Chicken saagwala - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (2024)

Chicken saagwala - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (1)

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Chicken saagwala - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (2)

By

Nadia Lim

Food writer and author

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Every Indian restaurant has a version of this popular curry. Don’t be alarmed at what seems like a mountain of spinach in the beginning — it all wilts down to create a rich, tasty curry. One serving of this will probably give you more greens than most people would have in a whole week.

Chicken saagwala

¼ cupVegetable oil
2Onions, sliced
1 TbspGround cumin
1 tspGround chilli, or 2 tsp depending on how hot you like it
¼ tspGround cloves
½ tspGround turmeric
5 cmGinger, piece, grated
3Garlic cloves, crushed
300 gSpinach leaves, fresh, choppped (Main)
1Green chilli, large, chopped
400 gCrushed tomatoes, canned
800 gBoneless chicken thighs, skinless, cut into large chunks (Main)
2 TbspCream, optional
1Lemon, to juice
1 to serveNaan bread

Raita

3Tomatoes, chopped
½ Telegraph cucumbers, seeds removed, chopped
½ Red onions, finely chopped
1 handfulFresh mint, chopped
1 cupNatural yoghurt, unsweetened

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large frying pan, gently fry the onions until golden, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add spices, garlic and ginger and fry a further 2 minutes.
  3. Wilt fresh spinach by blanching in boiling water or steaming in microwave. Squeeze out excess water and puree spinach with tomatoes, cooked onions and spices.
  4. Heat a little more oil in the same pan and fry chicken pieces until lightly browned.
  5. Add spinach puree to chicken and simmer on medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Season with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Drizzle cream over curry just before serving. Serve curry as part of a shared meal with naan bread and raita.
  7. For the raita, mix all ingredients together and season to taste.

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Chicken saagwala - Eat Well Recipe - NZ Herald (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between saag and saagwala? ›

A spinach or mustard-leaf based dish eaten in South Asia, often with naan bread or rice. On some menus, saag is called 'saagwala'. Saag is often served as part of a Saag Aloo dish, which is potatoes dipped in spinach curry.

What is chicken saagwala made of? ›

Key ingredients in chicken saagwala, a light curry dish common in northern Indian cooking, include a light sauce made flavorful with turmeric, cinnamon, garam masala, and fresh spinach with lightly browned pan-fried chicken. It is one of the healthier dishes on the menu at many Indian restaurants.

Is a saagwala healthy? ›

Every Indian restaurant has a version of saagwala – it's generally one of the healthier options as it has little to no cream, and plenty of spinach!

Which is better palak or saag? ›

The main differences come down to the greens used and dairy additions. Calories and Fat: Palak Paneer often has more calories and fat due to cream or yogurt, making it richer. Saag Paneer might be leaner, especially if it skips the cream. Protein: Paneer brings plenty of protein to both dishes, great for vegetarians.

Is palak the same as Saagwala? ›

A lot of restaurants outside India use the terms Palak chicken & Saag Chicken/ chicken saagwala interchangeably and serve one for the other, same like Palak Paneer & Saag Paneer. That's because “Saag” means any leafy greens.

Why does saag taste bitter? ›

There could be a few different reasons why it has the taste it does. You might have burnt the garlic & ginger you added. You could have burned the onions. A combination of all of the above.

Do Pakistanis eat saag? ›

Paye/kharoray (made from legs and joints of cow, goat, buffalo or sheep), pulao, saag (mustard leaves), makai roti (maizeflour tortilla) and murgh cholay (chicken and chickpeas slow-cooked) are considered authentic Punjabi specialties in Pakistani cuisines.

Which country invented saag? ›

Sarson da saag, also known as Sarsa da saag is a dish of mustard greens cooked with spices. It originated in the north of the Indian subcontinent and is popular throughout the region.

Which saag is most nutritious? ›

Chaulai also known as Lal Saag is known as Amaranth greens in English. This nutritious saag is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These can be used as sabzis, stir fry and parathas.

Is saag good for stomach? ›

Scientifically known as Enhydra Fluctuans, which helps in reducing acidity, heartburn, inflammation, indigestion and improves gut health. Apart from that, consuming this saag recipe is also good for relaxing the muscles, inducing sleep and its antimicrobial properties cure infections and diarrhea.

What's the healthiest Indian food? ›

Choose Grilled or Tandoori Dishes

Popular choices include Tandoori Chicken or Tandoori Paneer (cottage cheese). These dishes are not only lower in calories and saturated fats compared to their fried counterparts but also retain the essence of Indian flavors.

What is another name for saag? ›

In Hindi, the vegetable Spinach is known as saag. It is also known as sag or saga. Saag can also be prepared with other South Asian Leafy Vegetables, like, collard greens, basella, and sometimes also with broccoli.

What are the different types of saags? ›

In winters, saags of Channa/Cholia (chickpea leaves), Sarson (mustard), Methi (fenugreek), Palak (spinach), Bathua (chenopodium) are commonly cooked in Haryanvi households. These saags are mainly eaten with millet breads like Makki ki roti & Bajra ki roti, smeared with ghee or butter.

What is the meaning of Saagwala? ›

An Indian curry made with spinach and lamb or mutton.

What is Chinese saag called in English? ›

Xian Cai also known as Chinese Spinach or Amaranth is another leafy green vegetable commonly cooked stir-fried with garlic and salt, similar to how you cook Spinach.

References

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