Indian Spiced Chicken Spinach 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.

SAAG PANEER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking care not to break the cubes if you're using the homemade kind. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.
• Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.
• Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Now here's the important part: saute the mixture until it's evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. Don't skip this step - this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
• Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven't already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.
• Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.
• Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth, and set it in your sink.
• In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom (a nonstick pot works really well for this purpose). This will take a little while so be patient!
• Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (the greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!
• Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor. At this point, you could squeeze out some of the liquid, and serve with some honey and some nuts, almost like a fresh ricotta!
• Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow the cheese to drain for about 5 minutes.
• Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (this will ensure your block of cheese is nice and smooth!) and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.
• Combine the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom seeds, black cardamom seeds, if using into a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store the spice mix in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts roughly into 2 by 2-inch pieces. Mix together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cardamom, curry powder, chili flakes, coriander, paprika, honey, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Add chicken pieces to yogurt mixture, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed and then add the half-and-half. Slide in the chicken and marinade, stir well, and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat so that the liquid remains at a low simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in the middle but still tender and moist. Serve immediately over basmati rice.

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes longer. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, and then stir in the jalapenos and tomatoes. Add the cream, cinnamon stick, and water. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid and add the spinach to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Cut each breast into 3 strips. Stir in the chicken and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and simmer the stew until just done, about 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
• Serve over rice.

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In small bowl, stir together oil and garlic. Stir in water, paprika, ginger, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
• Spoon 1 tbsp (15 mL) into another small bowl; stir in lemon juice and set aside. Arrange chicken in single layer in shallow glass dish; brush with remaining spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate chicken for 1 hour.
• (Chicken can be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.) Place chicken, flesh side down, on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn and brush flesh with reserved lemon mixture. Close lid and cook, turning often, for about 12 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink inside and juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, and then stir in the jalapenos and tomatoes. Add the cream, cinnamon stick, and water. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid and add the spinach to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and simmer the stew until just done, about 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In large frying pan, heat oil over medium-low heat.
• Add onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes Add garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in cumin, coriander,,turmeric, paprika and 1 tsp of the salt.
• Cook until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in jalapenos and tomatoes.
• Add cream, cinnamon stick and water and stir well.
• Add spinach.
• Bring to a simmer.
• Cover pan, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
• Cover and simmer until just done, about 10 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon stick before serving.
• Serve over basmati or regular white rice.

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN WITH BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds.
• Add all the bell peppers and onion and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add chicken and all the spices to skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Sprinkle with green onions. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately.

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN & SPINACH

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes longer.
• Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, and then stir in the tomatoes.
• Add the cream, cinnamon stick, and water.
• Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid and add the spinach to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and simmer the stew until just done, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.