Murghi Ka Saag; Chicken Saag

Marghi nu Shaak | Chicken Saag


The more common term, Saag, is derived from the Sanskrit word Shaak, both of which mean leafy green vegetables, or "greens". The dish can be eaten with any flat bread like rotli, chapati or naan, or even with bread or rice. It is often made with an additional vegetable, which is added in pieces or with pieces and chunks of paneer, while my take on it is made with pieces of chicken. For my 'saag', I picked pea shoots and fresh coriander, including the stems but not the roots. I chose to serve it with saffron lemon rice lightly flavoured with kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass blades to add to the flavours.

If you want to serve it with naan or bread, thicken the saag.

Saag Murghi

Lemon Rice

Serves 6

120 g/ 4 oz pea shoots
120 g/4 oz coriander leaves and stalks

Handful of fresh mint
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garam masalo
2 green chillies
1 1/2  cup crushed fried onions
Juice from one lemon or lime
2  small fresh tomatoes

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup yogurt with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar


Whole Spices
1 cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom pods
10 black cloves
10 black peppercorns

1 1/2 kg/ 3.3 lb chicken in pieces

Grind to a paste the pea shoots ,fresh coriander, ginger, and garlic, salt, cumin, turmeric, red chilli and garam masalo powders. Also add the green chillies, the fried onions, the juice of a lemon or lime and the fresh tomatoes.

Add this ground masala mixture into a large pan. Add the coconut milk, the yoghurt mix, and all of the whole spices. Give it a good stir with a spoon. Add all the chicken pieces to it and leave it to marinate for up to 4 hours.

When ready to cook, bring the whole mixture to a boil. Cook for 1 hour, covered, on low heat.

Serve this with lemon rice. The recipe is on page xx.

Tips

Greens are measured by weight. This equals a total of around 4 cups of greens. Other than by weight, it is hard to measure greens so feel free to be approximate in your measurement. Any green will do, including spinach, kale, collard greens, and other favourites. 

For more recipes click on
Niloufer's Kitchen Quick and Easy from read.amazon.com

Niloufer's Kitchen Autumn from read.amazon.com