PALAK PANEER GNUDI
Makes 3 servings gnudi
• 1½l non-uht whole milk
• ¾ tsp salt
• 90ml white rice vinegar
• semolina flour
» Combine all ingredients in a pot and set over medium heat. Cook until the liquid reaches 74°C. Stir constantly.
» Once curds form and the whey becomes pale yellow and translucent, take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
» Using a cheesecloth, separate the curds from the whey. Set whey aside. Squeeze excess liquid from the curds, then set it in a container with a heavy weight on top of the cheesecloth for 30 minutes. Remove from cheesecloth.
» Crumble pressed cheese into food processor, and add whey 1 tbsp at a time until mixture resembles whipped cream cheese. Season to taste.
» Pour liberal amounts of semolina on a tray. Transfer cheese mixture to a piping bag, and pipe out 3cm balls onto the semolina. Roll each ball in semolina and dust till well coated. Cover the tray with cling wrap and chill for 2-3 days.
palak gravy
• 2 large bunches Malabar spinach, stems removed and rinsed
• 2 green chillies
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves
• juice of ½ lemon
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tsp salt
» Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch spinach for 3 minutes or until tender, and shock them in ice water. Save the boiling water.
» Squeeze excess water from the cooked spinach, and blend with coarsely chopped green chilli.
» Heat up oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add in cumin seeds and cook till they pop. Add minced garlic and cook till slightly brown before adding in the spinach mixture.
» Add lemon juice, cream and salt.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
» Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until it turns brown. Immediately add curry leaves and turn off the heat.
» Cook the gnudi by shaking off excess semolina and dropping them into the simmering water that cooked the spinach. Cook gnudi for 1 minute, then remove from water and swirl in brown butter.
» Plate by pouring the gravy as a base, and add the gnudi to the top, garnishing each with a curry leaf.