5 tips to reduce the bitterness of Palak Paneer | The Times of India (2024)

Palak Paneer is one of the most cooked recipes during the winter months because of the wide-scale availability of palak. Packed with numerous benefits, palak or spinach is a must-have for people of all age groups. Even though Palak Paneer is a delicious dish, you might have experienced that the palak turns bitter at times which further affects the taste of the whole dish. This usually happens due to the presence of oxalic acid in spinach leaves. If the spinach leaves are aged or if they are overcooked, then the spinach might turn bitter in taste. Here are five fool-proof methods that can not only reduce the bitterness of Palak Paneer but also amplify its taste. (image credits-istock)

The easiest way to neutralize the taste of Palak Paneer is by adding either milk, curd or even fresh cream. Once the palak gravy is cooked, add whisked curd or fresh cream to it. This will balance the bitterness and also give a rich texture to the dish. If your palak gravy is too thick, you can add milk to it as well. This will give a bright green colour to the dish while reversing its bitter flavour.

While cooking the spinach, make sure you don’t overcook it. Take it off the heat as soon as the leaves begin to sag. If you cook spinach in a pressure cooker, 1-2 whistles are enough to cook tender spinach leaves. You can also blanch the spinach by cooking them in boiling water for 2 minutes and then dipping in ice cold water for 1 minute. These leaves can then be blended to make a paste for Palak Paneer gravy.

Citrus juice can efficiently cover the bitterness of the spinach and give a fresh flavour to it. You can use either lemon, lime or even orange juice for the purpose. As soon as the leaves get cooked, take them out in a bowl. Drizzle some citrus juice over them, give a light stir and let it sit for 15 minutes. Later, they can be used for cooking the palak gravy.

Aged spinach leaves which are dark green in colour, often turn out to be slightly bitter in taste. To avoid such a scenario, opt for young spinach in the first place. Always buy spinach that is bright green in colour and has vibrant-looking leaves. You can also opt for baby spinach variety, as it has tender leaves which are naturally slightly sweet in taste.

Sugar is a last-minute fix that you can opt for to correct the bitter flavour of the dish. Add powdered sugar, as it will get mixed easily with the gravy. Don’t add too much of it, as we don’t have to sweeten the gravy. Add 1-2 teaspoons, just enough to neutralize the flavours of the dish.

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