re: Spice of the Fortnight (SOTF) #1: Garam Masala (beg. Sep. 18)

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Butter chicken and aloo gobi seem to be the most popular garam masala dishes

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Then I guess I should choose something less common? Except garam masala and the dish are unknown to me, so maybe not.

Never heard of it.

Not messing with you my friend, I've never heard of butter chicken. I really haven't and I'm looking forward to learning about it.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Might be the National dish of Great Britain. Although most folks would call it an Indian dish, it was developed in Great Britain.

You need:

Chicken Thighs

Marinade:

8 ounces plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 Tablespoons Lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Garam Masala Spice
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground ginger
2 teaspoons Smoked Paprica
1 1/2 teaspoons Garam Masala
1 Large onion sliced and cut into strips
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Small can Tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
3/4 cup Heavy Cream

Served over Basmati Rice


Here is the photo post





An old photo, from Meridian days.

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Instead of pepper flakes, I use Korean chili powder.

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I think I'll use sambal instead next time. The garam masala had a "sweet" note that could have been tampered down by the garlic in the sambal.

That looks phenomenal. Haven't had it since I last went to London. I like that it doesn't feature a bunch of other Indian spices either (like most Indian dishes do), so we can really get a sense for what the garam masala tastes like.

I'm pumped for this. My ghost peppers are in full bloom, so I'm going to dance with the devil and make Phaal Curry. For the uninitiated, it's the hottest curry in the world (that is actually a legit recipe and not just trumped up).

I am a glutton for punishment, and yes, there is garam masala in it.

Saag Paneer is a dish you often see on Indian buffets. Saag is spinach, and paneer is the bland white cheese they use. The first time I cooked this, I made my own paneer, drained, seasoned, and fried it. That took a ton of time, and we weren't that crazy for what it added in exchange for its calories. So now I just make the healthy saag.

I buy garam masala at the Indian spice store in small packages and replace after about 6 months. Like all spices, it loses its pop if it sits around opened too long.

This started as a recipe by Aarti Sequeira, but I've modified it a bit (including boosting the amount of garam masala) and experimented with doing it in the InstantPot.

Saag Paneer (without paneer)

2 or 3 (12-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green jalapeno or serrano chile, finely chopped (seeds removed)
2 teaspoons garam masala
Tablespoon ground coriander
Tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth

Directions

Thaw the spinach in the microwave, 5 minutes on high. Chop on cutting board if you want finer texture.

Add 3 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, and chile. Saute the mixture until cooked down, about 15 minutes. If it gets dry, add oil or a little water. Add garlic and saute about one minute.

Move veg mix to the sides of pot, and pour a little oil in the center. Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin to the oil to bloom the spices. After it sizzles for about 30 seconds, stir into the veg blend, and keep cooking and stirring until the raw scent of the spices cooks out, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the veg mixture into the spinach. Add a generous amount of salt and enough water to get the spinach soupy wet, stir, cover pot, and simmer about an hour until spinach is done to your liking. Remove or crack lid as needed to evaporate water.

Instant Pot: Use saute setting to cook veg mixture and bloom spices. Add spinach and very little water. Cook 7 minutes under pressure followed by 10 minutes natural release.

Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

I have only used it to make butter chicken. Which my husband did not like

Saag paneer is new to me. This thread is already paying dividends. Thanks for sharing.