Dahi Chicken (Seared Chicken in Yogurt Gravy)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

If you are looking for a low calorie Indian non vegetarian dish, then this is perfect for you. Dahi Chicken also known as Dahi Murgh is a mouthwatering chicken gravy cooked in yogurt and a handful of spices. Yes, you will need some spices for this dish but let me assure you that these spices can be used in a variety of dishes so if you love Indian food it is high time you buy some spices and prepare a dish yourself. 

Now I am sure you have also faced this situation where you buy yogurt, use it for something and then forget about it. It will sit on the bottom shelf of your fridge and everyday you will look at it and think this is going to expire soon, got to do something with it. Same with the fresh herbs! It is very difficult to use them up quickly and they start going bad within a few days. Well, this recipe is the answer to both these problems. Dahi Chicken is a quick and appetizing dish and a fantastic way to use up all the yogurt and cilantro. 

Dahi Chicken is one of the most flavorful chicken dishes I know and all this flavor comes at a very less effort. You can either keep the gravy or reduce it completely and serve it as an appetizer. We will be using little butter to sear the chicken but that’s it! nothing else is high on calories which makes this dish ideal for all diet plans. The spices bring a beautiful aroma in the chicken and the cilantro completes it. Now there are three types of peppers added in the dish but the sweetness of the yogurt subdues a lot of the heat. If your kid loves chicken, make sure to adjust the amount of heat or skip it altogether so that they can enjoy as well.

Serve this appetizing dish with Naan or Tandoori Roti and red onion slices although it tastes great with plain roti as well.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• Garlic – 3-4 cloves, grated or minced
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled, grated or minced
• Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon 
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Black Pepper Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Green Chili – 2, slit in half
• Chicken - 1 pound (skinless, any type of pieces you like, cut into bite size cubes or big pieces according to your preference)
• Butter – 2-3 tablespoons 
• Bay Leaf – 2
• Cinnamon – 1 stick, broken in half
• Cloves - 3
• Green Cardamoms - 3 
• Plain Yogurt – 1 cup, whisked
• Cilantro – a handful, washed and chopped

Marinate the Chicken:

• Start by marinating the Chicken with the Garlic, Ginger, Garam Masala, Salt, 
• Black Pepper Powder, Red Chili Powder and Green Chili.
• Keep it aside for an hour.

(Photo shows from left: Rice, Dahi Chicken, Pulao, Dal fry and Alu Dam. I prepared them for a game viewing party at our home)

Directions:

• Heat a pan on medium high heat.
• After a few seconds add the Butter in it.
• As soon as the Butter melts, add the whole spices (Bay Leaf, Cinnamon, Cloves and Cardamoms). 
• Wait for a few seconds then add the Chicken pieces.
• Fry the Chicken pieces till they are reddish brown in color. This technique is called Searing. This is a widely used method used in grilling, baking, braising, roasting, and sautéing.  In searing, a surface of the food (usually meat, poultry or fish) is cooked at a high temperature until a caramelized crust forms.
• Now we have developed a nice color and texture on the chicken, the only thing left is to cook it through. Add the Yogurt in the pan.
• Reduce the heat to low and stir to mix. 
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the Chicken is well cooked. The cooking time depends on the size of chicken pieces so make sure to let it cook for another 10 minutes or so if you have big pieces.
• If the sauce looks too runny, increase the heat and let it reduce till you get your desired consistency. 
• Add the Cilantro and mix well.
• Serve with Naan or Tandoori Roti and salad.

Recommend Reading:

• Tandoori Roti
• Easy Homemade Naan
• Indian Salad
• Top 10 Spices to keep in your kitchen
• Garam Masala
• Debarshi’s Garlic Chicken
• Handling Raw Meat with Safety
• Chicken Kosha (Bengali Style Hot Chicken Gravy)
• Pan Fried Chicken with a Cheesy Mushroom Loaded Gravy
• Spice Up Your Weeknight with Red Hot Baked Chicken

Easy Homemade Naan

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

In India, we eat Naan so often that we don’t realize what a bliss it is. Naan is not just another flat bread; it is the fancy bread which can be paired with anything. You can scoop up your favorite curries with it or make a flatbread sandwich or personal pizza. You can even freeze them in zip lock bags so if you have some leftovers there is no need to fret about it. Before serving, just warm it up in the oven for a few minutes and pair it with your favorite dishes. That is the beauty of homemade Naans, prepare them whenever you want and enjoy them whenever you like. Now there is no need to buy frozen Naans from the store. Follow my easy directions and make your own homemade soft Naans, serve them at your special soirees and you will be sure to get compliments.

I have seen several recipes online with yeast but believe me the North Indian Naans taste very different. We realized that yeast will not work for a naan recipe the very first time we tried it at home. The flavor and texture was all wrong. So the next time I looked again and found a recipe with baking powder. This is the simplest and most delicious recipe and you need only six ingredients for it, all of which are almost always available in our pantry.

Baking powder is also a lot easier to work with. If you have baked breads before you know that working with yeast can be quite tricky. There is always a chance that the dough will not rise enough. Also, you have to be careful with the kneading and baking time. Baking Powder on the other hand is a relaxed approach. You can knead the dough before hand and keep it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature, roll it and grill it. It’s that easy! Over time I have made changes in the original recipe and now I can say with confidence that my homemade Naans taste even better than the store bought ones. We have these Naans every time we are off diet and also whenever we are having guests over. Everyone loves fresh hot Naans straight from the grill with a delicious curry.

If you have already tried my Tandoori Roti recipe, then you have some idea how to work the dough, roll and grill it. If you haven’t tried that recipe, you are in for a treat! These Naans are super soft to chew and the addition of Fennel Seeds bring a fresh aroma in them. While Tandoori Rotis are prepared with a mixture of Whole Wheat Flour and All Purpose Flour, Naans are prepared entirely with All Purpose Flour and the yogurt not only helps in the fermentation process but also brings that beautiful texture and flavor in them.

You can roll the Naans in any shape you want but it is best known for its classic teardrop shape. Just make sure not to roll the dough too thin. Use your hands if necessary to flatten the dough. 

Enjoy these delicious Naans with friends and family. Serve them on a special date night or even at a barbeque party with some yummy Kababs. The possibilities are endless!

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour - 3 cups  
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon 
• Salt - ¼ teaspoon 
• Yogurt - 1 ½ cups, plain (no Greek) 
• Fennel Seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Canola Oil – 2-3 tablespoons

Directions to knead the dough:

• Sift and mix the dry ingredients (All Purpose Flour, Fennel Seeds, Baking Powder and Salt) together in a bowl. 

• Stir in the Yogurt till the dough is too stiff for a spoon, then knead it in the bowl till it holds together well. If using stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead at the lowest speed so that the flour develops enough gluten.

• If the flour is sticking on the sides of the bowl, switch off the mixer and clean with a spatula.
• Keep it running until the dough begins to come together.
• If the dough turns out a bit stickier, add a little flour and keep kneading until it’s smooth and almost non sticky.
• Turn it out on a floured surface and continue kneading for about 5 minutes till the dough feels smooth and elastic. Pull a part of the dough and fold it inside, press and push the dough a little with your palm, flattening it, then repeat the steps.
• Form the dough into a ball and put it in an oiled bowl or box, roll the dough to cover it with oil evenly, cover with a towel, to rest for an hour or longer. 

Tip: You can also keep it overnight in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before rolling.

Directions to roll the dough:

• Take the dough out and divide it into 10 equal pieces. You can use the bench scrapper for this step.

• These 10 pieces will make 10 Naans. Take a piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Press the ball between your palms lightly to flatten it a little like a disc. Put all the other balls of dough back in the bowl and cover it. This will prevent the dough from drying out.
• Now let’s roll the Naan, normally that oil (in which the dough rested) will be enough to roll the Naan properly, however, if you feel it difficult to manage just spread a little flour on the board (or on your counter top) and roll it into a teardrop, oval or round shape with even thickness on all sides. It should be of medium size (or of the size of your palm). A little unevenness in shape is ok. You can use a rolling pin or just press lightly with your palm to flatten the dough.

Tip: See the even thickness of the Naan. The center and sides are equally thick.

• Now transfer the rolled Naan on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and cover it with a fresh kitchen towel. Roll the other Naans. You can use parchment paper to stack rolled Naans in a single layer on top of each other. We are now ready to grill them.

Directions to Grill the Naans:

• Make sure to use a clean grill and keep an oven safe dish nearby to transfer the cooked Naans.
• Preheat the Grill on high heat. 
• Arrange the Naans on the Grill. Leave some space between them and do not over lap. 
• Cook for 5 minutes, once you see light golden spots or reddish-brown spots appearing on them, it’s time to flip them. Spray them with Butter and flip sides.
• You may want to cover and cook the Naans for some time. The batch should be ready in 8-10 minutes, depending on the Grill. Spray them with Butter and continue to cook till they have brownish red chars on them. Keep an eye on the Grill so as not to burn them.
• Transfer the cooked Naans to a casserole dish lined with foil so that they stay warm for a long time.
• Serve the Naans hot with Butter Chicken, Achari Mutton or Mughlai Kabab. You can also brush them with butter or ghee before serving.

Photo shows: Naans prepared with yeast. Notice the difference in texture, it looks more like a baked bread.

Directions to bake the Naan:

When guests are coming and the weather doesn’t call for grilling, make the Naans in your oven. It is pretty easy and quick to roll and bake them right before serving. However, if you don’t want to go for this hassle in front of your guests, you can do a little prep. I usually bake one side beforehand and bake the other side right before serving them. 

• Heat the oven on High or 500 degrees F (Broiler mode).
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the Naans on it in a single layer.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes or until one side is completely done and looks charred on places. 
• Transfer them on a cooling rack for a few minutes to cool them completely then transfer to a bowl lined with foil and cover them. 
• When ready to serve, arrange the Naans (cooked side down) on the baking tray lined with a fresh parchment paper and grill the other side on High (or 500 F) for 3-4 minutes or until the Naans look cooked. Serve hot.

Tips:

• When hosting a large party, you can grill one side of the Naans the previous day, cool them on a cooling rack and store them in the fridge in zip lock bags. 
• Before grilling the other side, bring them to room temperature by keeping the zip locks outside for an hour. 
• Change the parchment paper after every round of grilling to prevent it from burning inside the oven.

This article has been published in the Kansas City Bengali Association Durga Puja 2018 Magazine.

Recommended Reading:

• One Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Chicken Masala
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Achari Mutton
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Mutton Gravy
• How to re-use the leftover dough
• Tandoori Roti
• Dahi Chicken (Seared Chicken in Yogurt Gravy)
• Alu Kulcha (Indian Flat Bread with Potato Filling)
• Matar Mushroom (Peas and Mushroom in a creamy gravy)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Grilled Tandoori Shrimp
• Murgh Malai Tikka (Grilled Creamy Tender Chicken)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)
• Easy Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
• Shadi wala Masala Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower with Potatoes as served in North Indian Weddings)
• Chicken Kosha (Bengali Style Hot Chicken Gravy)
• Hariyali Ghosht - Herbed Goat Curry
• Dal Makhani (Creamy Urad Dal/ Black Lentils with Rajma/ Kidney Beans)

Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)

Do you have a recipe which you love to eat in restaurants but when you try to recreate that at home, something doesn’t add up? Something seems to be missing from that recipe and you end up trying it again and again but to no gain (hey! That rhymes!) anyway, this recipe used to be one of those and believe me I have tried this recipe with different spices, meat cuts and cooking methods only to discover that to bring that amazing rustic touch in it all I had to do was to take a carefree approach.

As you know I have lived seven years in Delhi and I love the Punjabi food. Butter Chicken, Chole Bhature and heavy lassis are my favorite along with this special dish which is called Saag Chicken or Palak wala Chicken. Prepared in a thick creamy heavy gravy of butter, cream, spinach and spices this gravy goes great with Tandoori Rotis. After getting married and moving to the U.S. I soon discovered that the best way to enjoy all your delicious foods was to cook them yourself (it’s not only economical but also convenient) and so I started on this journey of hits and misses where I have recreated some dishes even better than the original recipe (like Butter Chicken) and missed on some dishes like this one (not anymore!) and believe me every time I would prepare this dish Debarshi used to say, ‘I don’t know, I just don’t like it’, thus starting my research all over again. Well he has always been very good not to waste any homemade food but I never got the satisfaction that I was serving him the dish which I used to enjoy so much and then I understood where I was going wrong.

A few weeks back we went to visit St. Louis with some friends and we went to a local rustic looking Indian restaurant. They had homemade Rotis and Dal along with a few vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes and we decided to order Saag Chicken. Well, I was interested to see what exactly I was doing wrong. As soon as Debarshi had his first bite he nodded and said, ‘This is the perfect example of how Saag Chicken should taste like.’ and I immediately knew what I was doing wrong. You see, most of the recipes would recommend you to puree the ingredients and that’s what creates a major difference in taste. It just changes the whole flavor profile of the dish. The rustic version of Saag Chicken has fried chicken pieces coated in a thick gravy of spinach and vegetables. When you puree the vegetables, it kind of becomes a soup with the chicken pieces dipped in it. I guess both Debarshi and I like the rustic version more as served by the street vendors of Delhi. I believe they prepare good food in a simple way and serve it with loads of cream and butter which enhances the flavors even more. So, I decided to prepare the dish in the way they do, with simplicity and efficiency.

Simplicity for me means no blanching the spinach or pureeing of vegetables. I just fry everything on high heat and then chop them down. Then I boil the gravy with the fried Chicken pieces, cream and spices and my Saag Chicken is ready with that same yummy rustic authentic taste that I like. Remember simple recipe means less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones which is after all we all want. So this weekend, try this dish and post in the comments your experience.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

• Chicken – 1½ pounds, skinless, add whatever pieces you like (Breast or Leg), boneless or with ribs, cut into medium sized pieces
• Spinach - 1 large bunch, thoroughly washed, ends cut (do not throw the stem part) 
• Butter – 3 tablespoons (for frying the Chicken) + 2 tablespoons (for making the gravy) + 1 tablespoon (for final touch)
• Salt - ½ teaspoon (or to taste) + ¼ teaspoon for seasoning the Chicken
• Turmeric Powder -  ½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon for seasoning the Chicken
• Red Chili Powder -  ½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon for seasoning the Chicken
• Coriander Powder -  ½ teaspoon 
• Onion – 1 medium
• Garlic – 3-4 big cloves, peeled 
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Cloves – 3-4 
• Green Cardamoms – 4 
• Bay leaf - 1
• Black Cardamom – 1-2 pods
• Cinnamon – ½ of a thin stick
• Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
• Whole Peppercorns - 5
• Garam Masala Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Yogurt - 2-3 tablespoons or Cream Cheese – 2 ounces (at room temperature)
• Milk – ¼ cup (if required, for gravy)
• Heavy Cream -  ½ cup 

Let’s do some preparations:

• Season the Chicken with ¼ teaspoon each of Salt, Turmeric and Red Chili Powder.
• Heat a wok over high heat.
• Add the Butter in it (3 tablespoons).
• When it starts melting, add the Chicken pieces in a single layer.
• Fry till they are golden red in color (get a nice sear) then transfer to a bowl.
• Now let’s cut the vegetables (Onion, Spinach, Garlic, Ginger and Tomato). Cut them up in big pieces.

Directions to make the gravy:

• Heat the wok again over high heat (you may want to wash it with water first).
• Add 2 tablespoons of Butter in it.
• As soon as the butter starts melting add the Onion.
• Stir for a few seconds then add the Garlic, followed by the Ginger. Mix well.
• When the Onion starts turning golden, add the Tomato. Mix well.
• The Tomato will soon start melting down, add the Spinach. You will see that the Spinach will immediately start wilting.
• Turn off the heat and allow it 10-15 minutes to cool down.
• Take the chopper and transfer all the vegetables in it. Run a few whirls so that everything gets chopped down. 
• Transfer the mixture back to the wok and heat it over medium heat.
• Add all the whole spices (Green Cardamom, Black Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cumin seeds, Whole Peppercorns and Bay leaf) in it. Stir to mix. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to low and add the remaining spices in it (Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder, Salt and Turmeric Powder). Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the Yogurt (or Cream Cheese), Heavy Cream and Garam Masala in it along with the fried Chicken pieces and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
• Check the consistency, I usually add a little Milk at this stage (for the gravy). 
• Saag Chicken is ready, now it’s time to add the final touch: the last one tablespoon of butter! 
• Serve the gravy hot with Naan, Tandoori Roti/ Plain Roti, Rice or Pulao and enjoy!

Tip: If you are adding Cream Cheese make sure to break it into little pieces so that it mixes uniformly. You can also add it in the chopper along with the vegetables so that it mixes evenly with them.

Recommended Reading:

• Paneer Alu Pulao (Rice with Fresh Cheese and Potato)
• Tandoori Roti
• Garam Masala
• Food Chopper and its Importance in Our Kitchen
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• Palak Paneer (Fresh Cheese in Spinach gravy)
• Cream of Asparagus Soup
• Easy Homemade Naan
• Make Homemade Butter from Spoiled Cream
• Alu Kulcha (Indian Flat Bread with Potato Filling)
• Debarshi’s Garlic Chicken
• Alu Palak Sabji (North Indian Dish: Stir-fried Potatoes with Spinach)
• Chicken Kosha (Bengali Style Hot Chicken Gravy)
• Pan Fried Chicken with a Cheesy Mushroom Loaded Gravy
• Spice Up Your Weeknight with Red Hot Baked Chicken

Recommended Keto (Low Carb High Fat) Recipes:

• Tandoori Chicken
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Avocado Smoothie
• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Avocado Strawberry Smoothie
• Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert
• Keto Pizza with Pepperoni, Parmesan and Basil
• Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Keto Garlic Naan
• Low Carb Ajwain Paratha with Coconut Flour

Chicken Masala

If you want a quick and delicious Chicken recipe, then this is perfect for you. All you need is a good blender and homemade Garam Masala. I have prepared this quite a few times and it tastes really good. Cook this in a wok to get the best texture and flavor and serve it with rice or roti.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Garlic – 3 cloves, peeled
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled 
• Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Green Chilies - 2
• Garam Masala – ½ teaspoon 
• Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Chicken - 1 pound (skinless, boneless breasts or any type of pieces you like), washed and drained properly
• Oil – 2 tablespoons 
• Yellow Onion – ½ of a big onion
• Cardamom Pods – 3-4
• Tomato – 2, medium 
• Whole Black Pepper – 4-5
• Cloves – 3-4 
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch
• Bay Leaf - 1

Let’s do some preparations first:

• Make a paste of Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilies and Yellow Onion. You can use your Nutri Bullet (extractor blade).
• Marinate the Chicken pieces with the above paste, Turmeric Powder and Salt. Use a plastic or glass bowl for marination. Keep it aside for at least 30 minutes.
• Make a puree of Tomato. Keep it aside.

Directions:

• Heat a wok over high heat. 
• Add Oil in it, wait a few seconds then temper it with the whole spices (Cardamom Pods, Whole Black Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon Stick and Bay Leaf).
• After a few seconds add the Chicken with all the marinade in it (be careful).
• Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. You will see that the marinade will start cooking and it will no longer smell raw. 
• Reduce the heat to medium high then add the Tomato puree, Garam Masala and 
• Coriander powder. Stir to mix.
• When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. You will see the Oil separating.
• Stir. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. 
• Serve with rice or roti and a side salad.

Recommended reading:

• Garam Masala
• Top 10 Spices to keep in your kitchen
• Tandoori Chicken
• Tandoori Roti
• Indian Salad
• One Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Chilly Chicken
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Easy Homemade Naan
• Debarshi's Lachha Paratha (Multi-Layered, Crispy, Flaky Homemade Bread)
• Debarshi’s Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Kosha (Bengali Style Hot Chicken Gravy)
• Pan Fried Chicken with a Cheesy Mushroom Loaded Gravy
• Spice Up Your Weeknight with Red Hot Baked Chicken

Palak Paneer (Fresh Cheese in Spinach gravy)

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Green may be an unappetizing color for the kids but for the adults who don’t judge a food by its appearance, this dish could be a wonderful new addition to their dinner menu. I have prepared this dish quite a few times and every time it tastes even better. Now there is another version of this same recipe which asks you to blanch the spinach, make a puree of all the vegetables and add the Paneer pieces in the gravy and personally I don’t like that recipe. You see, in North India, Palak Paneer is not only served in restaurants but also in the street side Dhabas (by the local vendors) and for some reason the street side food tastes even better than the restaurant bought ones. Do you know why? It is because of the preparation style. While the restaurants follow the sophisticated and time consuming, complex procedure mentioned above (blanch, puree, mix, serve) the Dhabas follow a much simple, quick and rustic method – cut everything in big cubes, fry, chop, make the gravy, fry the Paneer, mix and serve. When you fry the Paneer and chop the veggies, it creates an authentic gourmet flavor in the dish which is exactly what I go for – quick, easy, delicious recipes so that everyone can give it a try. Believe me the true taste of North Indian dishes is in its rustic flavor and this dish is jam-packed with it. 

For this recipe, we will be using Paneer (fresh cheese) which is prepared by curdling milk with lemon juice or vinegar. Now you can very well make Paneer from scratch at home, I however, always buy it from my local Indian store and remember, whenever you are buying dairy products like Paneer, Yogurt or Heavy cream always check the expiration date. We will also be using Spinach in this recipe and let me tell you a good tip, when buying spinach, try to look for a fresh bunch with dark green colored crisp leaves and fresh aroma. If the bunch has wilted, yellow-spotted or slimy leaves then that’s a no no. When buying Tomatoes, go for the ones with a shiny skin and uniform red color. Fresh tomatoes should not feel mushy or have wrinkled skin.

Let’s move to the preparation stage, to create that beautiful flavor, I prefer to use butter instead of oil and I also add a little Yogurt and Heavy Cream in it. Needless to say the addition of homemade Garam Masala has its own significance and if you are still buying a readymade powder from the store, it is high time you give it a try. To prepare the dish, I fry the Paneer and the vegetables in butter. Then chop the veggies, cook them with the spices, add the Paneer and serve! The addition of yogurt and cream brings a smooth milky texture and mild flavor in the dish. Serve the gravy hot with Naan, Tandoori Roti or Pulao and enjoy a scrumptious meal.

Ingredients:

• Paneer – 2 cups (cut into cubes, rectangles or any shape you like)
• Spinach - 1 large bunch, thoroughly washed, ends cut (do not throw the stem part) 
• Onion – 1 medium
• Garlic – 3 big cloves, peeled 
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled
• Tomato - 1 medium
• Coriander Powder -  ½ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder -  ½ teaspoon 
• Salt- ½ teaspoon (or to taste) + a pinch for seasoning the Paneer
• Garam Masala - ¼ teaspoon 
• Turmeric Powder -  ½ teaspoon + a pinch for seasoning the Paneer
• Green Cardamom – 2-3 pods
• Black Cardamom – 1-2 pods
• Cloves – 3-4 
• Cinnamon – ½ of a thin stick
• Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
• Bay leaf - 1
• Milk – ¼ cup (if required, for gravy)
• Heavy Cream -  ½ cup 
• Butter – 2 tablespoons (for frying the Paneer) + 2 tablespoons (for making the gravy)
• Yogurt - 2-3 tablespoons

Photo features: A little spread at our get together party, from left- Masala Kachori, Alu Kumro, Boondi Raita, Butter Chicken, Lamb Kababs and Palak Paneer (you can find all these delicious recipes on the blog).

Let’s do some preparations:

• Season the Paneer with a pinch of Salt and Turmeric.
• Heat a skillet over medium low heat.
• Add the Butter in it (2 tablespoons).
• When it starts melting, add the Paneer pieces in the skillet in a single layer.
• Fry till they are golden red in color then transfer to a plate.
• Now let’s cut the vegetables (Onion, Spinach, Garlic, Ginger and Tomato). Cut them up in big pieces.

Directions to make the gravy:

• Heat a big wok over high heat.
• Add 2 tablespoons of Butter in it.
• As soon as the butter starts melting add the Onion.
• Stir for a few seconds then add the Garlic, followed by the Ginger. Mix well.
• When the Onion starts turning golden, add the Tomato. Mix well.
• The Tomato will soon start melting down, add the Spinach. You will see that the Spinach will immediately start wilting.
• Turn off the heat and allow it 10-15 minutes to cool down.
• Take the chopper and add all the vegetables in it. Run a few whirls so that everything gets chopped down. 
• Transfer the mixture back to the wok and heat it over medium heat.
• Add all the whole spices (Green Cardamom, Black Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cumin seeds and Bay leaf) in it. Stir to mix. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to low and add the remaining spices in it (Coriander Powder, Red Chili Powder, Salt and Turmeric Powder). Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the Yogurt, Heavy Cream and Garam Masala in it along with the fried Paneer pieces and cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Check the consistency, I usually like to add a little Milk at this stage (for the gravy). 
• Palak Paneer is ready, serve with Naan, Tandoori Roti/ Plain Roti, Rice or Pulao and enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

• Paneer Alu Pulao (Rice with Fresh Cheese and Potato)
• Tandoori Roti
• Garam Masala
• Top 10 Spices to keep in your kitchen
• Food Chopper and its Importance in Our Kitchen
• Alu Kumro (Bengali Torkari - Potatoes with Pumpkin stir fry)
• Masala Kachori (Indian Puffed Bread with Spices)
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Namkeen Puri (Deep Fried Savory Puffed Bread)
• Chanar Dalna (Bengali recipe: Fresh Cheese and Potato Curry)
• Jeera Rice (Rice flavored with Cumin Seeds)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Debarshi's Lachha Paratha (Multi-Layered, Crispy, Flaky Homemade Bread)
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)
• Alu Palak Sabji (North Indian Dish: Stir-fried Potatoes with Spinach)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)
• Easy Air Fryer Paneer Tikka
• Palak Kachori (Deep Fried Bread kneaded with Spinach and spices)