# OK I cheat with Curry



## ArticKatt (Oct 6, 2005)

I cheat and buy a curry gravy in a can its great tasting and low in salt so I find it way easier then making curry from scratch. I hate the curry powders. I will make it from scratch from time to time but this is fast and easy. I love Saag and have made it at home but its time consumming. I was wondering if I could put chopped spinish in my curry has anyone tried this. I am making chicken curry. I can just do curry and leave the spinish till a time when I have time and energy to make Saag. I just wonder if curry with spinish would work. I know its not saag but I just want something good. I don't want to ruin my curry by putting spinish in it if its not going to taste ok. I am using chicken for my curry.


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## kitchenelf (Oct 6, 2005)

Good question - I've never had spinach in my curry - I've had cilantro but not spinach so I'm not sure how it would be.  I wouldn't think it would be terrible though.

I've had some canned curry products at some food shows and they were surprisingly good!


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## jennyema (Oct 6, 2005)

If this is what you use Curry 

We do too and it's very good, IMO.

Go ahead and try it. Like you said, it won't taste like Saag, but if you like it, that's all that matters!


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## urmaniac13 (Oct 6, 2005)

Aloo (potato curry) with spinach is very tasty... check out this recipe...

http://www.recipezaar.com/108787

Indian name for spinach is "palak", so if you do a search with it you can find all sorts of interesting Indian recipes with spinach!!


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## jennyema (Oct 6, 2005)

Palek does mean spinach but you see spinach referred to as saag quite often here.


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## ArticKatt (Oct 6, 2005)

The brand is different I use a chinese one I think its Yeo's Very good and no MSG and low salt. I think salt is either the last item on ingredents or second to last. I find it so much better when I am trying to get a good meal when I am busy. And after its cooked it will last in the fridge for a number of days which means lots of left overs. they have a hot as well as a mild. I of course eat the hot. LOL I am the only one that will eat the left overs. I don't do it on purpose really I don't


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## ArticKatt (Oct 6, 2005)

OK I am going to go for it. At the worst I will know not to ever do it again and at the best I can add something else really good to my curry's Hummmm. Wish me luck and I will let you know good or bad what the outcome is.


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## Piccolina (Oct 7, 2005)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> Indian name for spinach is "palak", so if you do a search with it you can find all sorts of interesting Indian recipes with spinach!!



Handy tip Licia, thanks!


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## urmaniac13 (Oct 7, 2005)

You're welcome, Jess!  How does Tony see Indian food?  I don't think they are very well known among the Italian folks, Cristiano didn't know anything about them until I "introduced" him to some of my fave recipes... now he absolutely loves them!! 
Here is a couple of sites with Indian food glossaries that may interest you, I tried some recipes from "saritha's", they are nice, too!!


http://www.geology.ohio-state.edu/~bhattiprolu/personal/veggie_kitchen/

http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/Glossary.htm


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## Piccolina (Oct 7, 2005)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> You're welcome, Jess! How does Tony see Indian food? I don't think they are very well known among the Italian folks, Cristiano didn't know anything about them until I "introduced" him to some of my fave recipes... now he absolutely loves them!!



It's exactly the same way with us! Before I came along DH had never even tried Indian food! (I'm a long time fan, and experimental cook of Indian) He's much more a meat (than veg) guy so he's a fan of dishes with chicken, seafood or other meats in them like.  I'm actually impressed that he's taken such a liking to Indian food, as he is one picky eater - LOL  Now we have Indian as a treat once in a while - I like to finish off the meal with something coconuty, such as coconut ice cream. 

Thank-you for both those links Licia; http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/Glossary.htm, is such a beautiful site. I have bookmarked them both (my "food and recipe" bookmark folder must have hundreds of sites in it by now - I imagine it's the same for many amongst us )


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## urmaniac13 (Oct 7, 2005)

ICadvisor said:
			
		

> It's exactly the same way with us! Before I came along DH had never even tried Indian food! (I'm a long time fan, and experimental cook of Indian) He's much more a meat (than veg) guy so he's a fan of dishes with chicken, seafood or other meats in them like. I'm actually impressed that he's taken such a liking to Indian food, as he is one picky eater - LOL  Now we have Indian as a treat once in a while - I like to finish off the meal with something coconuty, such as coconut ice cream.
> 
> Thank-you for both those links Licia; http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/Glossary.htm, is such a beautiful site. I have bookmarked them both (my "food and recipe" bookmark folder must have hundreds of sites in it by now - I imagine it's the same for many amongst us )


 
Oh Jess what we can share and relate about our lovely Italian Stallions!!   Coconuts can be really nice with some Indian recipe... chicken korma is one of our faves have you tried it??
And yes, all these bookmarked recipe sites, tell me about it... they are really getting out of control and in dire need of some organisation!!  It takes some eye-straining and solid concentration and patience to find what I am looking for!!


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## Yakuta (Oct 7, 2005)

A really popular Indian dish (Served mostly in restaurants) is palak gosht or palak chicken:

Before the recipe on how I make mine some clarification:

Palak - Refers to Spinach

Saag - Refers to any sort of a green's preparation.  Could be Spinach Green's, Mustard Greens and in India we get a lot of other greens that are traditional.  

Now here is a recipe for palak chicken. 

Spinach - One large bunch roughly chopped.  I only like to use fresh spinach.  You can use frozen chopped spinach but to me the flavor is not the same. 
2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 large onions finely chopped
2 tsp of freshly roasted and ground cumin seeds
2 tsp of freshly roasted and ground corrainder seeds
1 or 2 jalapeno finely chopped (if you like it hot use two, if you like it mild use one)
salt to taste
1 tbsp of oil (any kind)
2 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup of cream
4 large cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 whole chicken skinned and cut into medium size peices

In a pan add the 1 tbsp of oil.  When the oil is hot add the onion and cook it  until translucent.  Next add the tomato and ground spices.  Now add the spinach and cook it for a few minutes until it starts to wilt.  

Now take it off the heat and puree the entire spinach, tomato and onion mixture.  

In another large pan.  Add the butter.  When the butter starts to melt add the whole cumin seeds, chopped garlic and jalapeno.  Saute until lightly brown.  Next add the pureed spinach, cleaned and cut chicken and salt to taste.  Cover and cook it on medium high until the chicken is completely cooked.  Add the cream and let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes.  Adjust salt.  

Serve with readymade naan.  

Note:  You can substitute lamb for chicken in this dish.  Just keep in mind, lamb will take a lot longer to cook unless you use a pressure cooker.


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## urmaniac13 (Oct 7, 2005)

That recipe sounds fabulous Yakuta, although I only have frozen spinach at hand, I definetely must try this one with either basmati or cous cous....thanks!!


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## ArticKatt (Oct 7, 2005)

Thank you for that recipe. I will have to give it a try. As for the curry I made last night its strange looking and might have been better had I 2 packages of frozen spinish but it tasted very good. So now in a hurry I can make a nice curry with spinish. I took 
1 Small Onion
2 Chicken breast
1 Can Curry Gravy
1 Hot pepper dried. ( I dried them and did it make them hot)
1 Package chopped frozen spinish drained.
small amount of water. 

In a non stick pan I browned the onion and chicken and dried pepper and then added curry cooked for about 1/2 hour. I add a small amount of water if needed to cover the chicken as one can of curry might not be enough. Then I added the spinish and cooked for about another 10min or so. 

Yummmmmy


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## Piccolina (Oct 7, 2005)

urmaniac13 said:
			
		

> Oh Jess what we can share and relate about our lovely Italian Stallions!!  Coconuts can be really nice with some Indian recipe... chicken korma is one of our faves have you tried it??


 Yes, I love this one! I make it with coconut cream and or milk, I can't seem to find coconut powder here. I'd used that in the past, but it doesn't really make a differnce. _*As to our boys...SO TRUE!!! *_


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## Claire (Oct 16, 2005)

I, too, cheat with curries. The number of spices and preparations are just overwhelming if you don't eat it A LOT. I've moved around a lot, so find a blend I like then jazz it up with fresh herbs, lovely crunchy mustard seeds, etc. I love just about any Pataks product. I have done it all from scratch before, but I simply don't do it often enough to gain any real expertise and wound up with a kitchen full of spices I didn't use often enough. In my fantasy life, Yakuta comes to my house and takes over my kitchen for a night!

P.S., my Pakistani friend thought my curry was pretty good!


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## Yakuta (Oct 18, 2005)

Hi Claire I just saw your post.  Actually why dont you drop me a PT when you are in Chicago ( I live in the Northwestern suburbs) and I would love for you to come over and I can prepare you an Indian meal.  

I do this for a few of my American friends who love Indian food.  I would truly love to have you over.  It would be a pleasure.


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## Claire (Oct 20, 2005)

If I have the opportunity to spend some time in Chicago, I will.  The invitation is reciprocated.


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