Indian style sloppy joes

Hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day!

sloppy joes are always a good quick meal. There’s also a lot of variations on them! This was one was just ok.

Indian-Style Sloppy Joes
adapted from rachael ray magazine

ingredients
2 tablespoons EVOO or vegetable oil
1 1/2pounds ground turkey or ground chicken
1 onion, finely chopped
1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 1/2teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2teaspoons chili powder
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon honey
6 soft burger rolls, split
Cilantro leaves for topping

directions
In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook to brown well, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onion, ginger and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and honey, lower the heat and simmer until ready to serve.
Layer the roll bottoms with the sloppy joe meat, cilantro, and roll tops.

Chicken naan

I ripped this recipe out of weight watcher magazine. They had it under the 15 minute dinner section. It came out pretty good and quick. I served with tjs garlic naan. Yum!

chicken naan
adapted from weight watchers magazine

2 tsp oil
1lb ground chicken
1/2 onion, minced
2tsp cumin
4 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup raisins
4 tsp toasted pine nuts
Naan

Heat oil in skillet.
Add ground chicken, onion, and cumin. Cook until chicken cooked through
Add spinach, raisins and pine nuts.
Cook until heated through
Serve with naan

Slow cooker chicken saag

Brave yourself for the picture I took of this dish.. I won’t even say what the munchkins said it looked like! This smelled soooooo good while cooking, but definitely didn’t live up to the delicious aroma while cooking. We tossed the leftovers… Better luck next time!

slow cooker chicken saag
adapted from bevcooks

* 2 pounds baby spinach
* 2 red onions, roughly chopped (I used one red, one yellow)
* 5 serrano peppers, stems removed (I only had one jalapeño)
* 1 head garlic, peeled
* 4-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
* 1 can of diced tomatoes
* 4 Tbs. cumin
* 2 Tbs. garam masala
* 1 Tbs. turmeric
* 1 Tbs. chili powder
* 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
* coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
* cooked white basmati rice and garlic naan for serving
* fresh cilantro, for garnish

Layer half the spinach along the bottom of your slow cooker. Then add the onions through the chili powder. Add a big pinch of salt and pepper. Then press down the other half of the spinach on top of everything. It will practically be falling out everywhere. Press the lid down.

Now turn the slow cooker on to low and let it simmer for 3 hours. Check on it a couple of times and give it a stir. After three hours, pour the saag into a blender and purée it. Pour back into slow cooker.

Then let it simmer another two hours.

THEN, sear your chicken cubes in a large skillet until nice and browned on both sides. Season them with salt with pepper. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker for the last hour of slow cookering. (for a total of 6 hours)

Serve over a bed of cooked white (basmati or jasmine) rice and some torn toasted garlic naan! And oh! Some good cilantro! And oh! Maybe some fresh lime juice if you want to wake it up a little.

Crockpot chicken korma

This was eh.. Not enough flavor for me. Munchkin #1 loved it though!

crockpot chicken korma
a year of slow cooking

ingredients

2-3 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut in chunks
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes and juice
2 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup greek yogurt (to add later)
cooked white or brown long grain rice for serving

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your pot. Add onion. Pour in the tomatoes, and add garlic and all spices. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3 to 4. stir in the yogurt. Serve over rice.

crockpot butter chicken

i love indian food so when i saw this recipe for crockpot butter chicken i was excited.. i basically doubled the original recipe except for the liquids..  it still came out really really soupy.. and really really bland!   need to look for a new recipe!

Crockpot Butter Chicken

adapted from food & whine

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp ginger
3 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp garam masala
1 can diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp peanut butter

In a crockpot, combine all ingredients up to and including ground pepper. Cook on high 4 hours, or  low for 6-8 hours.  Shred chicken with two forks.  Stir in sour cream and peanut butter.

keema (indian-style ground beef)

i took out some ground beef to defrost with no plan — nothing sounded good — tacos, chili, enchiladas, etc….   then i remembered a friend mentioning awhile ago that she had made some yummy keema from ground beef…  we love indian so i figured i’d find a recipe and try it!   this didnt disappoint.. kinda reminded me of indain tacos   i served with tj’s garlic naan and jasmine rice.

 

 

 

Keema (Indian-Style Ground Meat)

adapted from allrecipes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 8 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1.5 cup beef broth
• 1-2 cups green beans

Directions

1. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until evenly brown.
2. While cooking, break apart with a wooden spoon until crumbled.
3. Transfer cooked beef to a bowl, and drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
4. Saute onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in garlic, and saute 1 minute.
6.  Stir in garam masala and salt, and cook 1 minute.
7.  Return the browned beef to the pan, and stir in tomato paste and beef broth.
8. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until meat is fully cooked through, and liquid has evaporated.
9. about 1/2 way through simmering i added the green beans

indian chicken wrap

i had some rotisserie chicken to use up and had this recipe ripped out of food network magazine.. i love indian food – i love naan would could be bad about this??   nothing really!  i used tj’s garlic naan for some extra flavor YUM.  next time i’ll use 2 serrano chile peppers  and more ginger for more kick!  the white sauce was delicious — reminds me of tzatiki sauce!

 

 

recipe from food network

 

Ingredients

• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled
• 1 serrano chile pepper, halved, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 4 pieces naan bread or pocketless pita, warmed

Directions

Combine the ginger, chile, onion, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mini food processor and pulse to make a thick paste. (Or finely chop and mash with the flat side of a knife.) Mix the yogurt, lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger-chile paste and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, carrots, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick and the chicken is heated through, about 2 more minutes. Season with salt.

Spoon one-quarter of the chicken filling down the middle of each piece of bread. Drizzle with some of the yogurt sauce and roll up.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

we’ve had a bunch of ‘eh’ and ‘bleh’ slow cooker dinners lately…   we love indian food so i gave this one a shot!  and it DID NOT disappoint!  it was really good!   this was not one of those just throw a few things in the crock and set it kind of meal though….  it required work.. but it was worth it!  next time i’ll add in more ceyenne — it needed just a bit more spice!  i served it over basmati rice and with tj’s garlic naan.  there’s a slow cooker butter chicken recipe on the same blog i’m going to have to try next!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

adapted from themealplanner

Chicken Tikka:
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne (next time i’ll put in more)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

Stir all ingredients except chicken into the bottom of a large plastic container. Add the chicken and coat the chicken completely with the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Masala:
1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can 5.5 oz tomato paste
2 inches fresh ginger, grated (store your ginger in the freezer and it will be super easy to grate)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp curry paste

1 tbsp of lemon juic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried coriander

1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt
1 cup light cream
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Turn your oven to broil. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack over top. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on the baking rack. Place under the broiler about 6-10 inches from the heating element and broil on each side about 10 minutes. You don’t have to worry about cooking the meat all the way through, you are just looking for a nice browned color.

While the chicken is broiling, in a pan over medium high heat, add about a tsp or two of oil. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a few more minutes until the mixture is nice and fragrant. Place the mixture into your crockpot. To that, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garam masala, curry paste, lemon, cumin, chili powder and coriander. Stir together. When the chicken is done broiling, add them straight to the slow cooker and stir into the masala (sauce).  Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Before serving stir in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and salt.  Then stir in the cream and fresh cilantro.

bombay shrimp curry

 

the bff and i decided to collaborate on a new blog.   don’t worry this will still be my main blog – but i’ll be posting there too!

today’s dinner is posted there — check it out!

 

townmouseandcountrymouse

rr’s turkey curry on tj’s garlic naan

i was originally going to make a different recipe using ground turkey – but figured hey why not make something different.  miraculously i had everything needed in the new recipe.  it was ok — nothing i’d make again — pretty bland!

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled  (i used feta)
• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt, preferably Greek
• Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped   (i left out)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 pitas or other flatbread, warmed  (i used tjs garlic naan)

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and curry powder and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese until blended. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, lemon peel and lemon juice; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the tomato, parsley and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Place a warm pita on each plate, top with the turkey curry and tomato salad and fold over.