Chicken Korma

Korma is a light, creamy and rich gravy which is traditionally used to cook  meats or vegetables in.  My Parents being vegetarian, raised me as one and needless to say I did not learn how to cook meat through my mother. In fact, I had tasted chicken dish only once or twice before I met my husband. He taught me few chicken and beef recipes and here is one of them.  This is a easy chicken korma recipe that is sure to become a favorite at your dinner table. Please do let me know how it turned out for you!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2lbs hormone-free chicken (skinless, boneless and cubed)

½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp garam masala

8 oz plain organic yogurt

2 tsp organic tomato paste

1 ½ cup finely chopped onions

10 -12 small cardamom pods, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp cumin seeds

½ inch ginger & 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated

Salt to taste, Fresh crushed black pepper

1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chili powder

Cilantro 1 tbsp chopped

½ cup water

Combine chicken pieces, turmeric, garam masala, salt and pepper in a plastic food storage bag. Once these spices and chicken are mixed, add in yogurt to coat the meat properly.  Let the meat marinate in fridge for 2 hours.

In a pan, heat oil. Add Cumin seeds, cinnamon and bay leaf; cook them for 1 min to release their fragrance.  Add onions and cook till golden-brown. 

Add crushed cardamom seeds, cumin and coriander powder, red chili powder, and ginger- garlic- tomato paste to cook for 1 min.

Now add Marinated chicken, ½ cup water and simmer this on low-medium heat for 20-30 with lid on the pan. Garnish with chopped cilantro right before serving.  Chicken korma is great with Basmati rice or whole-wheat naan bread.

Yogurt Lassi Drink

Lassi is very popular yogurt drink and is proudly served in almost all Indian restaurants. After all, it’s a great “cool-me-down” to accompany any “hot-n-spicy” Indian entrees. There are couple versions of this drink you can make depending what kinds of ingredients are available and what flavors you prefer.

My husband Syed loves having lassi on warm summer days. Likewise,  I love to seethe  grin on his face when he comes home after a long day of work and I welcome him with a glass of chilled lassi.  So this post is dedicated to my lassi-loving hubby!!

Recipe # 1:  Mango Lassi

1 cup low fat Greek yogurt

1 fresh ripe mango, peeled and cubed

½ cup cold water

½ cup skim milk

½ cup mango juice or mango pulp

4 pods of small cardamom

1 tsp sugar

Peel off cardamom pods and remove the black seeds.  Place them on the wooden butcher block. Crush the seeds using rolling pin by gently going back and forth.  The cardamom powder and rest of the ingredients go in the blender. Pour over ice in serving glasses. Garnish with a piece of mango on the rim. 

Recipe # 2 : Mango-strawberry Lassi (when fresh mango is not available)

I always like to use fresh fruit in lassi. However, when fresh mango is not is season, Mango pulp can be used instead . It has natural and artificial flavors and sugar already added . Mango pulp is available in Indian stores and usually sold in tin cans.

Ingredients

1 cup low fat greek yougart

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup mango pulp

1 cup cold water

½ cup skim milk

Blend everything together. Pour on ice on a serving glass. Garnish with strawberry on the glass rim.

Recipe # 3: Rose Lassi

2 cups strawberry yogurt ( I like Activia Strawberry yogurt)

1 cup cold water

½ cup rose water or 1 tbsp rose syrup

1 tsp sugar

½ cup skim milk

Few red rose petals for garnishing

Strawberry yogurt will add touch of red/pink we want in this drink. Rose water is available in Indian store, usually it is clear but some pink but always transparent. Rose syrup is sugared and concentrated so use it diligently. Pour lassi over Ice in the serving glasses.  Garnish with a petal floating on top of lassi in each glass.

Optional:

·         If you prefer, you may crush ice with all ingredients to make lassi- smoothies.

·         For adult version of this drink, add vodka instead of skim milk.



Welcome Everyone!!

Welcome to my blog " Spice of my Indian Life"!! I want to share with you a little taste of Indian culture and cuisine! My name is Mandita Patel and I have lived here in America for almost 10 years. I am east-Indian by decent and I grew up in city of Dubai in United Arab Emirates. I spent few of my teenage years in India before we moved here. Living in different countries has helped me experience different cultures and of course variety of cuisine! I have always loved good food, but my interest in cooking grew since I started helping my mother in kitchen very early on. Me and my husband Syed have always been open to trying different cuisines and when I like something I ate at an restaurant, I get inspired to try it at home. I have great support from my husband in experimenting in kitchen. My mother being a great cook herself, taught me the art of cooking. Her recipes were authentic and traditional but over the years I added my own touch to everything I cook. I have fused Indian flavors to American, Chinese, Italian and Mexican food. I still have a lot to learn but this is just one way to share my love for food by bringing you simple recipes, from my dinner table to yours!!

Aloo Palak (pototoes and spinach)

I wrote this recipe long time ago when a good friend wanted me to make a healthier version of her favorite restaurant dish Aloo Palak.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of washed and trimmed spinach (or bag of baby spinach)
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion.
• 1-2 Serrano peppers, chopped with seeds
• 1 big baked potato, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon fresh cream (optional)
• salt  to taste

Directions:

Boil water and add spinach to cook it for 4-5 minutes. Now shock the spinach by transferring it to ice water to retain green color. (Or cook spinach as per package instructions)

In the meantime bake potato in microwave or boil them with salt until done, approximately 10 minutes and set aside to cool when done.

Puree the spinach with little water.

Heat the oil in a pan. Fry cumin seeds for about a minute until they sputter. Add onion and cook till they are soft and translucent.

Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, coriander and cumin powder and the Serrano peppers. Cook for a min but keep stirring. Add Spinach Puree and salt.

Add the peeled and chopped cooked potatoes, and a little water if needed.

Simmer for few minutes till the potatoes absorb the flavor and show yellow color from turmeric.

Add fresh cream if desired right before serving. This dish could be enjoyed with rice or naan bread.