Lamb Korma with Spinach Recipe

A korma is an Indian dish of meat or vegetables braised in a minimal amount of liquid. This version, although very simple, is delicious and benefits from the addition of spinach and yogurt to enrich the sauce. Serve with fluffy rice, preferably basmati, a steamed vegetable and Indian bread.

Recommended Equipment:
large (approximately 5 quart) slow cooker

Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder roast, trimmed, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm)cubes, and patted dry
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced ginger root
4 cardamom pods, split
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn cracked black peppercorns
1/4 cup water
1 to 2 long red or green chiles, minced
1 pound fresh spinach, stems removed, or 1 package (10 oz./300 g) spinach, washed, and finely chopped
1/2 cup yogurt
hot cooked rice

Preparation:

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add lamb, in batches, and brown, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cardamom pods, turmeric, mustard seeds, salt, and peppercorns. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water and stir.
3. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until lamb is tender.
4. Stir in chile pepper to taste. Add spinach and stir well, pushing the leaves down into the hot stew. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes or until spinach is soft. Stir in yogurt and serve over hot cooked rice.

Variation:
Beef Korma with spinach: substitute 2 pounds (1 kg) stewing beef for the lamb.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe courtesy of The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson

India [ print this recipe for Lamb Korma with Spinach ]

Chicken Vindaloo Recipe

Chicken Vindaloo comes from Goa, the former Portuguese trading outpost on the West Indian coast. It is a unique fusion of Indian and Portuguese cooking that is now popular in one form or another throughout most of India. It is both sweet and spicy with a hearty chicken based sauce.

Recommended Equipment:
food processor
mortar and pestle or spice grinder
cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven with lid

Ingredients:
1 pound of chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
3 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
4 red chilis
2 tspn brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar

for spice mix:
1/2 tspn cardamom, ground
1 tspn cinnamon, ground
1 tspn coriander powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
1/2 tspn peppercorns
1/2 tspn toasted fenugreek seeds
1 tspn cloves
1 tbsp cumin
4 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tspn mustard seeds
Salt to taste
Cilantro

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in the vinegar. Add the chilis, diced garlic, and ginger to the vinegar mixture and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.
2. Add the vinegar mixture to a food processor. Pulse the mixture to form a paste.
3. Pour the paste into an air-tight container and then add the pieces of chicken to the paste. Stir the chicken so that all of the pieces are well coated with the paste. Seal the container and then refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. While the chicken marinates, construct the dry spice mix. Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cloves, and cumin into powder. Pour this powder into a small bowl along with the cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, and turmeric. Mix well and set aside.
5. In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and mustard seeds over medium heat.
6. When the seeds begin to pop, add the diced onion and cook until the onion begins to turn golden brown.
7. Add the chicken and the paste/marinade to the skillet and cook until the chicken begins to brown.
8. Add the dry spice mixture to the chicken and place a lid on the skillet. Reduce heat to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture becomes thick. Stir the mixture occasionally.
9. Serve hot over steamed Basmati rice with cilantro garnish.

India [ print this recipe for chicken vindaloo ]

Apollo Fish Recipe

Apollo Fish is a specialty in the state of Hyderabad in India. The first time that I heard about Apollo Fish was from our neighbor Jay who had tried it during a trip several years ago. I found a couple of recipes for it and combined the best of both to make the one that I have listed below. Apollo Fish is pretty spicy but if it is too hot for you, you can eat it with some Greek yogurt to help cool it off. You can also serve it with naan bread or romali roti for good results.



Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets

2 tspn chili powder

1 tspn Kosher salt

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 egg white

2 tbsp corn meal

1 tbsp tapioca flour (you can also use light baking flour)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 Serrano chilies, diced

6 curry leaves

1/2 tspn coriander, ground

1 tspn cumin, ground

1/2 tspn turmeric

1 tbsp fresh cilantro

olive oil for frying (about 8 tbsp)



Preparation:

1. Cut fish fillets in 1 to 2 inch pieces.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together 1 tspn chili powder, 1/2 tspn salt, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ginger, and the egg white.
   
   
   
   
   
   Add the pieces of fish to the marinade so that each piece is coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours.
   
   
   
   
3. Add 3 tbsp olive oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish and cook until the fish is golden brown. Remove the fish from the oil and place in a bowl for later.
4. In another skillet, add 5 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 diced Serrano chilies, and the curry leaves. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add onions to the skillet and cook until the onions are translucent.
6. Add 1 tspn chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and 1/2 tspn salt to the skillet and cook for another 3 minutes stirring often.
7. Add the fish mixture to the skillet containing the onion mixture along with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
8. Remove the lid and mix in the fresh cilantro. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until all of the excess moisture has cooked off.
9. Serve hot over rice.

India

Turkey Samosa Recipe

Every Indian mom has a signature dish. This recipe for turkey samosas is my mother-in-law's specialty. After 6 years, I finally had the chance to watch her prepare a batch of turkey samosas from start to finish. I tried to take as many photos along the way to help you as you make this great Indian treat.

The samosas that I have tried at most Indian restaurants are large, over stuffed with potato and for the most part, have a bland flavor. They are wrapped in a thick dough and deep fried. The turkey samosas that you will get using this recipe will taste completely different than most that you will find in a restaurant. They are bite-size, with a thin crispy wrapper and packed with spicy turkey and vegetables.

When you make turkey samosas, you will need to make 5 components and then combine them to form the filling. Then you will assemble the samosas using the filling, pot-sticker wrappers, and water to seal the samosas. My mother in law usually has a batch of filling on hand at all times. When people stop by the house, she can roll up a small batch of samosas, put them in the deep fryer, and serve them in a matter of minutes. So this recipe is another great choice if you are planning on having a party and you need to have some of the food prepared ahead of time.

Ingredients - ground turkey:

1 pound turkey, ground
1/2 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn garlic powder
1/4 tspn dry ginger
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
1/2 tspn Kosher salt
1/4 tspn black pepper

Ingredients - mixed vegetables:

1 cup peas and carrots
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/4 tspn garlic powder
1/8 tspn dry ginger
1/8 tspn crushed red pepper
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
1/4 tspn Kosher salt
1/8 tspn black pepper

Ingredients - potato mixture:

1/2 of a russet potato
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/4 tspn garlic powder
1/8 tspn crushed red pepper
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
1/4 tspn Kosher salt
1/8 tspn black pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp water

Ingredients - cabbage mixture:

1/4 head of cabbage
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/4 tspn garlic powder
1/8 tspn crushed red pepper
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
1/4 tspn Kosher salt
1/8 tspn black pepper
1 tbsp tomato paste

Ingredients - onion mixture:
1/2 tspn fennel, ground
1/2 tspn cumin seeds, ground
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/4 tspn garlic powder
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
1/4 tspn Kosher salt
1/8 tspn black pepper

Other Ingredients:
cilantro, chopped
pot-sticker wrappers

canola oil for frying

Preparation:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey with spices and drain off excess fat (if needed).
2. In another skillet over medium heat, cook vegetables with spices for about 5 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
3. Peel a russet potato. Cut it in half and dice one of the halves into small pieces.
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil, diced potato, tomato paste, water, and spices to a skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes then set aside.
5. Shred 1/4 head of cabbage and dice 1/2 of a yellow onion.
6. Add the oil, onions, cabbage, tomato paste, and spices to a skillet and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the potato and cabbage mixtures. Mix in the vegetables and set aside.
8. In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground fennel and cumin seeds. Heat the seeds for a couple of minutes.
9. Add 2 tbsp oil to the skillet along with 1 large diced yellow onion, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and spices. Cook for about 5 minutes then remove from heat.
10. In a large bowl, combine the turkey mixture with the onion mixture.
11. Combine the turkey and onion mixture with the cabbage mixture.
12. Add chopped cilantro to the mixture to taste.
13. Place a small amount of the mixture on a round pot-sticker wrapper. Wrap the wrapper around the mixture and seal with a small amount of water or egg yolk.
    
    
14. Press the edges with a fork to form a good seal.
    
15. Fry the samosas in canola oil until golden brown. Remove and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.

India

Mango Lassi Recipe

The Mango Lassi is a Punjabi drink made with yogurt and mango pulp that is popular throughout India and Pakistan. Lassis are made savory using ground roasted cumin and other spices or they are made sweet (like this version) using fruit and sweeteners such as sugar or honey.

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt

Preparation:

1. Peel mango, cut out the seed, and cut the mango into small pieces.
   
2. Put the pieces of mango into a food processor and pulse several times.
3. Place the remaining ingredients into the food processor and mix them together until they are well combined.
4. Put the mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes then serve.
   

India

Curried Rice with Green Beans Recipe

The combination of garlic, onion, and curry powder gives this simple dish classic Indian flavor. It is easy to prepare and only takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. I used green beans but you can substitute your favorite steamed vegetable instead.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large handful of fresh green beans
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 tspn curry powder
4 cups of water

Preparation:

1. Using a steamer, steam the green beans so that they are tender but still crisp, about 5 - 7 minutes. Set aside for later.
2. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of water over medium heat. When the water is warm, add the vegetable bouillon cube and dissolve. Remove from heat.
3. In a large pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat.
4. Add the onions, curry powder, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until the onions become clear and translucent.
5. Stir in the basmati rice, the vegetable bouillon, and another 3 1/2 cups of water.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
7. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes without removing the pot's lid.
8. Pour the rice into a serving bowl and mix with the green beans.
   

India

Indian Curry Dip

If you are looking for an all-purpose chip dip to serve at your next party, try Indian Curry Dip. It is so easy to make and it only takes about 3 minutes. Also, if you want to make it in advance of your planned gathering you make it the night before and it will still taste great.

Ingredients
16 oz. reduced fat sour cream
1/2 of a 1 oz. packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1/4 cup real mayonnaise
1/4 tspn curry powder

Preparation

1. Mix the sour cream, dressing mix, and the mayonaise until all of the ingredients are well combined.
2. Sprinkle the curry powder over the dip then stir.
3. Serve with chips or vegetables.

India

Curried Spinach Dip Recipe

This recipe for Curried Spinach Dip is very easy to make. If you like North Indian cuisine you will really like this dish as it uses many of the classic Indian spices like turmeric, cumin, and curry powder.

Curried Spinach works as a stand alone dip served with pita chips or you can use it for filling to make a Brazilian - Indian fusion appetizer called a Curried Spinach Pastéis.

Ingredients:
2 tspn olive oil
1 tspn cumin seeds, ground
1 tspn curry powder
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/8 tspn cayenne pepper
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 10 oz. box frozen spinach
1/3 package of Philadelphia brand cream cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek Gods brand)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Thaw the spinach and squeeze it to remove most of the moisture. Pull the spinach apart and put it into a small bowl to use later.
   
2. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne pepper and set aside.
3. In another bowl, dissolve the bouillon cube in 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside.
4. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
5. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until it is clear and translucent, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for another 3 minutes.
   
7. Add the bowl of spices to the skillet along with the spinach.
8. Stir the spices and the spinach well, then pour in the vegetable bouillon.
9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until you have cooked off most of the moisture, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
10. Mix the spinach together with the cream cheese and yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve with pita chips or use as a filler for this Pastéis recipe.

Related Posts / Recipes:
Pastéis Recipe

Other Appetizers:
Olio Verde
Irish Nachos
Sago Pagoda

India

Mulligatawny Recipe

Mulligatawny is a curry flavored soup that has its origins in India during the time of the British occupation. It is similar to rasam but it has a chicken as opposed to a tamarind base. The first time that I had ever heard this soup mentioned was on the famous "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld.

Translated from the Tamil language, mulligatawny means "pepper water." This recipe for mulligatawny includes three types of pepper and is about a 5 out of 10 on the heat/spice scale. In addition to the cilantro and lemon juice garnish, you may also want to add rice to this dish.

Recommended Equipment:
Large pot or Dutch oven
Food processor

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 carrot, finely diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 eggplant
1/2 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
32 oz. box chicken stock
3 large red skin potatoes, skinned and quartered
1 15 oz. can yellow corn, whole kernels
4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tspn fresh ginger, diced
1/2 tspn ground cumin seeds
1 tspn cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tspn thyme
3/4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
pinch of turmeric
pinch of cardamom
pinch of ground coriander
pinch of cinnamon
lemon juice
cilantro

Preparation:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
2. Cut the flesh of the eggplant from the skin and cut it into small cubes. Discard the skin.
3. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and eggplant to the pot and cook until onions become clear and translucent.
4. Add the white wine (I used Pinot Grigio) and the bay leaf to the pot and continue cooking at medium heat for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the 32oz. of chicken stock plus 2 cups of water.
6. Place the 4 chipotle peppers in a food processor and pulse them 5 to 6 times until the peppers are ground into small pieces and have combined with the adobo sauce.
   
7. Add the potatoes, corn, chipotle peppers, and tomato sauce to the pot.
8. Add the ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme, sugar, curry, and coconut milk.
9. Add a pinch each of turmeric, ground cardamom, ground coriander, and cinnamon.
10. Turn heat down to low and let simmer for 3 to 4 hours.
11. Serve hot and garnish with lemon juice and chopped cilantro.
    

India

Indian Coffee

If the cafe noir seems a little daunting to make a simple cup of coffee, you should try this method. It was perfected by my mother-in-law and can provide you with a damn good cup of Indian Coffee in about 3 minutes without firing up a coffee-maker. Here is how you do it:

Recommended Equipment:
small metal mixing bowl


Ingredients:
milk
sugar
Nescafe Classico coffee


Preparation:

1. Fill a coffee cup 3/4 full with whole milk.
   
2. Put cup in microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds at regular power.
3. Remove from microwave and add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 heaping teaspoon of Nescafe to the cup and stir.
4. Pour mixture from cup into the metal mixing bowl and then pour it back into the cup.
5. Repeat step 4 one more time.
6. Serve hot.
   

India

Sago Pagoda

This is an appetizer that my mother-in-law taught me how to make. It's light, a little spicy, and full of flavor. I can literally eat 20 of them with a cold beer.

In order to make them, you will have to seek out an Indian or Pakistani grocery in your area in order to find the main ingredient, tapioca puffs or also called sago (see photo below).



Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour.
2 tbsp rice flour.
2 cups sago (tapioca puffs)
2 cups buttermilk
7 curry leaves, diced
1 tspn ginger
2 tspn red pepper flakes
1 tspn salt
1 handful of cilantro, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
3 green onions, diced
1 yellow onion, diced

Preparation:

1. Add 2 cups of tapioca to a glass pyrex measuring cup.
2. Add buttermilk to pyrex measuring cup to a level just above the tapioca.
3. Allow tapioca to absorb butter milk. This will take about 2 hours.
4. Pour tapioca into a large mixing bowl and add all-purpose flour and rice flour to absorb any excess moisture.
5. Mix remaining ingredients with tapioca.
   
6. Make small balls from mixture using a tablespoon measure and drop into oil of a deep fryer.
   
7. Remove when pagodas are tan in color and let cool on a baking sheet covered with paper towels.
   

India