Category Archives: Indian Cuisine
Palak Murgh- A Spinach and Chicken Recipe
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 green cardamom pods, skin off
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice of one lemon
- Salt
Marinate overnight or at least 2 hours.
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- Salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 cups frozen chopped spinach- thaw the spinach in the bag and process it in a processor until smooth.
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
In a large, wide frying pan heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and sauté 30 seconds or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves and black cardamom. Add the onion and sauté for 5-6 minutes on medium heat. Add the crushed tomatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, processed spinach and the chicken with the marinade. Cook on medium for 10-15 minutes or till all the moisture has evaporated. Taste for seasonings and add garam masala for garnish.
Brown Lentils with Tomatoes & Onions
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Add the lentils into a medium bowl. Add the chicken broth, onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, oil, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium low heat for 30 to 45 minutes – or till the lentils are soft and the consistency is between a soup and a stew. Add the garam masala. Check for seasonings and serve with rice.
Spiced Shredded Cabbage with Coconut
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoons fennel seeds
Roast the seeds in a small cast iron skillet on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the seeds are aromatic. Take off the heat and grind in a spice grinder. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 4 to 5 curry leaves
- ½ cup grated frozen coconut
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a heavy saucepan with olive oil. Add the shallots and ginger. Saute 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the curry leaves and coconut. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage and turn the heat up. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and cover with lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Add salt and check for seasonings. Add cilantro for garnish and serve warm.
Cauliflower and Potatoes with Ajwain
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 2 large Idaho potatoes, cut into long wedges and par boiled
- 1 large cookie sheet
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 3 teaspoons ajwain
- 3 teaspoons salt
Place the cauliflower and potatoes on to the cookie sheet. Drizzle the oil and sprinkle the ajwain and salt. Mix well with fingers. Brown under a high broiler for ten minutes, or till vegetables are golden brown. Take out and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 inch ginger, grated
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a wok like pan with the olive oil. Add the onions, ginger and garlic. Saute on a medium high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander and garam masala. Mix gingerly making sure not to break the vegetables. Check for seasonings and add salt. Garnish with cilantro.
Sauteed Shrimp with Indian Pickling Spices
1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon onion seeds (nigella seeds)
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 medium onion, sliced
1 serrano chili, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lime
Heat a wok like pan with the peanut oil. Add the cumin, fennel, mustard, onion and fenugreek seeds. Saute on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and serrano and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and cilantro. Add lime juice. Serve warm.
Indian Style Fried Rice
3 cups basmati rice, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 to 12 curry leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
5 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, baby kale), chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt
Juice of half a lemon
Heat a wok like pan and add the peanut oil. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Saute on medium heat for 30 seconds and add the onion. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked rice and sauté on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes and add the soy sauce and the greens. Saute till the greens are wilted. Add salt and lemon juice to fix the seasonings. Serve warm.
Ground Meat Cooked in a Yogurt and Spinach Sauce- Dahi Keema
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 inch piece of garlic, roughly chopped
Process the onion, garlic and ginger and keep aside.
- 1 pound ground dark meat turkey- any ground meat will do
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 large black cardamom
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 2 teaspoons black cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
- 1 cup whole fat yogurt, or ¾ cup low fat yogurt mixed with ¼ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala for garnish
- ½ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
In a wide saucepan, heat the olive oil on a medium high heat. Add the cinnamon stick, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Saute for 30 seconds or till the spices begin to sizzle. Add the processed onion mixture and sauté on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Next, add the turkey meat and press and separate with a spatula making sure the meat is mixed well with the onion mixture. Cook on a medium high heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the spinach and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Slowly add the yogurt into the hot mixture (a quick addition will result in curdling of the yogurt). Add the turmeric, coriander powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes. Take the lid off and increase the heat to cook the moisture off. Taste for seasonings. Garnish with garam masala and cilantro.