Wedding style Murgh Paalak Curry – Curry On Halima
So, here is the recipe for my super yummy, wedding style Murgh Paalak, or Chicken and Spinach, Curry. This is my most favourite way of cooking chicken with spinach, because… this recipe requires NO ONIONS!!!
The preparation and cooking of the spinach is the most important component to this curry. So, please do follow the recipe and the cooking tips, to ensure that you also end up with a dish tasting exactly the same as mine, if not better.
A simple pulao rice, naans or tandoori rotis are the perfect accompaniment to this lush curry. I like to use boneless chicken because it’s easier for guests to eat, and there’s no fiddling around with bones, etc.; but, baby chicken will work well too. I wouldn’t advise using large pieces though.
INGREDIENTS
- Chicken breast, 1-inch cubes x 500g
- Baby spinach x 500g
- Garlic x 6 cloves (grated)
- Ginger x 1″ piece (grated)
- Ginger x 1″ piece (cut in juliennes)
- Green chillies (finely chopped)
- Tomatoes x 250g (finely chopped)
- Tomato puree x 1 heaped tbsp
- Fresh coriander x large handful (chopped)
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) x 1 tbsp
- Oil for cooking
- Butter for indulgence
SPICES
- Chilli powder x 1 level tsp
- Turmeric powder x ½ tsp
- Coriander seeds x 1 tbsp (coarsely ground)
- Cumin seeds x 1 tsp
- Green cardamom x 4 (slightly opened)
- Salt to taste
METHOD
- Pop the bags of spinach in the freezer for at least two hours.
- Heat oil in a wide cooking pot and throw in the cumin seeds and cardamom pods, sizzle over low heat for a few minutes.
- Add in the grated garlic and ginger, sauté over medium heat for about a minute.
- Now, add in the chicken and increase heat to high. Cook until the chicken has changed colour completely and all the meat juices have dried up.
- Mix in the tomato puree and cook until it’s fully incorporated.
- Sprinkle in the chilli powder, turmeric and half of the ground coriander, along with a splash of hot water. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- The tomatoes will have cooked down by now so, turn the heat up a little and cook until all the liquid dries up.
- Throw in the chillies (as few or as many as you’d like) and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Remove the spinach from the freezer and crush it up without opening the bag. You’ll end up with a green powder like consistency. Add this to the chicken and mix thoroughly for a good 5 minutes.
- Place on the lid, turn heat down to low and let the chicken and spinach cook together for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the spinach is well mixed in.
- Increase heat to high and cook the curry until all the excess moisture has dried up, you have a smooth velvety consistency and the oil has surfaced to the top.
- Add in a couple of knobs of butter and mix through lightly.
- Now, add salt and mix well. Add in the kasuri methi (crush in your hands as you do so). Cook until everything is well mixed together and the oil has risen to the surface.
- Scatter over the ginger juliennes, remaining ground coriander and the fresh coriander too, don’t mix. Cover with a lid, turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes before serving with your choice of rice or flatbread.
Halima is extremely passionate about food, especially Pakistani food.
Her repertoire is full of Pakistani recipes which are full of flavour, unique in taste and easy to follow.
Now living in North Wales, Halima spends much of her time in her kitchen creating and sharing her wonderful dishes through her Facebook page, Curry On Halima.
She is currently in the process of writing a book and is due to start one-on-one cooking classes.
Halima receives immense pleasure and reward by helping others through her cooking and recipes.
She has recently done live cooking demonstrations at the London Halal Food Festival and the 2016 Muslim Lifestyle Expo event in Manchester.
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