Chicken Palak Food

CHICKEN SAAG (CHICKEN AND SPINACH CURRY)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (if you plan to double the recipe, definitely use a pot instead of a skillet so you have room for all the spinach!). Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, and lowering heat to medium-low if it starts to brown too quickly.
• Over medium heat, add the salt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and chili powder, and stir on medium-low heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so. Dissolve the tomato paste in the water by stirring vigorously together in a measuring cup or bowl. Then stir into the spices in the pan, creating a thick spiced sauce, about 1 minute.
• Add the spinach and gently stir to combine, as the skillet will be very full. Cover and raise the heat to medium-high, allowing the spinach to start to wilt. Occasionally remove the lid, stir, and then cover again until most the spinach has begun to wilt, about 3 to 5 minutes (can depend on the size of your spinach leaves). Remove the lid and finish stirring the spinach until it is completely wilted but still bright green, another minute.
• Transfer spinach mixture to a blender and puree until relatively smooth but still a bit chunky (you don't want it to be super smooth, a bit of texture is good). Taste and adjust salt and spice if necessary.
• Meanwhile, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, return it to medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the cubed chicken pieces, sprinkle salt over the top to season, and cook until almost completely cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the spinach mixture back over the chicken, using a rubber spatula to get every last bit out of the blender, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to finish cooking. Stir in the yogurt, and serve immediately with basmati rice and/or naan.

CHICKEN PALAK

Steps:

• Boil the frozen spinach, according to package directions, until done. Place cooked spinach in a collindar and drain off excess water. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in Wok over medium heat.
• Add cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and stir fry for one miute.
• Add onions to spice mixture in wok and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add minced garlic, green chillies and coriander and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add spinach. Stir fry mixture for 4 minutes and remove from heat.
• Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and set aside.
• Using a hand held blender, process the mixture in the Wok until it becomes the consistency of a paste -or- process in a food processor until the consistency of a paste and return to wok. You can return the cinnamon stick and bay leaf back into the wok mixture at this time.
• Turn heat back on and add yogurt to spinach paste and blend well.
• If you like heat, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and mix well.
• Add the cooked chicken to the spinach/yogurt mixture until chicken is heated through.
• Before serving, remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf and discard.
• Serve with basmati rice and Lavash bread. Salt to taste.

EASY PALAK PANEER

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, red pepper flakes, curry powder, cumin, and salt; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Mix water, spinach, tomatoes, and ginger into the onion mixture; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer spinach mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir paneer until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir pureed spinach mixture into skillet with paneer. Cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.