so the paneer stays intact. Simmer for another 3–4 minutes for the flavors to marry into a perfect paneer curry.

Drizzle fresh cream on top for a restaurant-style Indian dish, or use coconut cream for a vegan touch. Serve hot with naan bread, roti, or steamed basmati rice for a complete healthy vegetarian Indian dinner.