Palak Paneer, Pulao, and Roti

Indian food. I love Indian food so much. In fact, being a vegetarian would be a lot easier if I were to just eat Indian food every day. However, sometimes I get in the mood for other types of foods, so...yeah. I'll eat more Indian food and just reduce my meat consumption instead ;). I think that's a fair compromise for now...

Tandoori Murgh Makhani

The green garnish on top of the dishes isn't green hair; they're dried kasoori methi or fenugreek leaves (see next photo).

Raghavan Iyer, the author of 660 Curries, translates this dish from "Murgh Makhani" to "Grilled Cornish Game Hens with a Tomato-Fenugreek Sauce", but I think it is also Butter Chicken, which is Murgh ('chicken') Makhani ('with butter'). He suggests using Cornish hens instead of chicken because they more closely resemble the size and flavor of the chicken in India. I, unfortunately, went to the only grocery store without Cornish hens, so I bought a package of thigh and drumstick pieces. You could also use packages of leg pieces (thigh and drumstick together). He suggests cutting up the chicken AFTER grilling it to hold in the juices and flavors.

First photo: Dried kasoori methi or fenugreek leaves: a vital ingredient for this dish. It has a strong fragrance you can smell before even opening the box! Second photo: dried leaves soaking in water for 15 minutes.

This chicken dish was worth all of the work. It really was. I ate a few forkfuls and am letting it cool as I type this post. I have learned that this dish is also worth burning your tongue various times haha.

I apologize for the dark photos. I started working on this dish late and the sun was close to setting.

I opted to grill the chicken instead of baking it just to practice my grilling skills, which are um below average. For some reason, I cannot get my charcoal hot enough. So, what did I do? I turned to Youtube for help on how to properly fire up a charcoal grill, and it worked (almost) perfectly. I managed to get the charcoal hot enough to cook three out of five of the chicken pieces. Two of them were 95% cooked (I don't know how I figure out these percentages. Just bear with me.).

TASTE: The marinade on the chicken was very fragrant because of the balti masala and other ingredients. It smelled divine and very new to me. I ate a piece of the chicken before adding the sauce, and it was incredible. It was so great, that I was hesitant to add the sauce to all of the chicken just in case I didn't like the sauce. Fortunately, both the sauce and chicken complement each other perfectly. The sauce smells of tomato, butter, and spices. I can't describe the taste very well. It is a comforting dish, and as I stated already, it was totally worth all of the work. I think I'm going to have to make more sauce because it yielded enough only to coat the chicken.

Lastly, I was so focused on making this dish that I forgot about the side dishes like rice, vegetables, and naan. I wanted to make naan but ran out of time. I quickly put together some turmeric rice (forgot to add peas) before the sun completely went down for photos. If I make naan or some other type of Indian bread tomorrow, I will post it then (I've blogged about naan before, but I want to try another recipe for fluffier bread) to go along with yummy leftovers of this chicken dish.

Now that I have prepared balti masala and ginger-garlic paste, I can throw this together much more quickly in the near future. I really hope you make this dish. Just break down the process. Make the paste, balti masala, and marinade the chicken on one day, and grill or bake the chicken the next day. Don't forget to make rice and naan!

Tandoori Murgh Makhani

adapted from 660 Curries

PRINTABLE VERSION

2 Cornish game hens (about 1 1/2 lbs. each), skin removed, cut in half lengthwise (I used chicken thighs and legs)
1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt for its thicker nature)
1 1/2 Tbsp ginger/garlic paste
2 tsp Balti masala
2 tsp ground Kashmiri chiles; or 1/2/ tsp cayenne (ground red pepper) mixed with 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/4 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt
Vegetable cooking spray (I never used this)
2 Tbsp Ghee or butter (I bought ghee from the Indian store b/c it was there, but it's not hard to make)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen kasoori methi or fenugreek leaves (thawed, if frozen); or 2 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, soaked in a bowl of water for 15 mins and skimmed off before use
1/2 tsp cayenne (ground red pepper)
1/2 cup half-and-half

Using a sharp knife, make four slits in each hen or chicken pieces: two into the breast meat, one in the outer thigh meat, and one in the inner thigh meat. Place the hens or chickens in a biaking dish, meat side up.

Left to right: fatty chicken (1); marinade (2); marinade brushed on chicken (3); covered for overnight refrigeration (4)

Combine the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, balti masala, Kashmiri chiles, and salt in a small bowl, and whisk to blend. Smear the hen or chicken halves with this orange-red marinade, making sure to stuff some of it into the slits. Refrigerate, covered for at least 1 hour or as long as overnigh, to allow the flavors to permeate the meat.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high, or preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

GRILL: spray the grill grate with cooking spray (I forgot to do this, and it worked out fine). Place the hens or chicken pieces, meat side down, on the grate. (Optional: Reserve any marinade for basting the meat.) Cover, and grill the meat, basting them occasionally with the remaining marinade and turning them over halfway through, until the meat in the thickest parts is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear, 30 to 40 minutes (or 60 minutes for the bigger pieces of meat, if you heat up your grill incorrectly like me hehe). Transfer the meat to a serving platter, and cover them with foil to keep them warm while you quickly make the sauce. (I SUGGEST MAKING THE SAUCE TOWARD THE END OF THE GRILLING TIME INSTEAD OF AFTER)

OVEN: Place a rack in a roasting pan, and spray it with cooking spray. Place the hens or chicken pieces, meat side down, on the rack. (Reserve any marinade for basting the meat) Roast, basting them occasionally with the remaining marinade and turning them over halfway through, until the meat in the thickest parts is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Transfer the meat to a serving platter, and cover them with foil to keep them warm while you quickly make the sauce.

Left to right: chicken on the grill (1); sauce before simmer (2); sauce after simmer (3); sauce + half-n-half (4)

SAUCE: To make the sauce, heat the ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, fenugreek, and cayenne. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld, 5 to 10 minutes. Then stir in the half-and-half, and continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to let it warm, 2 to 4 minutes.

To serve the curry, cut the meat into smaller pieces, and toss them with the sauce. (Cut the meat better than I did hah!).

Turmeric Rice

adapted from the back of the Basmati Rice bag and Pastor Ryan

double this recipe if feeding more than two mouths

1 3/4 cups water
1 cup Basmati rice
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp turmeric
1-2 cups frozen peas (forgot to use)

OPTIONAL ADD-INS OR TOPPINGS:
Frozen peas
Dried kasoori methi/fenugreek leaves (I used this)
Cilantro
Chile peppers

Boil water with salt. Add rice, butter, and turmeric, and cover. Turn heat to med-low, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the frozen peas into the cooked rice; give them a stir. Allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas.

Enjoy!!

Ginger-Garlic Paste and Balti Masala

Click here to see what I made with these ingredients!

A couple of months ago, my mother and I went to Half-Price Bookstore. If you're not familiar with this store, it is a fantastic bookstore that sells various books for half of the original price of less. While at this bookstore, I found a few Indian cookbooks, but settled for a HUGE book called 660 Curries. I chose this book because the photos of the dishes looked much better than those found in the other cookbooks. Also, I chose it because it was huge with all of my favorite Indian dishes and many others I've yet to try along with the history of all the dishes.

For weeks I have been putting off making Tandoori Murgh Makhani, which is similar to Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken. Not surprisingly, I didn't have most of the ingredients in this recipe, so I had to make a special trip to my favorite Indian grocery store, MGM Indian Foods (if you're in the Central Texas area, I highly recommend this store. The owner is very friendly and will help you find anything you need). I found 100% of the ingredients I needed, but I forgot to pick up cinnamon sticks and coriander seeds, so I had to use the powdered versions of those two instead and accidentally placed them in the skillet with the seeds.

Tomorrow, I will be grilling the chicken, but today I made the balti masala, a vital spice mix for this recipe, and ginger-garlic paste the day before yesterday. I was happy to finally get to use my mortar and pestle. However, if you don't have one, or you want to make things a little easier, you can use a spice or coffee grinder. Come back tomorrow for the rest of this Indian dish!!

Happy Spring Break to all my colleagues and friends!!

Ginger-Garlic Paste

halved and adapted from 660 Curries

15 cloves of garlic
8 ounces of coarsely chopped fresh garlic (no need to peel)

Pour 1/4-1/2 cup of water in a blender (I accidentally put in one cup). Peel the garlic cloves, and throw them into the blender. Chop the ginger root roughly, and throw them in the blender. Purée the cloves, ginger, and water until fairly smooth. If too watery, strain the mixture (I had to do that because I put in too much water.) Store mixture in a closed container for one week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.

Don't make my mistake of putting powders in the skillet with the seeds!!

Balti Masala

adapted from 660 Curries

2 tsps fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds from black pods
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches long each), broken into smaller pieces
2 tsp cayenne (ground red pepper) powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg powder

Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add all the whole spices (reserve the powders for later), and toast, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until the fennel, coriander, and cumin turn reddish-brown, and the mustard, cloves, and cardamom turn ash-black, and the cinnamon and bay leaves appear brittle and crinkly, and the mixture is highly fragant (1-2 minutes).

Immediately transfer the nutty-smelling spices to a plate cool because the longer they sit in the hot skillet, the more likely they will burn. Once they are cool to the touch, place them in a mortar, spice, or coffee grinder, and grind until the texture resembles that of finely ground black pepper. Stir in the powders.

Store the mix in a tightly-sealed container, away from excess light, heat, and humidity, for up to 2 months. Do not refrigerate.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Turmeric Rice

Whew. The semester has finally ended. My students took their final exam on Friday, the 11th at 7pm! I submitted their grades this past Tuesday. Then, I had to go to some end-of-the-semester parties and bake stuff for those events (I will be blogging about the enchiladas I made soon). Then, yesterday, I left Texas to drive to Arkansas to spend Christmas with my mother. My original plan was to spend the night at my aunt's house in Dallas, which is en route to Arkansas. However, since I left the house pretty late in the evening (around 6pm), I decided to drive all the way to Arkansas, only stopping to get gas and to use the potty :). I arrived at my mom's house at 3:40am! Good (and bad) thing, I have insomnia.

Anyway, before I left, my colleague/friend and I decided to have an Indian feast and watch one of my favorite Bollywood movies, Devdas. You MUST watch this movie. It was the first Indian movie to win a Cannes award. The cinematography is beyond beautiful; the songs are so lovely; and the movie is filled with grief, laughter, and intense emotions.

So, for the Indian feast, I made Chicken Tikka Masala (CTM),
turmeric rice with peas,
naan,
and chocolate brownies with homemade whipped cream. Today, I will be posting the savory dishes. Later, I will post the delicious brownies.

I have made this version of CTM many of times. I got the recipe from Pioneer Woman and Pastor Ryan. I first fell in love with Indian food a few years ago after being heavily coaxed by my two more "adventurous-with-foods" friends. I am very picky about trying new foods, especially when the food looks unfamiliar to me or is composed of colors I'm not accustomed to seeing on my plate (e.g., the loud red color on tandoori chicken). After trying tandoori chicken, though, I opened myself to trying CTM and fell in love with this dish instantly.

Now that I have found this recipe, I no longer have to go back to that restaurant because my own dishes come out tasting the same or even better than the CTM there.

I also enjoy making my own naan. The process of making this popular Indian bread is almost like that of making tortillas; you just need to add in yeast and allow the dough to rise twice. I brush garlic butter on the top and bottom of the naan while it's in the skillet and place it in the same container I use for my tortillas.

I will post the recipes for CTM, the rice and the naan here so that you can make it all together. I'm not certain as to how authentic this British/Indian dish is, but considering how similar it tastes to the restaurant version, I would assume it's pretty close. I hope you try these dishes out soon. By the way, I'm submitting this naan to YeastSpotting!!

Chicken Tikka Masala and Turmeric Rice

adapted by Pastor Ryan and posted on Pioneer Woman

3-4 Chicken Breasts
Kosher Salt
Ground coriander
Cumin, to taste
½ cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp butter
1 whole Large Onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger
3 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 can of 28-Ounce Diced or Crushed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Sugar
~1 Tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your tastes)
1½ cup Heavy Cream

Rice

2 cups Basmati rice
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp turmeric
4 cups water
1-2 cups frozen peas

OPTIONAL:
Fresh Cilantro
Chile Peppers
Turmeric

Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt, coriander, and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet, and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5-7 minutes per side until they are slightly charred around the edges. Remove from oven.

Next, dice one large onion. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt (I highly suggest using less salt. I usually use 1/2 Tbsp or 1 1/2 teaspoons).

Next, you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice and an optional chile pepper. Next, add the can of diced or crushed tomatoes. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Allow this mixture to simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.

To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 4 cups water (If you don't have a rice cooker, follow the instructions on the back of the bag of Basmati rice, like I did.).

After the CTM sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Chop up your chicken breasts into chunks, and stir them into the sauce. Add chopped fresh cilantro, if you like cilantro. Also, add the frozen peas into the cooked rice, give them a stir, and allow the heat of the rice to cook the peas.

Naan
adapted by allrecipes

1 (.25 ounce or about 2 1/4 tsp) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar (reserve 1 Tbsp of sugar to proof the yeast)

3 Tbsp milk

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt (I used Kosher)

4 1/2 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

1/4 cup butter, melted

	In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in the rest of the sugar, warm milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
	Punch down dough, and knead in garlic (I add the garlic during the grilling section along with the butter instead). Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place them on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
	During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
	Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. (Cover the naan with a top until the bread starts to form little bubbles everywhere) Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.