Chicken Tikka Masala recipe | Epicurious.com Naan (Indian flatbread) and/or cooked Basmati Rice Equipment: Meat mallet or rolling pin, Microplane Advertisements Preparation Marinate the chicken: Use a fork to prick the chicken breasts all over on both sides. Arrange the chicken breasts on a large sheet of plastic wrap, spacing them apart from one another, then cover with a second large sheet of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or a rolling pin, beat the chicken until the breasts are an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 tablespoon peanut oil, lime juice, and garlic. Add the pounded chicken, and rub the marinade over the meat. Set the chicken aside while you make the sauce. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, and grated ginger. In a heavy, wide 4-quart pot or sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light brown and caramelized, about 5 minutes.

(Note that because they are sautéed so quickly over moderately high heat, the onions will not caramelize evenly.) Reduce the heat to moderate then stir in the spice and ginger mixture. Add the tomato purée, water, heavy cream, and salt, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to gently simmer the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: The sauce can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 3 days. While sauce is simmering, cook chicken: Heat a heavy 11- to 12-inch griddle or skillet over moderately high heat until very hot and add 1/2 tablespoon of peanut oil. Working in two batches, cook the chicken breasts, turning them a few times and lowering the heat if the chicken chars too quickly, until just cooked through and browned well on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken as cooked to a cutting board. Wipe the griddle or skillet clean with a paper towel and cook the remaining chicken, adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil between batches.

When all the chicken is cooked, cut it into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce and continue to gently simmer it, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the black pepper and chopped cilantro, and season with salt. DO AHEAD: Chicken tikka masala can be prepared ahead, cooled, uncovered, and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days. To serve: Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with additional cilantro sprigs. Serve with naan, and/or if desired with Basmati Rice . Cook's Notes: •If you prefer to make the sauce with fresh tomatoes, chop 1 pound fresh tomatoes and purée them, including the skins and seeds, in a blender with 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 3/4 teaspoon sugar. When using fresh tomatoes, omit the 3/4 cup water from the recipe. •If you are really short on time, substitute the meat from a rotisserie chicken.

Nutritional Info Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani) Recipe Yield: Serves 4-6 Preparation Mix the chicken, lime juice , salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds . Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder . Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour. Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes . Fry for a minute. Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).

Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock , kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken. Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume. Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Naan and Kaali Daal . For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: When the Butter Chicken is cooked, make a small bowl shape with aluminum foil and place it on top of the curry ('floating' on it). Heat a briquette of charcoal on an open flame till red hot and gently put the charcoal in to the aluminum foil bowl. Cover the dish immediately. Remove the cover just before serving, discard the foil bowl and charcoal and serve. The curry will be infused with a smokey flavor! Related Articles 10 Best Indian Chicken Recipes - NDTV Food 10 Best Indian Chicken Recipes 10 Best Indian Chicken Recipes NDTV Food | Updated: November 03, 2016 15:23 IST Tweeter facebook Google Plus Reddit Indian cooking offers a beautiful melange of herbs and spices.

Here are our 10 best Indian chicken recipes, from Kerala chicken roast to butter chicken. Chicken cooked in fiery desi flavors is a dream come true for all non-vegetarians. Apart from being a very versatile meat when it comes to cooking, chicken also promises great health benefits. Did you know that the human body can derive about 30 different nutritional substances from just 100 grams of chicken? Chicken is a great source of lean, low fat protein. It is also packed with selenium, a chemical known for its anti- cancer properties. The skin of the chicken is known to contain the maximum fat; therefore skinned chicken is preferred by many. Scroll down for 10 easy-to-cook, fuss-free and exciting Indian chicken recipes that are sure to light up your evenings. We're talking tandoori Mughlai tikkas, fragrant Nawabi biryani and more. 1. Amritsari Murgh Makhani Recipe by Chef Aditya Bal Chicken is a Punjabi cuisine favorite. Here's the recipe of one of it's most prized dishes. Boneless chunks of chicken lathered with a rich, buttery gravy of cream, tomatoes and spices. ( Recipe Video ) 2.

Teekha Murg Recipe by Chef Meraj Ul Haque For all the spice fans! Tender chicken spiked with fiery masalas, cooked in mustard oil with the tang of tomatoes to balance the flavours. Recipe by Chef Marut Sikka Chicken drumsticks laced with delicate flavors of cream, milk , saffron , rose petals and mild spices. 4. Kerala Chicken Roast Recipe by Chef Divya Burman A crisp fried chicken recipe from 'God's own country'. A family favorite, serve with a generous squeeze of lime. 5. Chicken Chettinad Recipe by Chef Kishore D Reddy For the ones who love a fiery palette! Chettinad cuisine from Tamil Nadu is known to be the spiciest cuisine in India. Chicken tossed with southern spices and coconut-y paste. 6. Spicy Tangy Kadhai Chicken Recipe by Chef Aditya Bal A recipe with a melange of flavours - sweet, spicy and sour in one bite! Chicken seared along with bell peppers, tamarind, jaggery , lemon and a home made spice paste. 7.

Chana Aur Khatte Pyaaz Ka Murgh Recipe by Chef Nimish Bhatia Chicken morsels cooked with pickled onions in a luscious gravy made with chickpeas . A combination of unique flavours! 8. Masaledar Chicken Lollipop Recipe by Chef Aditya Bal The oriental chicken lollipops get a desi makeover. Chicken wrapped in rustic spices and fried crisp. A great party starter! 9. Butter Chicken Recipe by Chef R John, Moti Mahal, Daryaganj, Delhi Straight from a Punjabi kitchen, butter chicken has been an instant hit through the years. Marinated overnight, the chicken is roasted and cooked in tomato puree, cream and masalas. Enjoy the classic creaminess of the dish with this recipe. ( Recipe Video ) 10. Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe by Chef Marut Sikka A sumptuous chicken biryani cooked with such precision that none of the flavors are allowed to change color. 'Dum' is a slow cooking method brought in by the Mughals. Food is cooked in a 'handi', the lid sealed with flour and on low heat. The steam thus choked helps to cook the food.

Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) Recipe - Allrecipes.com YAKUTA 7/1/2003 I wanted to comment on this recipe and some tips to make it authentic and give it that restaurant touch. The recipe itself is fairly good . The only thing I would add to make it a bit more aut... AMIBOULD 3/1/2006 I am an Indian native looking for an Americanized version of this dish for a friend who is a little intimidated by Indian food. I gave this recipe a try, and it is almost there. First, I used... chibi chef 1/2/2008 This dish is SO good, my hubby requests it often. Even though I modified the recipe to make it healthier, I still gave 5 stars because the original tastes good too. My changes: I followed other... MariyaC 12/14/2005 This was absolutely delicious! My Pakistani in-laws are quite picky when it comes to traditional food, but this one is a new favorite! I made the following adjustments: Added 1 tbsp butter to th...

VICTORIA4784 3/1/2004 This is an excellent recipe, however, the first time we tried it, we decided the chicken needed to be marinated first. The sauce was good, but the chicken (we used chicken breast) was a bit che... Janis Whitsett 7/13/2003 Tastes just like the dish I love at our favorite Indian restaurant. I make it low carb by using 1/2 cup tomato paste in place of the tomato puree so it thickens without the cornstarch. I also el... Victoria Seley Lethbridge 5/20/2002 Wow! Finally a delicious Indian dish that doesn't take overnight marinating and tons of obscure ingredients. I didn't have any fresh ginger, so I used half crushed garlic and a pinch of ground ... Alexis 6/30/2006 Took a lot longer than the stated 5 minutes, but definitely worth it. Instead of the ginger-garlic paste I used 4 mammoth-sized garlic cloves and almost a Tbsp of ground ginger. I used cream i...

EPONINA 5/13/2003 This turned out good - not quite restaurant quality, but I was pretty satisfied with the result. I think more masala/seasoning should be added to the chicken, and the whole dish should simmer f... Butter Chicken (Indian Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce) Recipe : Food Network 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice 1 skinless rotisserie chicken, boned out and pulled into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks 1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas, placed in a colander and run under hot water to thaw 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream Hot basmati rice, for serving Pita bread, warmed according to package directions, for serving Directions Watch how to make this recipe. To make the spice blend: Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic , tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The spices will be fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer . Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm. Shake any excess water from the peas. Add the peas and cream to the sauce in the pan, stir well and heat through. Do not boil. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with rice and warmed pita bread. Variation: If you prefer shreds of chicken to whole pieces, remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat into large chunks by hand. Add to the pan along with the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the tomato sauce and continue with the recipe. Serve over basmati rice.

Recipe courtesy of Carla Fitzgerald Williams, Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue!, Hyperion Books, 2003 CATEGORIES: Indian Recipes - Allrecipes.com Indian Recipes Indian Recipes Explore the best of Indian cooking with these top-rated recipes for curries, tandoori chicken, chutneys, and more flavorful faves. "I made a late-night trip to pick up a jar of yeast just so I could make this. I had to force myself to stop eating and save some for the rest of the family." – Erik Joseph Get Allrecipes Magazine! Top-rated recipes, party ideas, and cooking tips to inspire you year-round. Get a full year for just $7.99!

Indian food Glossary - Indian food hindi names, telugu names, tamil names and kannada names Indian Food Glossary Achar: Any kind of pickle Aloo: Potato Biryani : A fancy rice casserole, often containing meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables Chapati/Roti: Thin bread cooked on the griddle Dal: Any kind of legume--beans, peas, or lentils Dosa: Crispy, crepe-like southern Indian specialty filled with potatoes or vegetables Korma : Braised meats in a thick, mild creamy sauce Kulcha: Tender, pita-like bread cooked in the tandoor Lassi: A refreshing, creamy yogurt drink that can be sweet or salty Masala: Spice blend Naan: Flat, oval bread cooked in the tandoor Pakora: Fritter dipped in a spicy chickpea batter; can be made with vegetables, cheese, chicken or seafood Paneer: Cheese Paratha: Flaky bread fried on the griddle Poori: Airy, deep-fried bread Pulao : An aromatic rice pilaf Raita : A yogurt-based condiment usually containing vegetables Rasam: A thin, spicy broth Saag: Spinach, but can also refer to other greens Sambar

: An extremely spicy broth popular in southern India Samosa: Flaky, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes or ground meat; a traditional Indian snack Tandoor: A deep, clay oven that has very high temperatures Tandoori : Any dish cooked in a tandoor Vindaloo : An extremely spicy curry dish that's a regional specialty of Goa A to Z Glossary Aachar: Indian Pickles are mainly made with vegetables and fruits like mango, lime, green chilies etc.

Made mostly during the summer in India, they are a spicy and delightful addition to the Indian meal. One has to get aquatinted with the strong flavors of most pickles, so do try one. Appam: Wafer thin, round and flat. They are usually made out of rice, potato and/or various lentil flours Aloo: Potato Am chur: Mango powder. A sour flavoring agent. Appam: Wafer thin, round and flat. They are usually made out of rice, potato and/or various lentil flours Ata (Atta): Chapatti flour . Fine whole meal flour used in most Indian breads. Avial: Vegetable curry from the south of India __________________________________ Bandai: Aniseed stars. Badam: Almond Bagar or Tadka or Chounk: Spices and herbs are added one at a time to hot oil and this tempering is either done as the first step in the cooking process, before adding the vegetables for example, or as the last, pouring the tempered oil over a cooked dish. The oil extracts and retains all the sharp flavors of the spices and flavors the entire dish.

Balchao as in the Goan recipe Prawn Balchao where the shrimp is marinated in a brine sauce: a Goan specialty where vegetables like aubergines or seafood like prawns are "pickled" in sugar, vinegar and spices for a day or two before eating. Barfi: A dessert made from milk that has been cooked slowly and reduced to a fudge-like consistency. This sweet is flavored with either saffron, vanilla essence, cocoa, rose water, etc. Sometimes nuts and fresh coconut is added. Eaten and served in bite-sized pieces "Barfi" is a very popular after dinner dessert. Just like bringing a bottle fine wine when you visit someone for the first time, a decorative box filled with different kinds of "Barfi" is a traditional gift in India. Basmati rice: Basmati rice is authentic Indian long grained white rice, which has unique nutty flavor. Basmati rice is very popular in India and all over the world. A wide variety of rice dishes are made with Basmati rice.

They are: plain steamed rice, pulaos, pilafs, biryanis or just different types of fried rice  which include meat, vegetables, nuts, and even fruits sometimes. Gourmet cooks prefer to use Basmati rice for its fragrant flavor. Special occasion rice dishes are mostly made with Basmati rice. Besan: Chickpea flour. Bhaaji or Sabji: Deep-fried vegetable dipped in a seasoned batter  usually made with onion. Bahare: Stuffed Bharta: A spicy vegetable dish, with a pulp like consistency. A commonly made bharta is a "baingan" (eggplant) bharta. Bhel Puri: One of Bombays favorite snacks. It is a mixture of puffed rice, "sev", "puri", lentils, finely chopped onions, chopped coriander topped with two kinds of chutneys; one is the sweet tamarind date chutney and the other is the spicy cilantro chutney. Bhuna or Bhunao: is to saut� or stir-fry.

Usually onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chilies are fried in oil, but to make sure that this doesnt stick, burn or cook unevenly, a small amount of liquid is added, repeatedly. After the oil separates from the mixture, the main ingredient (meat or vegetable) is added and cooked. Biryani: Elaborate dish made from spiced saffron rice cooked with pieces of lamb, chicken or vegetables. It is usually made on special occasions since it takes a long time to make a biryani, but it is surely worth the effort. It always tastes better the next day since the spices marinate and flavor the meat and rice. Bombay Duck: A smallish fish native to the Bombay area known locally as Bommbil. It is dried and appears on the table as a crispy shallow-fried starter or as an accompaniment to a curry. Bondas or Vadas: Round deep-fried savory snack made in different varieties usually from lentils, potatoes etc. eaten with a chutney. Boti Kebab: Marinated boneless cubes of meat cooked in a tandoor.

Brinjol: Eggplant __________________________________ Cassia Bark: A corky bark with a sweet fragrance similar to cinnamon and is used extensively in Northern Indian cookery. Cayenne pepper: A type of chili powder. Ceylon curry: Usually cooked with coconut, chili, and lemon. Chaamp: Chop. Chakla Belan: A special rolling pin and board. Chamcha: Spoon or ladle. Chaat: Salty snacks served with an array of sweet and spicy chutneys. Chai: Indian tea. Chapatti: Unleavened Indian flatbread made with wheat flour, water, oil and salt. Usually cooked on a "tava" or thick griddle and brushed with "ghee". Chaval: Rice. Chhalni: Sieve Chili: There are a great many species of chilies, which are the fleshy pods of shrub-like bushes of the capsicum family. Chilies range from large to small and colors include green, white, purple, pink, and red. Chilies are the most important heat agent in Indian cooking. They vary in hotness from mild to incendiary-like potency. Most commonly used are the small, fresh green or red chilies.

Red chilies can be dried and used whole, and chili powder is made from grinding dried chilies. Chimta: Tongs Chutney: Fresh relishes made with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Curry : To Indians, the term curry means gravy or sauce, Curries are what made Indian cuisine famous all over the world, the most famous of all is the Chicken Curry. Residents of the rest of the world, however, have come to think of "curry" as simply a thick creamy yellow sauce or any dish seasoned with a curry-powder blend, whether it has a sauce or not. An authentic Indian curry is an intricate combination of a stir-fried wet masala (mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes), various spices and seasonings with which meat, poultry, vegetables or fish is prepared to produce a stew-type dish. Curry leaves: (Not to be confused with the curry spice blend) The curry leaf plant is a tropical tree of the citrus family. The long slender leaflets that look a little like bay leaves are dark green on top and paler underside. The leaves have a strong, warm curry (combination of nuts and lemons) aroma when bruised or rubbed.

__________________________________ Dahi: Yogurt Dal: Dal is an Indian word, which includes dried peas, beans, and lentils that are red, yellow orange, or pink, plus split peas and other legumes. Dal can also be used to describe a soup like dish prepared with lentils. Dals are the primary source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Dals are cooked whole or pureed, depending on the dish. Ground powdered dal is used in unleavened breads and crackers, and even in spice mixtures Dalchini or Darchim: Cinnamon Dewa: Lentils. There are over sixty types of lentils. The most common types are masoor, channa, and urid. Dhansak: Traditional chicken or meat dish cooked in lentil and vegetable puree. Doroo: Celery Dosa: A popular delicacy from southern India made from rice and "urad" dal. They are usually made very thin and pancake-like and sometimes filled with a spiced potato mixture. Served with chutney and "sambar". Dum: A way to steam foods in a pot with a tightly covered lid or a sealed pot. A popular spiced vegetable dish is "Dum Aloo".

In the olden days, the utensil was sealed with atta (dough) to capture the moisture within the food as it cooked slowly over a charcoal fire. Some coal was placed on the lid to ensure even cooking. The food continued to cook in its own steam, retaining all its flavor and aroma. Dum means, "to steam" or "mature" a dish. __________________________________ Elaichi: Cardamom __________________________________ Feni: The Goan drink made from cashews or coconut is the perfect beach drink. It was originally a very basic and local drink, much like toddy. __________________________________ Goor or gur: Jaggery (palm sugar) or molasses. Gosht: Lamb Gulab Jamun: Deep-fried cake balls served with aromatic syrups. Gurda: Kidney. __________________________________ Haldi or Huldi: Turmeric. Haldi is a very important Indian spice. It is the basis for all Indian curry spice blends. Halvah: Indian sweet made from a variety of finely grated vegetables, milk, and sugar and flavored with cardamom. The consistency is that of a thick pudding. Among the popular halvah is the "Gajar Halvah".

Hing: Asafetida is the dried gum resin of an East Indian plant. It has a strong odor and the flavor is a little like "spicy garlic. Usually just a pinch is used for cooking mainly fish, vegetables and making "Indian pickles". It is available in a yellow powdered form. __________________________________ Idli: South Indian steamed rice cakes: a very popular snack from the south of India. Generally eaten with "sambar" and "chutney". Imli: Tamarind. Jaifal or Taifal: Nutmeg Jal frezi: Saut� or stir-fry. Jalebi: These sweet crisp round whirls, made from plain flour and water deep-fried and then dipped in sugar syrup, served hot or cold, make a favorite Indian dessert. Kala jeera: Black cumin seeds. Kala namak: Black salt. Kaleji: Liver. Kalongi: Nigella, similar to wild onion seeds. Karanji: Pastries made out of whole-wheat flour and filled with a cooked mixture of freshly grated coconut and sugar. It is a Maharashtrian delicacy.

Karela: Small, dark green, knobby vegetable of the gourd family. Kashmir Chicken: Whole chicken stuffed with minced meat. Katori: Small serving bowls which go on a thaali (tray). Kebabs: Marinated and spiced small pieces of any meat, poultry, fish, ground meat, vegetables, skewered and grilled in a tandoor/oven or over a grill. Kebabs can also be shallow fried over a pan. Keema: Ground meat, raw or cooked. Kheer: Essentially a rice pudding, made with rice, milk and sugar flavored with cardamom. Sometimes nuts are added. Served either hot or cold. Khoya: Also known as "mawa" is made by bringing milk to a boil in a pot and stirring continuously thereafter on a low flame. It is then reduced and thickened to the consistency of soft cream cheese. Used widely in the making of many Indian desserts and sweet meats. Khurzi: Lamb or chicken, whole with spicy stuffing. Kish mish: Sultanas Koftas: Spiced meat or vegetable balls deep-fried and served with a curry sauce. Kokum: A variety of plum, pitted and dried.

They are very sour. Korma: Rich sauce thickened with yogurt, nuts or poppy seeds, fragrantly seasoned with aromatic spices. Kulcha: Flatbread often stuffed with onion or potatoes and seasoned with cilantro. Kulfi: Sweet, aromatic ice cream made from cream, milk, and sugar flavored with mango, pistachios, saffron etc. __________________________________ Lasan: Garlic Lassi: A tall cool drink made from yogurt and water and made either sweet or salty. Lavang: Cloves Makhani: A traditional dish. Tandoori chicken is cooked in ghee and tomato sauce. Makke: Corn flour Maiai: Cream Masala: Spices, herbs and other seasonings ground or pounded together. When wet ingredients like water, vinegar, yogurt etc. are added to the spice mixture it is appropriately called a "wet masala". Dry spice mixtures are also called "Garam masala" or commonly known in the world as "Curry powder". Indian cooks generally don't use pre-prepared curry powder (originally a British invention to approximate Indian seasoning) but prefer making their own ever-changing blends.

Malaya: The curries of Malaya are traditionally cooked with coconut, chili, and ginger. Mama: Puffed basmati rice. Masala Dabba: Spice box containing the commonly used dry spices and is always kept near the cooking range for easy and quick access. A spoon is included for ease of use. Masoor: Red lentil with a green skin. Mattar or Mutter: Green peas. Mattar Paneer or Mutter Paneer: Curried peas with cubes of fried homemade cheese. Methi: Fenugreek. Mirch: Pepper. For centuries the most important spice, gaining the title king of spices. It grows on vines that flower triennially and produce clusters of berries, which are picked and dried which then become peppercorns. Green, black, and white are not different varieties. All peppercorns are green when picked and must be bottled or freeze-dried at once to retain the color. Black pepper is the dried berry. White pepper is obtained by soaking off the black skin of the berry. Peppercorns are a heat agent and can be used whole or ground. Mollee: Fish dishes cooked in coconut and chili. Moong: One of the more commonly used lentils.

It has a green skin and can be used whole, split or polished to make various dals. Munacca: Raisins Murgh: Chicken Murgh Masala: A specialty dish of whole chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices for 24 hours then stuffed and roasted. __________________________________ Naan: Indian flat bread made from wheat and baked in a tandoor. Naan keema: Baked naan bread, stuffed with a thin layer of minced meat curry Naan peshwari: Baked naan bread stuffed with almonds and or cashews and or raisins. Nargis kebab: Indian scotch egg spiced minced meat around a hard-boiled egg. Namak: Salt Nimboo: Lime __________________________________ Paan: Betel leaf stuffed with supari (betel nut), quick lime paste, kathechu paste, gulukand (rose petal preserve), fennel seeds and dried grated coconut. Paan is eaten usually after a meal and has known to aid in digestion. Paan connoisseurs always add tobacco in their paan. The paan is garnished with edible thin silver foil called "Varak".

Pakoras: Popular Indian crispy and spicy snack served usually hot out of the frying pot along with coriander chutney. A popular teatime snack served with Indian tea. Slices of different vegetables like potatoes, onion, chilies, spinach leaves, eggplant etc dipped in a batter made out of chickpea flour and a few dry spices and deep-fried. Palak or sag: Spinach or green leafy vegetable Paneer: Cheese (aka Indian cottage cheese) made from bottled milk that can be fried and curried. Papdams (Papad): Thin wafer like discs about 4 to 8 inches in diameter made from a variety of lentils, potato, shrimp, rice etc. The discs are deep-fried or dry roasted on an open flame and served as a crispy savory appetizer. Served in many Indian restaurants complimentary before a meal. Paratha: Whole-wheat unleavened flatbread. It is sometimes filled with cooked ground meat or a vegetable mixture. Slightly larger than a Chapatti and shallow fried to perfection. Pasanda: Meat, usually lamb, beaten and cooked in one piece.` Raita: A cooling chutney of vegetables and yogurt.

Rajama: Red kidney beans. Rassgulla: One of the most famous Indian sweets that originated from east India. The walnut-size balls of semolina and milk are cooked in a light sugar syrup, flavored with cardamom. Rogan Josh gosht: Rich lamb curry, literally meaning "red juice lamb". It is a traditional Northern Indian dish of lamb that is marinated in yogurt, then cooked with ghee and spices and tomato. It should be creamy and spicy  but not too hot. Roti: is Bread in Hindi. "Tandoori roti" is bread that is baked in a tandoor, "Rumali Roti" or literally meaning handkerchief bread is a kind of a thin and flaky partha made up of many layers. Ruh gulab: Rose water Sag or saag: Spinach Sagzi: The generic term for vegetables. Sambhar or sambar: Lentil curry from the south of India. Served as an accompaniment with "idli"and "dosa". Samosas: The celebrated triangular deep-fried pastry appetizers filled with vegetable or meat mixtures.

Sarson ka sag: Mustard leaves Saunf or souf: Aniseed. Seekh Kebab or sheek kebab: The word "Seekh" in Hindi means skewer. Seekh kebab simply means kebabs on a skewer. Kebabs are usually made out of ground lamb mixed with various spices, cooked in a "tandoor". Seenl: Allspice. Related to the clove family. Sev: Thin string-like fried snack preparation made out of gram flour. Used in the preparation of "Sev puri" and "Bhel Puri" or can be enjoyed just plain. Nowadays there are many spicy and non-spicy varieties of "sev" available in specialty Indian stores. Shahi: means "Royal" in Hindi Shami kebab: Round minced meat rissoles. Shashlik: Cubes of skewered lamb. Sonf: Fennel seed. Sont or Sonth: Dried ginger. Supari: Mixture of seeds and sweeteners for chewing after a meal. It usually includes aniseed or fennel, shredded betel nut, sugar balls, marrow seeds, etc.

__________________________________ Tadka: A garnish of spices and fried onions. Tadka dal: Fried lentils and spices garnished with spices and onions. Tandoor: The traditional Indian clay oven is called the "Tandoor". A Tandoor is a clay pot usually sunken neck deep in the ground. Charcoal is put on the flat bottom of the pot. The heat generated by the hot charcoal in and on the sides of the clay pot is used for cooking. Long iron rods, long enough to reach the bottom of the pot, are used in the cooking process. It is probably the most versatile kitchen equipment in the Indian kitchen. Barbecues, breads, dal, gravies made in them acquire a unique taste, very different from the food cooked on the regular kitchen oven. Tandoori Murgh: This is the bright red world famous Tandoori Chicken. Chicken marinated with spices, dried red peppers, and yogurt, cooked in a tandoor. Tej patia: Bay leaf. Thaali: A tray that holds the complete meal served in individual bowls (katori). Tikka: Skewered boneless meat cubes cooked in a tandoor.

Toor or toovar: A type of lentil. Tusci: Basil. The Curry House - Glossary of Indian Restaurant Terms Glossary of Indian Restaurant Terms achar pickle - all sort of vegetables can be found in S. Asian pickles. The most common pickle found in restaurants is lime pickle which can vary from mild to hot. Other common vegetables found in pickles are aubergines, garlic, chillies and mangoes. My favourite is the Rajah brand mild lime pickle shown in the picture. bhaji, onion Deep fried balls of onion and batter. The batter is made from gram flour which is derived from chana dhal. The name can be a little confusing because restaurants use the term "bhaji" both for the deep fried onion sort and for various dishes e.g. bhindi bhaji, brinjal bhaji, which are vegetables cooked in a little curry sauce. chana dhal Also known as gram dhal or Bengal gram. It is a yellow dhal which looks like split peas but is much tastier and does not break up when cooked. Chana dhal is related to chick peas and can be ground into a flour to make the batter for pakoras and onion bhajis.

chapati A flat, unleavened bread made with finely milled wholemeal flour. Eaten hot. Traditionally, pieces of chapati are curled up with the right hand and used like a spoon to scoop up meat and sauce from a curry. chat Chats are traditionally cold snacks or salads but chat literally means "lick". Indian restaurants often offer a potato chat and a chicken chat and will serve them warm. Chats are spiced with chat masala which you might recognise as the flavouring in Bombay Mix. picture ©Ansuruz Zaman Chef's special The Chef's special dishes (of course!). Try one instead of your regular tikka masala or madras. In many contemporary restaurants the Chef's specials will include some authentic regional dishes. Well worth trying. dhal Dhal refers to any of the pulse family - dried peas, beans and lentils. There are hundreds of types of dhal but the most common in restaurants are "masoor dhal" (split red lentils) and "chana dhal". The word dhal is also used to describe the name of the finished dish. e.g. tarka dhal where cooked dhal is garnished with fried garlic and spiced oil. dhania Coriander.

Dhania can refer either to the seeds or to the fresh leaves ( cilantro) so dhania chicken could be either chicken cooked with coriander leaves or chicken cooked in a sauce rich in ground coriander seed. naan A teardrop shaped leavened bread cooked in a tandoor. Naan bread is cooked by slapping it onto the wall of the tandoor where it sticks while baking. Naan has a unique flavour because it is cooked in the tandoor alongside meaty kebabs. The kebabs give off juices which burst into little droplets when they hit the charcoal imparting a smoky flavour to the naan. There are numerous types of naan including stuffed ones. For example, a kulcha is a naan stuffed with onions and a Peshwari naan is a naan stuffed with sultanas, coconut and ground almonds. Naan is pronounced "nah-rn". paneer Home-made cheese made by boiling whole milk and then curdling it with an acid such as lemon juice. The whey is then strained off and the curds are pressed to extract moisture. The end result is a block of fresh cheese which is cut into cubes.

Paneer has a mild taste and does not melt when heated. paratha A flat, unleavened bread enriched with butter. Similar to a chapati but thicker and layered to give a flaky texture. Can be stuffed with a spicy filling of mashed vegetables or minced meat. pilau rice Fried rice flavoured with spices. Pilau rice is often coloured with food colouring for added effect. popadom Deep fried crispy wafers made with lentil flour. Popadoms are often served warm as an appetiser accompanied by a selection of chutneys. prawn and puri / puree A puri is a deep fried unleavened bread. For some reason best known to themselves many restaurants insist on writing puri as "puree" on the menu. This often confuses newcomers to Indian restaurants who think they are ordering a purée of prawns ( shrimps). But no, the prawns arrive at the table whole served in a thick bhuna-like sauce. picture ©Ansuruz Zaman saag Saag usually refers to spinach on the Indian restaurant menu although, strictly speaking, it means soft green leaves like fresh fenugreek leaves, mustard greens or, of course, spinach.

Deep fried triangular pastries filled with either spiced vegetables or minced lamb. picture ©Ansuruz Zaman seekh kebab A long sausage shaped kebab made with spiced minced lamb. Can be cooked in the tandoor or on a char-grill shashlik Chunks of marinated chicken or lamb threaded onto a skewer with pieces of onion, pepper and tomato and cooked either in the tandoor or over a char-grill. Shashlik is often served on extremely hot cast iron dishes which cause the juices to sizzle while the dish is being brought to the table. It is sometimes therefore known as "chicken sizzler". picture ©Ansuruz Zaman tandoor Barrel shaped clay oven. Traditionally fired with charcoal although gas fired tandoors are sometimes used in restaurants. The enclosed nature of the oven, the thick walls and the fierce heat source mean that wall temperatures can reach up to 250ÂºC. Naan breads are stuck onto the inner walls of the oven and cook in seconds. Tandoori chicken and kebabs are threaded onto skewers and let down into the oven for rapid cooking in the high heat. Chicken quarters can take as little as 10 minutes to cook.

© Beech Ovens tandoori chicken Chicken quarters which have been marinated in yoghurt and spices and then cooked in the tandoor. The characteristic red colour of tandoori chicken is usually achieved in restaurants by the use of artificial food colouring. tikka Tikka means "little pieces". Tikkas are small chunks of chicken or lamb which have been marinated in yoghurt and spices and then threaded onto skewers and cooked in a tandoor or over a char-grill. Chicken tikka can be served dry or added to a rich creamy sauce to make the famous chicken tikka masala. As with tandoori chicken, the red colour of tikka and the same colour in tikka masala comes from artificial food colouring.

Question: In Indian cuisine what is ‘murgh’?
Answer: Chicken