CHICKEN SAAG WALA/CHICKEN IN SPINACH CURRY/PALAK CHICKEN
The wonderful aromas of cooking palak chicken are boosting the hunger pangs of keeners at my house. Both chicken and spinach make tasty dishes, but when I cook them together, everyone likes this combination. This is one of the most loved chicken curries at dhabas and restaurants. Not only this, this Chicken Saag Wala is very popular among the non-vegetarian Punjabi community in Punjab and around Delhi.
Spinach and Chicken complement each other when cooked together as a one dish The chicken cubes absorb the spinach puree and all the aromatics, resulting in the flavoursome juicer consistency. This curry is passionately eaten with tandoori roti or naan in the Northern belt
A spinach purée is prepared as the first step to make this curry. For this purée, the spinach leaves are rinsed well and blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water. When cooled, blend it to make a wonderful green purée. After that, the marinated chicken cubes are pan-roasted with onions, ginger and garlic. Tomatoes and spices infused curd are added consecutivly to enrich the chicken. When chicken is cooked to 90 per cent, spinach puree is added to it to combine all the flavours. A dash of cream or fresh malai elevates the flavours of palak chicken to another level
Prep Time – 30 minutes (prep time includes marination of chicken cubes)
Cook Time – 30 minutes
Coarse – Main
Cuisine – North India
Author – Bharti Dhawan
● INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
• Boneless chicken cubes – 500 grams
• Spinach/Palak – 500 gram
• Water to blanch spinach – 2 cups
• Onion – 2-3 medium-sized
• Tomatoes – 2-3 medium
• Ginger – 1-inch piece
• Garlic – 5-6 cloves
• Green Chilies – 3-4
• Ginger-Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
• Cashews/Kaju – 10-12
• Curd/Dahi – 1 bowl
• Fresh cream/Malai – 2 tbsp
• Mustard Oil/Tel – 2 + 1 tbsp (or any other oil)
• Lemon Juice – 2-3 tbsp
● SPICES WHOLE AND POWDERED
• Tez patta/Bay leaves – 2 nos
• Black Cardamom – 1 no
• Green Cardamom – 4 nos
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 medium
• Jeera/Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
• Salt – 1+1+1 tsp
• Red chilly powder – 1+1 tsp
• Dhania/Coriander Powder – 1+1 tsp
• Haldi/Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tsp
● PREPARATIONS TO BE DONE
1 – Rinse chicken cubes and marinate them with 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilly powder, ginger-garlic paste, and lemon juice. Rub the spices thoroughly with chicken pieces and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes
2 – Wash spinach leaves well and blanch them for 3-4 minutes in boiling water with 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, and cashews. Allow them to cool and blend into a fine puree. Keep aside (cashews help to thicken spinach puree and elevates richness during cooking)
3 – Chop finely onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic. Slit each green chillies into two
4 – Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp garam masala powder in a bowlful of curd. Mix well and keep aside to use later
● FINAL PROCEDURE TO MAKE CHICKEN SAAGWALA
1 – Firstly, keep a heavy bottom kadahi on flame and add 2 tbsp oil. Allow the oil to get heated up to the smoking point. When done, slow down the heat
2 – Now, add all the whole spices like bay leaves, both types of cardamoms, cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds. Allow the spices to crackle
3 – Next, add marinated chicken pieces and roast them all side by turning. Bhunow the chicken for five minutes each side at medium-high flame
4 – The chicken will release its juices. Cover the pan with a lid so that the chicken cubes start to cook in its juice. Bring the flame now to medium-low
5 – Next, add chopped tomatoes. Bhunow/Roast chicken cubes with tomatoes.
6 – When the flavour of tomatoes is absorbed by the chicken, add powdered spices-infused curd. Bhunow/Roast the chicken well by stirring constantly so that the chicken is coated well with it
7 – Time to add spinach purée and slitted green chillies. Combine all with the chicken cubes. Cover the pan and allow to cook the chicken to perfection at low flame
* It is mandatory to stir the palak chicken after intervals to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the kadahi
8 – When the chicken cubes get tender, add milk fat /cream or fresh malai. combine well this with palak chicken
9 – Taste and make sure the salt and seasoning is perfect. For perfect flavours, there is a need to do the same
10 – Switch off the flame now and keep it at rest covered for 15 minutes. This will help all the flavours come together
11 – The wait is over and serve the chicken Saag Wala to the inpatients and hungry eagers 😁 😋
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