The most important spice blend in Northern India. Different family or regional versions of Garam Masala are used in the majority of Indian kitchens on a daily basis. This is Nav’s very own heritage blend for you to use towards the end of several of our recipes as the perfect finishing spice, elevating the whole dish to perfection.

As this is a finishing spice blend, it does not include a specific recipe, simply add 1 to 2 TSP.

TANDOORI PANEER TIKKA

Paneer Tikka is probably consumed more in India and amongst the global Indian diaspora than its chicken equivalent, given the number of vegetarians. It is the tasty Punjabi appetiser that is a go-to for millions of Indians on a daily basis. 

Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike find this sizzlingly scrumptious dish simply too hard to resist. For from the moment the aromas hit you, and then when you experience the burst of flavours on your very first bite... you'll be hooked for life. 

The trick to the most amazing paneer tikka of course lies in its marination. Luckily we have you covered, as you'll be using our highly versatile Tikka spice mix.

Ingredients 

    •    500-600g Paneer (cubed)

    •    Red Onion Chunks

    •    Green Pepper Chunks (aka capsicum or bell peppers) 

Ingredients for the marinade

    •    4 tsp (15g) Tikka spice mix

    •    4 tbsp Natural or Greek-Style Yoghurt

    •    1 tbsp Garlic Paste

    •    1 tbsp Ginger Paste 

    •    1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice or Lemon Juice

    •    1 tsp Ghee (or preferred oil) 

    •    1 tsp Salt, or to taste

For sprinkling on the paneer tikka

    •    2 tsp Chopped Fresh Coriander

Step 1:  marinate the paneer and vegetables

Mix all the above-mentioned marinade ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the paneer cubes, onions, and peppers into the marinade and gently mix well again making sure everything is coated. Leave to marinate in the fridge for between half an hour and two hours. For a deeper flavour marinate the evening before and leave in the fridge overnight.

Step 2: grilling and finishing

Place the marinated cubes (directly or on skewers*) on parchment paper or non-stick foil on an oven or grill tray, and grill for 10-15 minutes under the grill if cooking indoors. Alternatively, you can cook this over an indoor or outdoor bbq grill.

If cooking in an oven, preheat it to 220 degrees C and then place the tray in the centre of the oven and cook for approximately 15 minutes. In all cases ensure that you achieve a little charring on the paneer cubes without burning them. 

*if using wooden skewers soak the skewers first to avoid them burning during cooking. 

Step 3: serving suggestion

Serve with fresh mint and coriander chutney

Alternative Finishing

For an even deeper street food-style flavour. Mix 1/4 tsp of Nav’s garam masala into two teaspoons of melted ghee and drizzle this over the paneer a few minutes before finishing the cooking, and if using the oven method finish off under the grill to get the trademark char.

BUTTER CHICKEN

Serves 4

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

This flavourful curry first shot to fame from a small neighbourhood inside the walled city of Old Delhi in the 1950s. Butter Chicken and its variants such as Chicken Tikka Masala have gone on to conquer the world, as its most popular Indian dish.

*Measurements refer to level measuring spoons*

Ingredients

        FOR THE CHICKEN TIKKA:

         2 tbsp Natural or Greek Yoghurt

         1 tbsp Ginger Paste (or peeled ginger, finely chopped)

         1 tbsp Garlic Paste (cloves of garlic, finely chopped)

         1 tbsp Lemon Juice

         1 tsp Oil

         1 tsp Salt

         10g (5 tsp) Tikka spice mix

600-650g Chicken, cubed

        FOR THE SAUCE:

         60g Unsalted Butter

         1 Medium Onion, chopped

         3 tsp (10g) Fresh Garlic, chopped

         3 tsp (10g) Fresh Ginger, chopped

         10g (5 tsp) Butter masala spice mix

400g Tinned Chopped Tomatoes

         1 ½ tsp Salt

         50ml Milk

         50ml Water

         100ml Double Cream

         ¼ tsp Garam Masala

1 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped for garnishing

Directions

    1    

METHOD FOR THE CHICKEN

    1    Mix all the chicken tikka marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat well. Leave covered in the fridge for a minimum of 1-2 hours, or overnight. 

    2    Place the chicken on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 180º C or 350º F for 15-20 minutes or until slightly charred. Remove and leave to cool.

METHOD FOR THE SAUCE

    1    Melt 40g of the butter on a medium heat, add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic. Cook for approximately 8-9 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add Butter masala spice mix and stir for a few seconds. 

    2    Add tomatoes, salt, milk and water, then stir until mixed well together. Cover and cook on a medium heat for 10 mins. Remove pan from heat and blend mixture with a hand blender in the pan, or in a mixer so that it is smooth. Place back on heat. 

    3    Add the chicken pieces, stir and cook for a further 3-4 mins on medium heat until the chicken is heated through. Add the cream, remaining 20g of butter, and Garam Masala. Stir and cook for a further 2 mins.

TO SERVE: SPRINKLE WITH CHOPPED CORIANDER. PERFECT WITH STEAMED BASMATI RICE OR YOUR FAVOURITE INDIAN BREAD.

CHICKEN CURRY

1. Add 4 TBSP of oil or ghee to a pan.

2. Add 100g chopped onions and brown on medium heat.

3. Add 4 Heaped TBSP Of Freshly Chopped Ginger And Garlic Or Paste (Chilli - Optional).

4. Add 4 TSP Nav's Kitchen 'Easy' Curry Mix & salt to taste.

5. Chop or blend 4 fresh tomatoes or 1 tin of tomatoes and add, cook until oil separates.

6. Add chopped Chicken, Lamb, Fish, or veg and stir well, let it simmer for 2 minutes.

7. Add 300ml water, bring to a boil and stir.

8. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes on low heat with lid on.

9. If cooking meat, ensure it is thoroughly cooked and piping hot (break a piece to check).

10. Garnish with fresh coriander.

11. Serve with rice, naan or roti and Enjoy!

KEBABS

Servings 4-5

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes
*Measurements refer to level measuring spoons

Ingredients

         500g Lamb Mince (or your mince of choice, see notes)

         60g Onion, finely diced

         15g Garlic Paste (or cloves of garlic, finely chopped)

         15g Ginger Paste (or fresh ginger, finely chopped)

         2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

         1-2 Green Chillies, chopped (to taste)

         1 tsp Oil

         1 Egg

         5½tsp (10g) Kebab spice mix

         ¼ tsp Garam Masala

TO SERVE - FOR APPETISERS: SERVE ON COCKTAIL STICKS ALONG WITH FRESH MINT AND CORIANDER CHUTNEY, OR MINT AND YOGHURT CHUTNEY; OR CHILLI SAUCE OF YOUR LIKING FOR DIPPING OR DRIZZLING OVER. AS A MAIN COURSE: USE ONE OF THE CHUTNEYS, SOME FRESH SALAD AND YOUR INDIAN BREAD OF CHOICE.

Directions

    1    Form The Kebabs: With slightly wet hands, form each kebab, by scooping out a small size ball of the mixture. You may use a mini seekh kebab shape, meatball shape, or a small disc shaped patty.  

    2    Cook the Kebabs: In a non-stick frying pan heat a small amount of oil. Add the kebabs to the pan and cook on a medium heat, turning them to brown all around (approx. 3-4 minutes on each side). The number of kebabs that you cook at a time will depend on the size of your pan. Alternative Grill Method: Brush or spray each kebab with a little oil and grill under a medium heat or barbecue on each side until cooked through.

Recipe Note

  •    You may use any mince such as pork, beef, lamb, chicken or turkey. 

 •    The recipe also works well with vegetarian, vegan and plant-based minces.If possible use a mince with a higher fat percentage as this will help with the binding when forming the kebabs.

   •    Skewers are not necessary for this recipe, however if using wooden skewers soak the skewers first to avoid them burning during cooking.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients

FOR THE MARINATION

•  50g Natural or Greek Yoghurt
•  1½ tsp Salt
•  500g Chicken (or lamb, beef, prawns or vegetables)
•  15g Ginger Paste (or peeled ginger, finely chopped)
• 22g (12level measuring TSP) Biryani spice mix

FOR COOKING:

•  60g Ghee (or preferred oil)
•  20g Garlic Paste (or peeled garlic, finely chopped)
•  15g Ginger Paste (or peeled ginger, finely chopped)
•  1½ Large Onions, sliced thinly 
•  150ml Water
•  1 TSP Garam masala

FOR THE RICE COOKING & LAYERING:

•  1200 ml Water
•  ½ tsp Salt
•  340g Basmati Rice (or aged Basmati Rice)
•  4 tbsp Milk, with a pinch of turmeric or saffron
•  4-6 tbsp Ghee (or preferred oil)

FOR GARNISHING

•  Fresh Coriander & Mint Leaves, roughly chopped
•  Optional: Edible Silver Leaf or Edible Rose Petals, Dried Barberries or Cranberries, or Pomegranate Seeds

Directions

1. Marinate The Chicken: Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and stir to coat well. Leave covered in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
2. Wash The Rice: After the above-mentioned 2 hours. Wash the rice 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Each time, use your fingers to gently move the rice around in the water to remove the starch, being careful not to break the grains. Initially it will be cloudy, but keep draining the cloudy water out and refilling and repeat until the water runs clear. Drain and keep aside.
3. Cook The Onions: In a pan, heat the 60g of ghee. Add the sliced onions and fry them until they are golden brown / caramelised. Then remove half of the onions and keep them aside.
4. Cook The Chicken: In the pan with the remaining onions, add the marinated chicken along with the ginger and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add 150ml of water and cook with the lid on for 12 minutes on a low heat (or 20-25 minutes if using lamb or beef). Then uncover and cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes so that the sauce thickens. Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala, stir in and then switch off heat.
5. Parboil The Rice: In a separate pan, bring 1200 ml of water to a rolling boil with ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the previously washed and drained rice to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Then drain, and set aside. 
6. Make The Milk Infusion: Heat the milk for 10-15 seconds in a microwave, remove and stir in the pinch of turmeric, or saffron, and set aside. If using saffron, rub or crush it between your fingers before adding to the milk.
7. Layer The Biryani: In a casserole dish, spread 1 tablespoon of ghee and 1 tablespoon of water on the bottom. Then spoon a layer of rice across the bottom. Take 2-3 teaspoons of the warm milk mixture and sprinkle it across the rice. Then drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of ghee over that layer. Next, take some of the fried onions put aside from earlier, and spread on top. Add an even layer of the cooked chicken (or other protein) mixture over this. Repeat the layering steps. You will end up with 2-3 layers depending on the depth of your dish. The topmost one should be of rice with the caramelised onions on top along with the 2-3 teaspoons of milk infusion, and some ghee.
8. Place In Oven: Cover the dish with thick foil to create an extra seal, and place the lid on top. Heat oven to 160° C and place the casserole dish in for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand with lid on for 10 minutes.
9. Garnish & Serve: Uncover, then mix the biryani layers. Then sprinkle the mint and coriander leaves across the dish and serve with a raita on the side. You may additionally use pomegranate seeds, or dried barberries or cranberries, and edible silver paper or edible rose petals to elevate your presentation further.

MASALA FISH CURRY

Ingredients for the marinade

• 560g (1 1/4 lb) Your Preferred White Fish, cut into chunks.
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (or Ground Turmeric)
• 3 tsp Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Salt

Ingredients for the masala gravy

• 115g (4 oz) Mustard Oil or Ghee (or preferred oil)
• 230g (8 oz) Onions, grated
• 16 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 4 tsp Seafood spice mix
• 1 tsp Salt
• 230g (8 oz) Natural or Greek-Style Yoghurt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 30g (1 oz) Fresh Ginger, shredded
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 Fresh Green or Red Chillies, shredded
• 1 tbsp Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves, chopped

Step 1: marinate the fish

Clean, wash and cut fish into chunks. Mix the lime juice, turmeric, and salt. Spread this all over the fish and mix gently. Leave for half an hour. 

Step 2: make the masala gravy 

Heat the oil, and fry the grated onions and the garlic until golden brown in colour, then remove them from the oil. Heat the same oil and fry the marinated fish a few pieces at a time, and remove from the oil.

To the same oil add the fried onion and garlic mixture, salt and Seafood spice mix. Cook this a little longer and add 2 teaspoons of water two to three times. Add the yoghurt a little at a time mixing gently and cook until the oil separates from the masala. 

Step 3: add in the fish

Add in the fried fish chunks, sugar and shredded ginger. Cover, and shake the pan gently. Cook on a low to medium heat for 15-20 mins until the fish becomes tender, adding the garam masala a few minutes before the end.

Step 4: serve

Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and the shredded chillies. Enjoy with naan, paratha, or steamed Basmati Rice

KEEMA MATAR

Ingredients

60g Ghee (or your preferred Oil)

4 Cloves

5cm Cinnamon Stick

4 Black Cardamoms

115g Onions, grated 

450g Minced Lamb (or your preferred vegetarian mince substitute) 

2 Bay Leaves

1½ tsp Salt

4 tsp Achari spice mix

30g Ginger (or Ginger Paste) 

6 Garlic Cloves (or 6 teaspoons of Garlic Paste) 

225g Blanched, Peeled and Chopped Tomatoes (or tinned chopped tomatoes) 

225g Frozen Peas 

½ tsp Garam Masala

Garnishes (optional)

1 to 2 Green Chillies, finely chopped

Red Onions, finely chopped 

2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

Method

1. Heat the ghee and very lightly fry the whole spices (cloves, cinnamon and black cardamoms). Remove from the ghee, crush immediately and set aside for later.
2. Heat the same ghee and fry the onions until golden brown, add 4 TSP Achari spice mix.
3. Add minced lamb, bay leaves, crushed whole spices and salt. Cover and cook stirring occasionally until the juices in the mince dry up.
4. Grind the ginger and garlic and add them to the mince and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are mixed up with the mince and the gravy thickens.
5. Add the peas to the cooking mince. Return to cook on a high heat for a short time until the peas are cooked, add the garam masala and stir for a final minute on a medium heat.

Serve hot sprinkled with your choice of the above-suggested garnishes. Best served with chapati, naan or basmati rice.