Topic: Chicken Methi Palak with Taz Base

[Baltilicious]

Ingredients:

400ml Taz base gravy
1 tsp. Razor spice mixture http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,4706.0.html
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp. Rajah All Purpose Seasoning
1 tsp. Chilli Powder
1 tbsp. Dried Methi leaves
1 Onion finely chopped
5 cloves Garlic crushed
1 tsp. Ginger paste
2 Chillies halved and de-seeded
Fresh Methi leaves (pick the leaves from around 6 stalks)
180g - 200g Spinach
2 Chicken Breasts Diced
2 tbsp. Natural Yoghurt

Method:

Blanche the Spinach and Methi leaves. (Dip them into boiling water for about 5 seconds then remove and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process).
Blend the Spinach and Methi leaves to almost a paste and set to the side.
Add just under a ladle of base gravy.
Add the Onion.
When the onion has softened, add 200 ml of warm base to the pan or wok.
Add the Garlic, Ginger, Chillies, Dried Methi, and Spices and stir in well.
Over a medium to high heat reduce down until thick and almost dry and the oil has come through, stirring occasionally and scraping the dried base back down into the pan.
Add the Diced Chicken Breasts and fry until sealed.
Add the remaining base gravy.
Let it cook until the sauce has reduced to a slightly thick sauce.
Add the blanched Spinach and Methi and the Yoghurt then cook for a further 5 minutes.



This is the first recipe I have posted on this forum, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. As you can tell I absolutely LOVE methi, I just cant get enough of it! Anyway I hope you enjoy this!

Edit: I made this again last night and realised that I had missed out a fairly important step, to add the Natural Yoghurt! Pictures of the curry coming up.

[Baltilicious]

Served with CA's Perfect Pilau


Served with Lettuce (Blame the Mrs)

[Secret Santa]

That looks very nice and not too dissimilar to my chicken saag: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3600.0.html

[h4ppy-chris]

I think you have nailed that mate.

[curryhell]

That looks very nice and not too dissimilar to my chicken saag: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3600.0.html

Agreed SS.  And since i rate your dish highly this is most definitely going on the radar.   It will make a very nice change from the ordinary BIR menu curries with the meethi, fresh and increased quantities of the dry stuff, giving it a very different slant     And to boot, my local asian store normally has fresh meethi which will enable me to try it.

[Baltilicious]

That looks very nice and not too dissimilar to my chicken saag: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3600.0.html

Thanks, I have tried your Chicken Saag probably just over a year ago, but I didn't have any asafoetida at the time, so I think I bumped it up with a little garlic salt and a tiny bit of turmeric. I must say I was very impressed with that dish. Which reminds me to give it a go again now that I have the spices to make it to spec. Thank god for Mattas International here in Liverpool they have pretty much every spice I need, including the fresh Methi I used for this one.

[Baltilicious]

That looks very nice and not too dissimilar to my chicken saag: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,3600.0.html

Agreed SS.  And since i rate your dish highly this is most definitely going on the radar.   It will make a very nice change from the ordinary BIR menu curries with the meethi, fresh and increased quantities of the dry stuff, giving it a very different slant     And to boot, my local asian store normally has fresh meethi which will enable me to try it.

I think you have nailed that mate.

I'm kind of honoured that you guys have given such good feedback on this dish, I've been on this board for a while pottering around making various dishes and your recipes are certainly up there with the best I've had a go at.

I first had this dish at a restaurant in Liverpool and was impressed at how much flavour there was so I set about researching how to make the dish and other than what the chef told me in there, I could see very few recipes for this so I got tinkering in the kitchen. I'm sure you'll enjoy this.

A few notes from when I was tinkering with this I tried a few things in place of the Natural Yoghurt, namely Coconut Milk (probably too expensive to be used in a BIR but very tasty) and Cream. But I think Yoghurt gave a nice texture with the creamy taste, with the benefit of not being too expensive. Also most of the authentic Pakistani recipes call for Curd (Not Buffalo Curd) but I haven't tried this yet.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Also most of the authentic of the Pakistani recipes call for Curd (Not Buffalo Curd) but I haven't tried this yet.

To the best of my knowledge, BL, "curd" and yoghurt are synonymous.  Certainly all of the sub-continent authors which which I am familiar use the terms interchangeably, but this is usually accompanied by the implication that "curd" is home-made whilst yoghurt is purchased.

** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

Looks great Baltilicious. I'm not keen on spinach so probably won't give it a go unless some friends request it, but, it's great to see the Taz base being used as I'm a bit of a fan!

[Baltilicious]

Also most of the authentic of the Pakistani recipes call for Curd (Not Buffalo Curd) but I haven't tried this yet.

To the best of my knowledge, BL, "curd" and yoghurt are synonymous.  Certainly all of the sub-continent authors which which I am familiar use the terms interchangeably, but this is usually accompanied by the implication that "curd" is home-made whilst yoghurt is purchased.

** Phil.

From reading wikipedia I had assumed that Curd was meant to be Paneer i.e Just the solids from curdling milk, I have also read articles that support what you are saying, this is the problem with things being "lost in translation". I am more than inclined to agree with you after tasting the final dish though!