Quick Indian Dinner

This chicken stay incredibly moist, especially considering the high heat is was cooked.  It would have been a pretty quick dish if the homemade garam masala was done earlier.  So first, the recipe for the that.

Homemade Garam Masala:  Put the following in a coffee grinder:  1 tbsp cardamon seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/3 of a whole nutmeg and 1 tsp each of the following:  peppercorns, cumin seeds, whole cloves.  This makes more than what you need for the chicken, so it will be ready for another recipe.  The author makes a note to only substitute homemade garam masala when indicated.  It has a much different taste than storebought.

Silken Chicken:  Put 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast in a pan.  Make 3 slits in the top and poke some holes with the tip of a knife.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp lemon juice.  Rub all over the chicken.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Mix 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 tsp homemade garam masala, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp freshly roasted and ground cumin seed, (I used powdered to save time), 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/2  tsp grated ginger.  Pour over chicken, making sure to coat entire chicken.  Let sit 10 minutes.  Preheat oven as high as it will go.  Ours was 550 degrees and position rack in top 1/3.  Put in a pan lined with foil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little homemade garam masala, cumin seed, ground, cayenne pepper and 1 tsp dried mint.  Squeeze lemon over the top.  Bake 15 minutes.  Both from Madjur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking

Spinach:  Put 5 garlic cloves, 1 inch chopped ginger and 1 chopped green chili in a little food processor with a little water and blend to a paste.  Heat 2 tbsp oil.  Add paste, saute a minute.  Add 1 1/2 pounds spinach and wilt.  Add a little dash of salt, garam masala, cayenne, and sugar.  Stir

Butternut squash:  Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil.  Add 1/2 tsp of each:  cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, yellow mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds.  When they pop add cubed butternut squash.  Cook on high, tossing frequently, until soft.    Toss with salt and 1 tsp sugar.  (This recipe called for onion seeds, which I haven't been able to find yet.  I think in the future I would dice some onion to add a little contrast.)  This went well with the spinach.  From Gourmet Indian in minutes.