No complaints of “too spicy!” with these crowd-pleasing curry dinners.
What is Paneer? Paneer is a delicious non-melting cheese that is high in protein and low in lactose. Look for it in specialty cheese sections in grocery stores or at international food markets.
Uncle G’s Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
15 ounces of paneer, cut in ½-inch cubes
1 to 1 ½ cups cauliflower, diced into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, finely diced (about 1 and ¼ cups)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar (or to taste)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until thin and shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, coriander and tumeric. Stir frequently until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, honey, pepper and salt, then bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the paneer and cauliflower. Cook to desired tenderness of cauliflower. Slowly stir in the half-and-half or heavy cream. Simmer 2 minutes more.
Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
Ingredients
2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil,
olive oil may be substituted
1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or
1 tablespoon fresh ginger,
finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 13-ounce can coconut milk; full-fat will deliver a richer/thicker result
1 to 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste (curry powder may be substituted, to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional and to taste
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
Rice, quinoa, or naan, optional for serving
Directions
To a large skillet, add the oil and onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.
Add the garlic, ginger and coriander and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
Add the coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until liquid volume has reduced as much as desired and thickens slightly.
Stir in the spinach and lime juice. Cook until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and optionally add brown sugar, additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc.
Serve over rice and sprinkle with the cilantro. Curry is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Thank you to Averie Cooks for this recipe!
Visit her at averiecooks.com for more easy, tasty recipes made for real life.
Published in the Dec/Jan 2024-2025 print edition of MOM Magazine
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