Craving something indulgent for dinner but still want to keep your protein intake on track? One of the best things about cooking at home is the freedom to experiment – mix and match flavours, play around with spices and even create your own fusion dishes. You also have complete control over the ingredients, making it easier to tweak a recipe to suit your nutritional goals without compromising on flavour.
Also Read | High-protein, low-carb chicken pulao: Try this nutritionist-approved recipe that swaps rice with this alternative
If you’re looking for a comforting, flavour-packed dish that brings together the best of both worlds, we may have found just the recipe for you. Aathira Sethumadhavan, a certified nutritionist and chef known for creating flavour-packed, calorie-conscious recipes, has shared her recipe for a high-protein Afghani palak paneer egg curry – a dish that combines protein-rich eggs and paneer with a creamy spinach, coriander and mint gravy.
In an Instagram video shared on August 22, the nutritionist describes the recipe as, “24 g protein and approximately 290 calories per serving. Imagine crossing your favourite lasooni palak paneer with a creamy, zesty Afghani gravy – that’s exactly what this dish tastes like – and it’s way higher in protein! One pan, creamy, and comforting.”
Check out the full recipe below!
Ingredients (serves 3)
For the green paneer paste
- High-protein paneer – 1 cup, cubed (135 g)
- Spinach, blanched – 2 packed cups raw (70 g)
- Fresh coriander – ½ cup, packed (15 g)
- Fresh mint leaves – ¼ cup (8 g)
- Green chillies – 1 to 2 (8 g), or to taste
- Water – 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 40 ml), as needed for blending
For the gravy
- Oil – 2 tsp (10 g)
- Bay leaf – 1
- Cinnamon – 1 small piece
- Cloves – 1
- Green cardamom – 1 to 2
- Onion, finely chopped – 1 small (60 g)
- Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp (12 g)
- Red chilli powder – 2 tsp, or to taste
- Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
- Coriander powder – ½ tsp
- Garam masala – ½ tsp
- Tomato puree – ¼ cup (60 g), plus a splash of water
- Salt – to taste
- Sugar – a pinch, optional
- Boiled eggs, peeled and sliced – 6
For the tadka
- Ghee – 1 tsp (5 g)
- Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Garlic, finely chopped – 2 tsp
- Fresh coriander – for garnish
Method
- Add the cubed paneer, blanched spinach, coriander, mint and green chillies to a blender. Add two to three tablespoons of water and blend until you have a smooth, creamy and vibrant green paste. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and green cardamom, and allow them to sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chopped onion and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for four to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden brown and the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears.
- Add the red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala. Stir well, then add the tomato puree along with a splash of water. Cook for four to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato is cooked through and the oil begins to separate from the masala.
- Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the green paneer puree. Cook gently for two to three minutes, stirring continuously. Avoid cooking it over high heat, as this can cause the mixture to split and make the vibrant green colour dull. Add salt and a small pinch of sugar, if using, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- Gently fold the sliced boiled eggs into the gravy. Simmer for another one to two minutes so the eggs absorb some of the flavours.
- Heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until lightly golden and fragrant. Lower the heat, add the Kashmiri chilli powder and stir briefly.
- Pour the hot garlic tadka over the egg and paneer curry. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot.
Approx nutrition (per serving of 215 g)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Protein: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fat: 17 g
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.