Homemade Naan

Ah, naan. So scrumptious, and perfect for sopping up creamy Indian food goodness. It also makes a pretty good personal pizza if I do say so myself! I've made this recipe a number of times, and it's way easier then you would think! There's very little kneading, so no need for a stand mixture, and only one rise at 45 minutes!

There are a few things I've learned over time with this recipe:

-I've found that the naan cooks better when using a cast iron skillet. I used non-stick when I made this in China, and far prefer the cast iron. If you don't have one...get one. Not only do they cook food beautifully, they're good for your health too! I use cast iron about 90% of the time in my cooking.

-When rolling out the dough, roll it thinner than you would think! The thinner it is the more bubbly it gets, and trust me, that's a very good thing (fun to watch too)!

-Make sure your pan is hot before putting the first one on, otherwise it won't bubble as well as it should. When this happens, the first one turns out okay, but the second is perfect. The pan should sizzle and crack when you splash a little water on it.

-Keep your towel over the individual balls of dough while cooking one. This will keep in the moisture, and they'll be easier to shape into balls when the time comes.

So there you have it. Not too bad, right? Trust me, once you make naan yourself, you'll never want to buy the stuff in the store again! Next time, I'm going to give garlic naan a try. If I'm successful, it could be dangerous!

Homemade Naan

Ingredients

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup water

2 1/2-3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil 

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 large egg

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt. Next, add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour/salt mixture and stir until well combined. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon (about 1 to 1.5 cups later).

At that point, turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. I ended up using a little less then 3 cups of flour total. The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky.

Loosely cover the dough with a tea towel in a warm (cozy!) spot and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round. Leave the towel over the dough until ready to use.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet (cast iron baby!) over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick or approximately 7 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface. The bigger the bubbles, the better. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Brush with melted butter, and serve.

Recipe Source: adapted from Budget Bytes

Chana Saag

I can't believe summer vacation will soon be coming to a close. It's been a pretty busy summer, and I'm sure the school year will be even more crazy! Chris and I will be traveling to Louisville quite a bit in the coming months, so I decided I was going to start cooking meals now and freezing them, so when we feel too tired to make dinner we won't have to eat out. I'm calling it "The Freezer Project". *Cough*...I may or may not have a word doc on google drive with a list of things I'm planning on making. Yes...totally dorking out over here. What you see here are two things I can now check off my list. That's right, accompanying the saag is homemade naan (recipe coming soon!).

I've made this recipe before, but felt it was lacking in flavor. I loved the idea of using evaporated milk instead of cream and how simple and easy this dish is to pull off, so I gave it a second chance, changing the spices a bit. I'm so glad I did, because it makes for a wonderful meal, and I imagine it will taste even better tomorrow! It makes a fair amount, about six servings, which is perfect for us. We each had it for lunch today, lunch is taken care of tomorrow, and two servings are waiting for us in the freezer. That's what I call perfection! Stay tuned for my favorite naan recipe!

Chana Saag

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches fresh grated ginger

1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (I did a 1/4 tsp. and it wasn't too spicy)

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large tomato, chopped

1 lb. bag frozen chopped spinach*

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

Directions

In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, and grated ginger (it's easiest to just grate it right over the pan). Saute for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and transparent. 

Add coriander, tumeric, red pepper, and garam masala. Stir and cook for about 1 minute. Add the tomato and salt, and continue to cook for another five minutes, or until the tomato starts to lose it's shape.

Add the chickpeas, spinach, and 1/2 cup of water to the skillet, giving it a good stir as to break up the spinach. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, then continue to let it simmer until the mixture is heated through, about five minutes.

At this point, most of the water should have simmered away. Turn the heat down to medium low, and add the evaporated milk. Depending on how thick you want the sauce, you can just heat it through, or let it simmer until thickened. 

Once cooked, take a cup or so of the mixture and add it to a blender, blending until smooth. Add mixture back to the skillet, give it a stir, and serve with rice, naan or both!**

*Be sure the spinach you purchase is chopped, or you'll be stuck with long pieces of stringy spinach.

**This last step is completely optional, but I like the color and added thickness. Leave it as is if you wish!

Recipe Source: adapted from Budget Bytes

Indian-Spiced Turkey Burgers

I am finished with the first year of my doctorate. Where did the time go? It seems like we just got back from China! This year has been mentally and physically exhausting, and I welcome this four month break. 

I have lots of plans for the summer, including spending time with friends. I'm thinking a barbeque for sure. If you all are thinking the same thing, might I suggest making these burgers?

These aren't the most beautiful burgers in the world, but boy are they flavorful. I made one immediately after combining all the ingredients, and per the author's suggestion, also waited until the next day to cook the rest to let the flavors marry. I'm so glad I did. I thought the flavor was great with the first one, but the second was incredible. Served on a toasted bun with lettuce and a little homemade tzatziki, these are probably my new favorite burgers!

Also, if you're in Cinci you should definitely pick up some ground turkey from Findlay Market. At $2.29/lb. for ground dark turkey meat, you can't beat it.

Bottom line...make these ASAP. They are wonderful, and an excellent way to start the summer (spring?)!

I am also submitting this to Souper Sundays over at Kahakai Kitchen, as they not only accept soups, but also salads and sandwiches!

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey (I prefer dark meat..yum!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon butter, olive oil, or cooking spray.

Directions

In a medium-large bowl, combine the turkey, seasonings, onion, garlic, and ginger. At this point you can cook the turkey right away, though I think it tastes better after marinating in the fridge for a day or two.

Form mixture into 3 ounce patties, about an inch thick. Try not to make patties too thin.

Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add your choice of fat.

Gently slide patties onto skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, allowing the patties to develop a good char. Carefully flip and cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Resist the urge to flatten or flip patties more than necessary. 

Serve on toasted burger buns with your favorite toppings (FYI..tzatziki totally wins here).

Recipe Source: adapted from chow.com

Chicken Tikka Masala

If you could choose any meal in the whole world to be your final meal, what would it be? Tough question, I know. I don't even know if I could pick any one thing, though I think chicken tikka masala would definitely be a finalist. 

Up until today, I have had zero luck making chicken tikka masala at home. I blame the jars of tikka masala at Trader Joe's that call for water instead of cream, and starter kits. None of them even compare to the beautiful orange spicy creamy goodness I buy at my local Indian restaurants. As I mentioned before I have access to at least four incredible Indian restaurants within walking distance to my house. Why would I ever make it at home? It's expensive, that's why.

This recipe isn't quite like what I buy at my local places, though it was too good not to share. Orange, spicy, and creamy, it's definitely a start in the right direction. The chicken alone is worth the recipe. It was some of the best chicken I've ever made, and I almost decided to chuck the tikka masala and just have the chicken. I will still continue to search for the my perfect tikka masala, but I'm glad I have this recipe in my arsenal to tide me over until then.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Chicken:

1.75 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teasponn coriander

½ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

Marinade:

1 cup whole milk greek yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Simmer Sauce:

2 tasblespoons oil

1 large onion, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

2 fresh jalapenos, finely minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoons garam marsala

28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I may try tomato puree next time)

1 tablespoons sugar

¾ cup heavy cream

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne for a little kick (which is what I like), or more if you like it extra spicy

Directions

In a ziploc bag, add the chicken and dry spices. Shake, and rub the chicken, coating it evenly with spices. Refrigerate the chicken up to a few hours.

Combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, and oil in a bowl, then add to the bag of chicken. Leave out at room temperature to marinate.

Preheat the oven broiler. On a sheet pan covered in foil, dump chicken out of the ziploc bag. Broil the chicken for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat, and leave in the oven for an additional five minutes.

While the chicken cooks, make the simmer sauce.

In a medium sized dutch oven (ideally enamel cast iron), add the oil. Once hot, add the onions. Once they begin to brown and soften, add the garlic, ginger, and jalapenos. Cook for one minute. Then add the tomato paste and garam masala, and stir to combine. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in cream. 

Once the chicken is cooked, cut into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the sauce, and gently reheat.

Serve the tikka masala on a bed of rice and naan. Oh how I wish I had naan! I forgot...never again.

Recipe Source: Heather Christo

Dal Nirvana

I am so excited about this dish. I have been craving Indian food for the better part of a year, and could finally wait no more. It is one of my favorite cuisines. You may be surprised, but when I was living in Cincinnati, I could get incredible Indian food at about 3 or more different restaurants within walking distance of my apartment. Incredible Indian restaurants in the midwest? Yes, I kid you not. I don't know why, but I never complained. Wow, just thinking about it is making me excited about being back in the Queen City.

My favorite dish is chicken tikka masala, and I order it every time. It's probably one of my most favorite meals on the planet actually. Though this isn't tikka masala, this dal nirvana is...well...nirvana. It completely hit the spot. It was just spicy enough, though could set your mouth on fire if you wanted it to, and was ever so flavorful. I also had barely enough lentils left in the cabinet, so this was perfect, as I'm trying to use stuff up since we're moving back to the states next month.

If you're not really familiar with Indian food, I urge you to give this dish a try. It was incredibly easy to make, and I just loved it. I wish I had more leftover! It fed me and Chris, and we'll probably have just enough for a meal tomorrow, or *ahem* maybe even dinner tonight. Also, see that beautiful stack of naan? Yeah...I made them (does happy dance). I want to play around with the recipe more before sharing, but for now, here is the recipe for this divine meal. Enjoy!

Dal Nirvana

Ingredients

1 cup dry brown lentils

2 gloves garlic

1 inch fresh ginger 

1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (the amount depends on how spicy you want it...I used 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric (this spice isn't as common I guess, and is optional, but I loved the addition)

4 tablespoons butter

1 15oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup cream

Chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish

Directions

Pick through lentils, and remove any stones if you find any (I've never found any until today!). Place lentils in a pot and cover with a couple inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils in a colander.

While the lentils are boiling, mince the garlic, and peel and grate the ginger (using a small hole cheese grater).*

Over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and water. Stir it all together. Bring it to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, and cover. The mixture should be soft and thick after a half hour. If it's not, continue to simmer, adding more water if it dries out. You want the end product to be thick, not watery.

Once cooked, remove from heat, and stir in the cream. Garnish with cilantro, and serve over rice or with naan for dipping. Or better yet, both like we did!

*I started keeping fresh ginger in the freezer, as I could never seem to use it all. Just pull it out, peel the amount you plan to use and you can grate it while frozen. When you're done, throw it back in the freezer for later use. Alternately, you could grate all the ginger, then freeze, pulling off chunks as you need it. No more wasted ginger! :)

Recipe Source: adapted from Budget Bytes