Garlic and Coriander Naan,Kashmiri Dum Aloo,Baby

Garlic and Coriander Naan
When it comes to guilty pleasures, along with paneer, naan is
up there on my list. Brushed with the most flavoursome fresh
garlic and coriander butter, these are so perfect for pairing
with any Indian curry or daal. They’re soft, slightly chewy
and a little charred in places – this balance of textures is
so characteristic of good naan.
Naan is one of India’s most famous breads, and probably the
most well-known in British Asian restaurants. Very rarely do I
leave an Indian restaurant without having filled my belly with
garlic and coriander naan – lest they just so happen to have
garlic, coriander and chilli naan on the menu (in which case,
I’ll take two).
Whenever I’m making naan, I love to add kalonji (nigella)
seeds – they impart that special flavour you definitely know,
but somehow can never put your finger on. They’re aromatic,
slightly bitter, but have an incredibly delicious flavour
which mellows out when baked into the bread.
Yeast and plain yoghurt help to leaven the naan whilst keeping
them moist all the way through. I don’t put eggs in my naan,
nor do I understand why some people do. They’re meant to be
soft and chewy with little air pockets inside, rather than
fluffy pancakes. Plus, instant yeast is so much easier.
Grilling naan at a really high temperature mimics the
traditional method of cooking them in a tandoor (clay oven).
It also helps to create an irresistible charred flavour and
colour on the outside.
Garlic and Coriander Naan
(Makes 4)
Ingredients
310g strong, white bread flour
1 teaspoon dried fast action yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon kalonji (nigella) seeds
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
140ml warm water
2 teaspoons plain yoghurt
For the garlic and coriander butter:
50g salted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
Method
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar,
kalonji and 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander. Make a well
in the centre and add the oil, yoghurt and water. Using your
hands, bring the dough together. Knead for 5 minutes. If the
dough feels sticky, oil your hands and continue kneading.
2. Grease the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave the
dough to prove in a warm place for one hour.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan and add the
finely sliced garlic. Allow to fry until aromatic. Add the
chopped coriander and set aside until needed.
4. Knock the air out of the naan dough and divide into four
equal portions. Take one piece of dough, roll into a ball and
using a rolling pin, roll your naan until it’s around 1cm in
thickness. Take one end and pull into a teardrop shape.
5. Place the dough on a piece of aluminium foil and grill for
1 minute on both sides. Remove from the grill and brush with
the garlic butter. Alternatively, bake in a very hot oven
until golden brown. Wrap in foil to keep warm but try to serve
immediately.
I like to serve these with Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta,
Shahi Paneer Stuffed Okra, Vegetarian Tandoori Kebabs from
Scratch or Kashmiri Dum Aloo. However, you could be far more
experimental and make one of my favourite quick dinners in the
world – naan pizza. I’ll explain later.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo
There’s nothing more comforting than meltingly-soft potatoes
enveloped in creamy, spicy-sweet sauce – even when it’s dinner
for one at the Modha residence.
Nobody likes cooking for one, do they? For me, it’s a tedious
task knowing I’m the only one who will get to sample my
efforts. I’m a feeder – I come from a long line of feeders who
taught one another to feed others until they could eat no
more. Like my mum, I’ll make dinner by the bucket load
regardless of whether I’m feeding one mouth or ten. It’s most
definitely in our blood.
I understand this is the case for lots of Indian girls who are
told from a young age that finding the perfect husband
involves filling his belly with spicy food, carbs and sugar.
Either it’s the way to a heart or the way to heart problems –
I forget which one.
That’s not to say I started cooking to find a fella. Hell, I
started cooking because I was an eight-year old chubster with
a penchant for pasta. It just so happened that the future Mr
K.O (yes, I got engaged!) loves eating as much as I do. In
fact, Kashmiri Dum Aloo was one of the first dishes we shared
together in my favourite Indian restaurant. And anyone who
knows how to feed me, the Feeder, is a keeper.
Enough about me, more about the food
This dish should be slow-cooked with a lid on. An old school
trick to stop any steam escaping is to seal the lid with a
ring of wheat flour dough. This type of cooking is known as
dum cooking. Dum simply means ‘warm breath’ to connote the
steam inside the pot. Once cooked, the dough seal is broken
and the beautiful aromas are released – of course, the bread
is eaten along with the curry. However, if you don’t fancy
doing that, you can use a cartouche to lock in any moisture. A
cartouche is just a round lid made of greaseproof paper that’s
placed directly on top of the food in the pot to slow down the
reduction of moisture in cooking.
The balance of spices in this dish will depend on your taste
and varies from recipe to recipe. My version mainly uses dried
red Kashmiri chillies, ground fennel seeds, ground ginger and
green and black cardamom. This deep combination of spices is
balanced by the use of tomato purée and either single cream or
yoghurt. Don’t hold back on seasoning this with plenty of salt
and sugar – they truly bring the spices to life.
Kashmiri Dum Aloo
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
450g new potatoes (I used Jersey Royals), leave the skin on
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp concentrated tomato purée
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
270ml water
1 tbsp grated ginger
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
3 tsp sugar
3 tsp salt
300ml single cream or whisked plain yoghurt
2 tsp honey
Oil to deep fry the potatoes
For the spices:
½ tsp green cardamom seeds, ground
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground, plus 1 extra tsp for adding at the
end
4 dried red Kashmiri chillies, ground (don’t bother soaking
them)
½ tsp black cardamom seeds, ground
½ tsp cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Chopped coriander, ground fennel and Kashmiri chilli flakes to
garnish
Method
1. Wash and soak the potatoes in cold, salted water for 15
minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. Heat enough oil to deep fry the potatoes in a large wok to
around 180°C. Fry the potatoes until golden all over. Don’t
worry about cooking them all the way through at this point.
Drain on a piece of kitchen paper and set aside.
3. In a large casserole dish, Dutch oven or pan with a tightfitting lid, gently heat 1 tbsp oil. Add all of the ground
spices, concentrated tomato purée, fresh ginger and garlic.
Cook on a medium/low heat for around 5 minutes, stirring all
the time. If you find it’s sticking, add a little hot water
and continue to cook until the water has evaporated away and
the spices are aromatic.
4. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, 270ml hot water, salt and
sugar. Stir. Add the potatoes and mix again.
5. Make a cartouche or cut a round of greaseproof paper to the
size of the inside of your pan. Sit it directly on top of the
curry and put a lid on top of the pan.
6. Turn the heat down to the lowest it can go and cook for at
least 30 minutes or until the potatoes are meltingly tender.
7. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and cartouche.
Turn the heat off and allow the curry to cool for 10 minutes.
Add the honey and cream or yoghurt, stirring quickly and all
the time until it’s fully combined. Stir in the extra 1 tsp
ground fennel seeds.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander, ground fennel and
Kashmiri chilli flakes.
I like to serve this with Saffron Golden Sella Basmati Rice
(I'll post a recipe soon!) and either Peshwari Naan or
chapattis.
This is great if you’re planning on satisfying and impressing
lots of hungry tummies, or in need of comfort when cooking for
one (scoff any leftovers the next day).
Love Sanjana
Baby Aubergines Stuffed with
Peanut Masala
Stuffing baby vegetables with spicy, nutty masala can be a
beautiful thing. It’s nothing new, Gujaratis have been popping
a tray of them onto their dinner party tables for years.
Stuffed vegetables are, and always have been the ultimate
show-off dish – the more extensive the variety of veggies you
manage to wangle into the dish, the more fabulous you are.
I remember when I was little it was just aubergines, potatoes
and onions in our family kitchen. As I grew, we became more
and more adventurous with what we put in; it all began with
bananas (my granddad used to add these back in Mombasa), then
we added peas to the sauce, stuffed baby courgettes, okra,
paneer (you didn’t really think I’d miss that one out did
you?) and no matter what it was, it still tasted amazing. Go
ahead, be fabulous and experiment with your stuffed veggie
curry.
Today I’m downsizing. Not because I can’t be bothered, but
because I know these fresh baby aubergines I got from the
market (no lie, I actually went to a market) can hold their
own against the aromatic masala stuffing.
To tell you the truth I used to hate aubergines. I thought
they were slimy and seedy and as a child, I wanted nothing
more than to hide them under my brother’s mattress for the
time he put Cherry Tunes in my hair whilst I was asleep.
The great aubergine loophole
A couple of years ago I realised that the only reason I didn’t
like aubergines was because of the seeds. Then I found out
about the great aubergine loophole.
To cut a long story short, like almost every beautiful living
thing in the world, aubergines are either male or female.
Females, being their wonderful selves, contain lots of bitter
eggs to help create more diddy aubergines whilst warding off
any predators, which is what makes them less delicious – but
not any less beautiful!
To tell the difference between male and female aubergines,
take a look at the shape. Usually females are rounder. So next
time you’re shopping, keep your eyes peeled for skinnier
aubergines, the shinier the better.
With baby aubergines it’s much harder to tell between male and
female but take your time and pick carefully – it makes all
the difference to your finished dish.
Baby Aubergines Stuffed with Peanut Masala
Ingredients
12-15 baby aubergines
For the peanut stuffing:
110g redskin peanuts (I don’t bother removing the skins)
2 tbsp gram flour, toasted in a non-stick pan until aromatic
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin seeds
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp ginger, grated
½ tsp red chilli powder
Handful fresh coriander, chopped finely
1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the tomato sauce:
1 tbsp sunflower oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
5-6 curry leaves
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp red chilli powder
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp sugar
Method
1. Combine all of the ingredients for the stuffing except for
the oil in a blender. Pulse 5-10 times until roughly ground.
Place in a glass bowl.
2. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan until hot
and shimmering. Slowly and carefully pour the oil onto the
peanut mix and combine. Set aside to cool.
3. Trim the tops of the aubergines. I like to leave a little
stalk for pretty presentation. Slit the aubergines crosswise
from the bottom, almost all the way through – leave the stalk
area uncut. Stuff each aubergine with the peanut masala –
don’t be afraid to use clean hands to do this; just get right
in there. You should have a little bit of the stuffing left
over – keep it aside.
4. Place the aubergines in single rows in a microwave and
oven-safe dish. Cover the dish with cling film (plastic wrap)
and make a hole in the top. Microwave on full power for seven
minutes. Remove the cling film and allow to cool.
5. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat one tablespoon of oil in
a non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to
pop. Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, tomatoes
and then the rest of the ingredients. Allow to simmer for a
few minutes. When bubbling, add the leftover stuffing mix and
combine.
6. Pour the sauce over the aubergines and bake in a preheated
oven at 190°C for 35 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve with crispy paratha and plain yoghurt, or for a Gujarati
feast, serve with Gujarati Daal, fluffy rice, chapattis and a
glass of Salted Lassi.
Love Sanjana
Crispy Potato Bhajia
Served in paper cones with fried green chillies for that
‘bhajia on the beach’ feel
I’ve always been a sucker for ordering too many starters in
restaurants, especially when it involves Crispy Potato Bhajia
(paper-thin potato slices coated in a bespoke spice blend),
Hara Bara Kebabs (pea and cauliflower cakes) and Daal Kachori
(spiced daal in semolina pastry). I’m told my eyes are bigger
than my belly and I’ve never been one to argue with legitimate
allegations.
Although I love eating out as much as I love home cooking,
there’s always one question lingering on my lips as I attempt
to make a choice of which restaurant to spend my Friday
evening in – do they serve decent starters?
In all honesty, I think I can judge an Indian restaurant menu
by the starters they have to offer. If the vegetarian
appetisers are limited to samosas and onion bhajis (to this
day, I still don’t understand onion bhajis – what are they and
where did they come from?) I know I’m not going to be dazzled
by their selection of mains. This is something I’ve learnt
from eating out far more than I can afford to.
With other cuisines, I’m rubbish at menu guessing but I’m
often just delighted if the vegetarian options stray from
tired goat’s cheese salads or baked aubergine mush. In any
case, I’m often at my happiest when there are three gorgeous
starters I can get stuck into whilst everyone else enjoys
their mains.
An Ode to Bhajia
One of my favourite restaurants to do this at is the revered
Maru’s Bhajia House in Wembley, London. With its humble green
sign and modest dining area, the café is nothing elaborate but
with a shining reputation going back decades, I guarantee
you’ll never get a better bhajiyu (vegetables, often potatoes,
deep fried in a spicy batter). Their signature bhajia have a
closely-guarded recipe, brought to the UK from Nairobi by a
family who must have loved seeing people’s smiling faces when
they dug into a plate of these beauties. For East African
Indians, Crispy Bhajia were the cupcake of their time. To some
extent, they probably still are.
Many have tried to create the original version in their own
homes – whether they were successful or not is probably kept
as much a secret as the Maru’s Bhajia House recipe itself.
Here’s my version of the classic. Share this dish with family
and friends; I’ve known many a chap risk stinking out entire
London buses to get home and share Crispy Potato Bhajiya with
their loved ones. Now that’s what I call dedication.
Crispy Potato Bhajia with Hot and Sour Cucumber
Chutney
For the bhajia:
400g unpeeled potatoes, sliced thinly (I used a mandolin)
150g chickpea flour
60g rice flour
1/2 tsp cornflour
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
6-8 green chillies (or to taste), pounded into a paste
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
6 heaped tbsp fresh coriander, chopped very finely
½ tsp carom seeds
2 ½ tsp turmeric
1 ½ tsp sugar
Oil to deep fry
For the cucumber chutney:
200g cucumber
200g fresh tomatoes
140g carrot
1 clove garlic
8-10 tbsp fresh coriander
6 green chillies (or to taste)
Juice of two lemons
200ml water
1 ½ tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
Method
1. Place the sliced potatoes in a bowl of iced water.
2. Mix all of the other ingredients for the bhajia. A blend of
different flours will give the bhajia a beautifully crisp
finish.
3. Drain the potatoes but do not dry them. Immediately toss
the potatoes in the flour mixture. The mixture should stick to
the potatoes. If it seems dry, add just enough cold water to
make the flour coat the potato slices. Allow to stand whilst
you make the chutney.
4. Blend together all of the ingredients for the chutney until
coarsely puréed. Place into serving bowls.
5. In a large wok, heat the oil to around 190°C and slowly
place 1/3 of the potato slices into the pan. Allow to become
golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on
paper towels.
Serve alongside the chutney immediately for optimal crunch. I
like to serve my bhajia in paper cones for that ‘bhajia on the
beach’ feel but maybe I’m just being finicky. Sprinkle with
rock salt and chilli flakes if your guests are that way
inclined.
Love
Sanjana
Aloo Paratha
I fell in love with paratha at the age of four, when I was the
proud owner of various miniature kitchen utensils that looked
like they’d been manufactured in toy town. I’d use my hot pink
chapatti board and rolling pin to make baby paratha, which my
mum would cook and my pa would wolf down with gusto, whilst
telling me I was a great chef.
And that was all it took – I had discovered my love of Indian
breads. Forget your typical puff of glitter – for this strange
little Indian Barbie, childhood was all about that magical
cloud of chapatti flour.
Indian breads, without a doubt, are perceived as the fiddliest
things to make at home, especially if you’ve never done them
before. Aloo Paratha are made by stuffing mashed, spiced
potatoes and onions into chapatti dough and rolling so that
the dough envelopes the layer of filling inside. Then they’re
lightly sizzled in ghee, butter or oil until golden all over.
Once cooked, the filling will remain enclosed in the crisp
bread until broken open and then the soft, aromatic filling is
revealed in all its glory. In my opinion, they’re one of North
India’s finest creations.
These spicy potato breads make for a satisfying meal at any
time of the day, although they’re more commonly eaten for
breakfast. People all over India enjoy their stuffed paratha
with a mug of steaming chai, a dollop of plain yogurt and a
spicy chutney or curry. In other words, the pairing
possibilities are endless.
So next time, before you reach for the dry, unsatisfying,
supermarket naans, think about making these super-simple,
Punjabi-style paratha. As the famous Gujarati saying goes,
‘Khakhra ni khiskoli sakar no swaad su jaane?’ (‘A squirrel
who eats dried chapattis would not know the taste of sugar.’)
The scoop on paratha
Paratha are popular all over the Indian subcontinent; they
come in many variations and have lots of different names. Here
are a few popular ones:
Plain paratha: Made using chapatti flour, these unstuffed (but
not always unflavoured), flaky flatbreads are made by
spreading rolled dough with ghee, folding over and rolling
again. The process is similar to making homemade puff pastry.
Stuffed paratha: One of the most loved of all, this variety
covers all paratha with fillings, including Aloo Paratha.
We’ll take a look at some of the most popular flavours later.
Parotta or barotta: The South Indian equivalent and the most
fun to eat by far. These are made in a similar fashion to
plain paratha but have a multitude of ‘twisted’ layers which
can be pulled apart to reveal yet more buttery layers.
Roti canai: A popular Malaysian street food of Indian
influence. Unlike the dough of its unleavened Indian cousin,
the Malay version is made using eggs and is allowed to proof
before being cooked. The result is a light, crispy flatbread
with a fluffy middle.
Without a doubt, I think the most exciting thing about stuffed
paratha is the versatility of fillings which can be hidden
inside the crispy dough. Shall we explore some of them?
Fill me in
Some of the best-loved stuffed paratha fillings include:
Aloo palak paratha – Spicy mashed potatoes and spinach
Gobi paratha – Creamy cauliflower laced with turmeric
Mooli paratha – Grated peppery daikon radish
Mattar paratha – Crushed green peas and garlic
Paneer paratha – Rich Indian cheese
Keema paratha – Fiery minced meat
Pyaz ka paratha – Sweet and spicy sautéed onions
Methi paratha – Deliciously powerful fenugreek leaves
Sweet paratha – A sprinkling of sugar and maybe a pinch of
ground cardamom
With this versatile bread, the flavour combinations are
endless and you’ll only be limited by your imagination. As
long as the filling is smooth enough to encase in dough and
has been flavoured with plenty of spice, it just isn’t
possible to run out of bright ideas.
Aloo Paratha
Makes 10-15
Ingredients for the filling:
550g potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed until smooth
1 large onion, pureed
2 green chilles, minced
40g frozen peas, cooked and coarsely pureed (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
½ tsp ground cumin seeds
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
Zest ½ lemon
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Handful fresh coriander, chopped very finely
For the dough:
400g chapatti flour
80ml sunflower oil
Around 200ml hot water
Extra ghee or oil to cook the paratha
Method:
1. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large non-stick
pan. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, chillies and
onions. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until
very soft. Add the ground coriander seeds, ground cumin
seeds and garam masala. Sauté for a few minutes and add
the rest of the ingredients. Combine and cook for a
further 5 minutes stirring all the time. Remove from the
heat and set aside.
2. To make the dough, take a large bowl and add the
chapatti flour. Make a well in the centre and add the
oil. Stirring with a spoon, slowly mix in enough hot
water for you to be able to to form a dough. When cool
enough to handle, bind until you get a soft and smooth,
non-sticky dough. If it’s sticky, add a little bit more
oil and a dusting of flour and continue to bind.
3. Take a ball of dough, slightly larger than a golf ball,
and a larger ball of the cooled potato filling.
4. Roll the dough to about 3-4” in diameter and place the
potato ball on top. Using your thumbs and forefingers,
pinch the dough closed around the filling, starting in
the middle and working your way outwards. The filling
wrapped in dough should be fully enclosed with no gaps
or holes.
5. Flatten the ball using the palm of your hand. Dust with
flour on both sides and flip over. You will need to roll
the smooth side.
6. Begin rolling the dough, turning gently as you do.
Ensure it is even all over and dust with more flour if
necessary. Try to aim for 1/2cm in thickness.
7. Heat some oil or ghee in a non-stick frying pan and
carefully slide in the paratha. Cook on a medium heat on
both sides until golden brown all over, adding more ghee
or oil to the pan for added indulgence.
So as if by magic, you’re now a paratha extraordinaire and
well on your way to rustling up some bread to accompany your
favourite Indian dishes. Enjoy making these traditional
Punjabi Aloo Paratha and once you get the hang of rolling,
remember to have fun creating your own fillings and flavours.
Classic Vegetable Biryani
There is a word in Indian cooking that used to send a chill
down my spine every time it was uttered – biryani.
I was never suspicious of the biryani because it’s difficult
to cook, but because it’s typically served as a main course.
As a little girl, rice had always been a side dish for me –
something to go with the daal or to soak up a sauce.
It didn’t matter if the rice was bland because there were
other dishes on the table to perk it up. But when I discovered
the world of biryani, there was a shift in balance – the rice
had become the star of the show and everything it was cooked
with had to taste good. If it didn’t, the whole dinner went to
pot.
But now I’m a fully-fledged member of the biryani lovers club,
I’m here to offer a lesson in how easy preparing it can really
be, provided you know the basics.
Spice notes
Spice mixtures for biryanis tend to vary depending on the
region in which they’re being prepared and the main
ingredients going in. Some essentials include but are not
limited to: Cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander seeds, black
and green cardamom, bay leaves, mace and saffron.
Used sparingly, these spices infuse the rice and vegetables
with the most wonderful aromas imaginable. Earthy, rich, spicy
and perfumed, a true biryani should release all of these notes
as soon as the lid has been lifted and the rush of steam
escapes from within.
What I love about the finished dish are the flavours and
smells of Southern Asia, the Middle East and Northern Africa
all coming together in one harmonious orchestra of edible
goodness – it’s a tour of the East in a single bite.
The rice should always be basmati – an aromatic long-grain
variety used to prepare almost every Indian rice dish. It’s
even used in spiced rice puddings, unlike its western
counterpart which favours short grain.
At home, cooking biryani has become somewhat of a ritualistic
affair reserved only for special occasions and buttering up
certain people. Every component needs to be prepared in
advance: The vegetables and rice should be semi-cooked, the
spicy sauce made and the nuts toasted.
Sound like a chore? Never forget that if you take your time
and give your biryani some love, it will love you back
tenfold.
Biri-what-ni?
Thousands of years ago, the Mughals introduced the Indian
subcontinent to the science of cooking rice and vegetables (or
meat) together. A beautiful Iranian dish quickly became
something every Indian dadima (grandmother) excelled at, and
every dadaji (grandfather) dreamt of being hand fed by his
doting wife each evening.
Today, I’m stepping into dadima’s slippers and in true grandma
style, passing my recipe on to you.
Now let’s talk about the one of the biryani’s most noteworthy
ingredients, saffron.
Saffron school
-Use saffron sparingly. By weight, it’s the most expensive
spice in the world and nobody can argue over prices when each
crocus contains three single strands of pure saffron,
handpicked by ever-patient and light-fingered saffron
collectors.
-Beware of copycats. For years, saffron fakes have been
abundant and it isn’t easy to tell whether you’ve been conned
out of your pounds when they look so convincing.
-Always buy from a reputable spice dealer or stockist.
-To get the most out of your saffron, place it in a bowl and
microwave it on high for 10-15 seconds to lightly toast it and
dry it out (be VERY careful and keep a watchful eye on it).
Gently rub it through your fingers when you add it to your
dish and it will release heaps of extra flavour and colour.
Magic.
3 tips for the perfect biryani
- Biryanis are traditionally cooked in clay pots – not only
are these hard to come by, they’re also high maintenance.
Without having to invest in one of these, I find that you can
get similar results by cooking your biryani in a Dutch oven.
- Every biryani should be slow-cooked with a lid on. An old
school trick to stop any steam escaping is to seal the lid
with a ring of wheat flour dough. This type of cooking is
known as dum cooking. Dum simply means ‘warm breath’ to
connote the steam inside the pot. Once cooked, the dough seal
is broken and the beautiful aromas are released – of course,
the bread is eaten along with the biryani.
- Many people cook their biryanis on the stove, but I prefer
to bake mine for the simple reason that the bottom of the dish
tends not to burn as quickly as it would if it was placed on
direct heat. If you prefer to use the stove top method, place
your pan inside another, slightly larger pan filled halfway up
with water (essentially a bain marie) to promote even cooking.
Controversially, I sauté my potatoes, onions and paneer
separately, in a combination of ghee (clarified butter) and
sunflower oil for added flavour before adding them to the
biryani. I hear you heckling me for my flippant use of ghee
but when you’re pouring yogurt and double cream into your
sauce, you may as well go the whole hog and make an amazing
biryani for a special occasion. I’ve never been one to skimp
on the good stuff.
Classic Vegetable Biryani
(Serves 6)
Ingredients (all of these are available in supermarkets)
For the sauce:
400g passata
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
5 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground
2 black cardamom pods, ground (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 ½ tbsp sugar
½-1 tsp red chilli powder
Pinch of ground mace (optional)
4 inch stick cinnamon, broken in half
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
1 ¼ tsp salt
100ml double cream
3 tbsp plain yoghurt
For the rest of the biryani:
255g basmati rice
Pinch saffron
1 medium onion, sliced finely
½ aubergine, sliced into half moons
115g baby potatoes, quartered
100g paneer, cubed into 2cm pieces
5 French beans, trimmed and sliced
100g frozen peas
60g cauliflower florets, broken
10 cashews, toasted in a dry pan
2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted in a dry pan
1 ½ tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry pan
1 tbsp golden sultanas
1 tbsp dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
2 tsp salt
Ghee and sunflower oil to fry
Method
1. Wash the rice in cold, running water to remove as much
starch as possible. Allow to soak in a pan whilst you make the
sauce.
2. Whisk together the passata, ground coriander, cardamom,
cumin, chilli powder, mace, sugar, and salt. Heat the ghee in
a large saucepan and add the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf tomato
puree, ginger and garlic. Sauté for a few moments, and then
add the passata mixture. Stir and cover with a lid. Allow to
simmer on a very low heat for 40-45 minutes, stirring often.
3. Heat the ghee and sunflower oil to shallow fry the
vegetables one by one. Start with the onions, remove from the
pan when golden, then in the same oil, shallow fry the
aubergines (until 40% cooked), then the potatoes (until 80%
cooked), and then paneer until golden all over. Set aside.
4. Boil the rice in plenty of hot water and 2 tsp salt until
60% cooked. Drain and set aside. Note: You could boil the rice
in two batches, adding a little bit of food colour to one.
This is a little frivolous and totally optional.
5. Place the saffron in a bowl and microwave in 5 second
bursts, checking after each one until the saffron becomes
lightly toasted and brittle. Add three tablespoons of hot
water to the saffron and allow to steep.
6. Combine the dried fruits and nuts. Preheat the oven to
190°C.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat and quickly whisk in the
cream and yoghurt. Add in all of the cauliflower, potatoes,
peas, French beans and paneer. Mix thoroughly. You’re now
ready to layer up your biryani.
8. Rub some ghee into your dish/dishes (I used mini Dutch
ovens)
9. Layer in some onions, aubergines, rice, saffron water,
fruits and nuts, vegetables in sauce, repeating until all
ingredients are used up.
10. Make a dough using 200g flour, 3 tbsp oil and hot water to
bind. Roll into a rope and place onto the edge of your dish.
Lightly press down the lid. Alternatively, you can place a
piece of foil over the rice and cover with a lid.
‘Dum’ cooking
11. Bake the biryani for 30-35 minutes. The aim of the game is
for the rice and vegetables finish cooking at the same time.
12. Break the bread seal and remove the lid when you’re ready
to serve. For those final touches, garnish with plain yogurt
and fresh coriander.
This biryani is best served with cucumber raita and Peshwari
Naan.
Cooking biryani is an art which some chefs spend years trying
to fine tune. When they get it right, people flock to their
restaurants, hotels and homes, travelling from hundreds and
thousands of miles away, just to sample a taste. And that’s
when you know your biryani is really good.
Do you have a signature biryani recipe? Now I’ve shared mine,
I’d love to read your best tips and tricks.
Eggless Saffron and
Shrikhand Doughnuts
Lemon
Just a speedy note before I round up all of the dishes from
our Mughlai season this weekend (for your eating pleasure).
This is going to include all of the royal-inspired recipes
plus more, so stick around for some really yummy dishes so you
can create a banquet fit for kings and queens.
Yesterday, a KO Rasoi recipe for Saffron and Lemon Shrikhand
Doughnuts was featured in the Food Network UK Month of
Doughnuts calendar in support of National Doughnut Week
(7th-14th May). In addition to this, the recipe also went out
in their fabulous food newsletter which you can sign up to
here: Sign up to the Food Network UK newsletter in order to
get my new Food Network UK recipes delivered to your inbox
fresh from the kitchen.
I thought I would join in the fun and go dough-nuts too – and
so my recipe for Lemon and Saffron Shrikhand Doughnuts was
born. Please visit the site to take a peek at how I created
this recipe and as always, have a go yourself. They’re super
easy eggless doughnuts flavoured with saffron and lemon,
rolled in sugar and crushed pistachios (and a little edible
glitter if you’re feeling glam, then piped with creamy
pistachio and cardamom shrikhand (spiced sweet Indian yogurt).
I’d love you forever if you also took a second to have a look
at my new chef page. It contains some extra info about myself,
KO Rasoi and my bespoke recipes for Food Network UK (whether
or not you’re interested in that kind of thing is another
matter entirely!)
Have a ball going dough-nuts too!
Spicy Spinach Lasagne
Spicy Spinach Lasagne
Guess what I did this weekend? I made my first wedding cake!
300 cupcakes consisting of both Red Velvet and Lemon. Finished
with a swirl of vanilla buttercream and the cutest handmade
Indian elephants and peacock feathers. The display was crowned
with a vanilla buttercream cake and a giant peacock feather.
Thankfully, there were no real disasters and I think everyone
enjoyed the bite-sized cakes. Plus, I don’t have the skill to
pull off a traditional tiered wedding cake… yet!
I’ll be posting up images from the event tomorrow so keep your
eyes peeled for a whole load of cupcakes and lots of diabetic,
drooling Modhas.
Some of you will know that it’s Italy Month at Food Network UK
and all throughout July they’re featuring delicious pasta
recipes. This week, my Spicy Spinach Lasagne made the featured
spot in the newsletter. And just between me and you, KO Rasoi
reader – Lasagne Indian-style is so much better! I layered up
a very basic spicy spinach puree in the same way I would make
Saag (my favourite – pass the Makki Ki Roti please!) and made
a basic white sauce.
Layering up the dish with green spinach lasagne give this a
double-spinach hit. Plus, whenever I make lasagne, it has to
be spinach pasta… I wouldn’t have it any other way.
You can find the recipe here: Spicy Spinach Lasagne recipe.
Next time I try this, I’d be inclined to add freshly blended
mustard leaves for a deeper, more intense flavour and heat.
What do you think?
I’ll be back tomorrow to share the wedding cake images! In the
meantime, you can find more vegetarian summer recipes here.
Butter Pau Bhaji
All Butter Pau Bhaji Recipe
If you love Pau Bhaji with heaps of creamy butter as much as I
do, I hope you’ll love my article for FN UK’s blog in honour
of all things street food.
You discover what happened when I cooked up some Pau Bhaji in
their test kitchen and my experience eating Pau Bhaji on the
street in one of my most favourite Indian food cities,
Leicester.
I was sitting on a burning wall devouring £3.50 worth of hot,
spicy Pau Bhaji. It was heavily spiced but not with chillies –
the intense heat came from a medley of ground cinnamon,
cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds. The
bread was hot, buttery and perfect for scooping up the
delicious bhaji.
Now, I’ve tasted great Pau Bhajis in the past and I’ve also
made good Pau Bhajis, but the truth is that I much prefer it
when someone else makes the effort to sizzle some up for me.
Any takers?
Read the article here.
Get the recipe here.
FYI, my mouth is already watering thinking about the next post
which I will tell you involves potatoes and a simple blend of
spices. See you this weekend!
Shahi Paneer Stuffed Okra
Coconut, dried fruits, nuts and rich spices are what make
exotic Shahi cuisine fit for royalty – and for you and I.
Dishes created in imperial kitchens during the rise of the
Mughal Empire (in the heart of northern India and on the now
India-Pakistan border) echoed the deeply aromatic flavours of
Persia.
The Mughals, known
were no different
with ground nuts,
most delicious and
for their extravagance and majestic style,
to their eating habits. Rich sauces made
kebabs, koftas and kormas are some of the
popular bites to come from this era.
My recipe for Shahi Paneer Stuffed Okra is not a traditional
Mughlai dish – it’s entirely my own creation cooked up during
a 2am food fantasy. I’ve taken my inspiration from the
delicious Shahi cuisine I love to indulge in a little too
often.
By now you must know how I love contrasting flavours and
textures, and if you do too, you need to try this. Juicy okra
stuffed with homemade paneer which has been spiked with golden
sultanas and heady fennel.
The individual okra are then drenched in a sweet and tangy
sauce laced with cardamom and made creamy with ground cashews.
This aromatic sauce is similar to the kind used in my recipe
for Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta (which, to be completely
honest, should be a part of the Mughlai banquet you’re hosting
and inviting me to).
This is going to be so delicious.
Shahi Paneer Stuffed Okra
(serves 4)
Ingredients
500g whole okra, washed and dried (do not cut your okra before
washing because they will become sticky and inedible)
For the stuffing:
350g fresh homemade paneer, crumbled (made from around 2 pints
whole milk)
30g sultanas, soaked in hot water and drained
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp finely ground fennel seeds
-1 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
1 very small pinch bicarbonate of soda (to help cook the okra
and to keep the paneer light)
For the sauce:
60g cashew nuts, boiled until tender then ground to a puree
2 tbsp ghee or oil
1 tsp black cumin seeds (shahi jeera) or regular cumin seeds
4 large red chillies, minced (or to taste)
5 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
100g creamed coconut, grated
200ml milk
1 tbsp honey
½ tsp cardamom powder
Salt to taste
To garnish:
White poppy seeds
Desiccated coconut
White poppy seeds (khus khus)
Method
1. Cut the stems from the washed and dried okra, then split
them lengthways, not cutting all the way through. Take your
time, you don’t want the okra to fall apart. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, crumble together all the ingredients for the
stuffing. Use your fingertips to lightly rub the mixture to
make sure it’s well combined.
3. Stuff the okra with the paneer mixture and place on a tray.
Enlist the help of a slave if need be.
4. Once all the okra are stuffed, you will need to microwave
them in batches of three. Place a third of them in a
microwavable dish and cook on high power for 6 minutes. Do not
cover. Repeat another two times for the remaining okra. Set
aside.
5. In a large non-stick pan, heat the oil or ghee and add the
cumin seeds, chillies, cashew puree and tomato puree. Cook on
a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients
and cook for a further 5 minutes. Place the mixture in a
blender and pulse until smooth. If you’re particularly anal,
sieve the sauce for an extra silky finish. Return to the pan
to heat through until just bubbling.
6. To assemble the dish, pile the okra into a large dish,
spoon over the sauce and allow to warm through in a
moderate/low oven for 5-10 minutes. Be careful, you don’t want
to overcook the okra. Serve sprinkled with poppy seeds and
desiccated coconut.
I served my stuffed okra with aromatic turmeric basmati rice,
but you can create your own Mughlai feast (the one I already
decided you’re having) by pairing it with Peshwari naan and
Shahi pulao, or apricot biryani (recipe coming soon). A bowl
of creamy doodh vari sev (sweet noodles in cream) would be the
perfect way to round off your royal banquet – no pressure or
anything.
Eggless Quiche with Sweet
Potatoes, Caramelised Onions
and Feta
Was it you who said egg-free quiches were as impossible to
make as licking your own elbow? Well if it was, you couldn’t
have been more wrong.
You can stop trying to lick your elbow now. It’s never going
to happen and plus, you look ridiculous.
I wanted to create a quiche with strong flavours that cut
through the creaminess of the dish while also making a small
slice go a long way. This was imperative because if I didn’t,
I’d have ended up squirming on the floor with a protruding
belly and crumbs all over my face having eaten it all. And I
promised myself that would never happen again.
Sweet potatoes added just that – a strong velvety sweetness,
caramelised onions gave the quiche some colour, texture and
flavour, and the sharp, salty feta cheese cut through the rich
filling. Perfecto.
I’m quite pleased with myself for making my own pastry. I know
shortcrust is the easiest pastry to make but lazy is the best
way to describe me. There’s no excuse for it. All my pastry
endeavours have ended up as crummy disasters. I’m hasty, hotheaded and fiery tempered as opposed to a cool-handed pastry
whiz-kid.
This had to change.
I took my time, made sure everything was cold (ice water,
frozen and grated butter and cold hands) and things weren’t
looking too shabby if I say so myself.
Then I burned myself… twice.
Have I told you about my war wounded arm? My right arm is
covered in several burn marks from hurriedly fetching things
to and fro the oven and grill. Each one carries its own story
and in a way, I’m quite proud of the ugly little guys.
Shall we get back to the quiche?
Eggs are to quiche as gelatine to jelly; they help it set so
you can slice it. A set custard if you will. In place of eggs
I used cornflour (a tip I picked up from revered chef Kurma
Dasa and his fabulous book Great Vegetarian Dishes). However,
I also added some self raising flour, mature cheddar cheese
and baking powder. The flour and baking powder helped my
quiche puff up, lighten up and set in place as it would if I
added eggs. I also added plenty of cheese to make it very
savoury and golden brown on top.
A small wedge of this quiche served warm or cold with a green
salad (dressed in something sharp) will make you forget about
how much cheese, cream and butter actually went into the dish.
I’ve forgotten already.
Tip: Freeze your butter, then grate it before you add it to
your flour to keep your pastry extra cold.
I’d always make this quiche a day ahead as it needs at least 8
hours to cool and set before you slice it. When it comes out
of the oven it should still be a bit wobbly in the middle, and
then when it chills it will begin to set.
Eggless Quiche with Sweet Potatoes, Caramelised
Onions and Feta
(cuts into 8-10 slices)
For the cumin pastry crust:
280g plain flour
140g butter, frozen and grated on a cheese grater
1 ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds
½ tsp salt
8-9 tbsp iced water
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, cumin seeds, butter and
salt. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles
fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the iced water and bring the mixtures together to form
a firm dough. Cover in cling film (plastic wrap) and
refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, grease a fluted tart case (with a removable
bottom) with oil.
5. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 5mm in
thickness and around 5-6cm larger than your tart case (I used
a 10 inch wide, 2 inch deep case).
6. Lift the pastry up with your rolling pin and drape it over
your tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides.
Gently push the pastry into the sides of the case, taking care
not to stretch or tear it. Prick some small holes
7. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Place a large piece of
greaseproof paper in your pastry case and fill with baking
beans. I used rice which worked just as well.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove the greaseproof paper
and baking beans/rice. Return to the oven for a further 5
minutes to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to
cool.
For the quiche filling:
240g red onions, sliced
140g sweet potato, cubed
200g feta cheese, cubed
4 tbsp self raising flour
1 ½ tbsp cornflour
400ml milk
300ml double cream
100g cream cheese
80g mature cheddar cheese
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp butter
Olive oil
Method
1. To caramelise the onions, heat the butter in a pan with 1
tsp of olive oil. Add the slice onions and 3 tbsp of sugar.
Cook on a medium heat for around 20 minutes, stirring all the
time. Try not to break them up too much, though. Add the dried
organo and set aside.
2. Wash the sweet potato cubes, place in a bowl with 2 tbsp of
water and microwave on high power for 3 minutes. Refresh under
cold water and drain. Set aside.
3. In a large pan, heat 4 tbsp olive oil and add the cornflour
and self raising flour. Cook until slightly pink, grab a whisk
and slowly add the milk, whisking all the time. Add 150ml
double cream, the cheddar cheese, cream cheese and 50g of the
feta. Keep whisking for 5 minutes until you’re left with a
smooth sauce. I sieved mine at this point to make sure there
were no lumps at all.
Your filling mixture should be the consistency of lightly
whipped cream. Place cling film directly on the mixture to
stop a skin from forming on top.
4. Add the remaining 150ml double cream and allow to cool.
This will thicken on standing so when you return to it after
cooling, you will need to adjust the consistency to its
previous state by using some hot water and whisking.
5. Fold in the onions, potatoes and feta and pile the mixture
into the cooled pastry case. Fill a baking tray with hot water
and place it in the bottom of the oven (this will keep the
environment moist so your quiche won’t dry out).
6. Place your quiche on a baking tray and put it on the rack
above. Bake for 45 minutes at 180°C until almost golden.
7. Turn the oven off but leave the quiche inside. Open the
oven door for a few minutes to let some heat escape so your
quiche doesn’t burn.
8. After two hours your quiche should have cooled. Remove it
from the oven, cover in cling film and refrigerate for 7-8
hours. Once you remove it, trim the excess pastry and then it
should be ready to devour.
I know this sounds terribly long and complicated, and it sort
of is (for me, anyway). I’m not gonna lie.
But take one bite of this lush, creamy eggless quiche and
you’ll know why it took so much of your love and effort.
Also, feel free to experiment with flavours. You could add
anything from green peas, cherry tomatoes and spinach to a
variety of other cheeses. Just remember to send me a piece in
the post.
Black Bean
Chilli
and
Chocolate
Don’t give me that look – I know what you’re thinking.
This weekend has been rush, rush, rush. I was panicking all
day yesterday wondering what on earth I was going to present
to you. I annoyed other people into helping me think of
something, which has never really happened before. Shall I let
you in on how this whole blogging shebang works for me?
I wake up on Monday mornings, droopy-eyed and full of
bitterness about how quickly the weekend flew by, why it’s so
damn cold and why I’m wearing two coats (yeah I know, what the
hell, right?) Around lunchtime I start to wonder what could
possibly sweeten up my mood.
Thinking about food usually does it for me. I couldn’t tell
you why – although my belly, bingo wings and thunder thighs
probably could. Figuring out what to eat by ingredient is much
too complex for me, so I usually work out what would hit the
spot by cuisine.
I do a hi-tech international Matrix-styleè brain scan of what
I’d like to shovel in to my mouth as quickly as possible. Let
me give you an example of the kind of thought process that
takes place:
Chinese: Meh
French: No
Italian: Hmm
Japanese: Maybe
Thai: Ouhh…
Indian: Nah
Mexican: Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!
I promise you this is going somewhere – sort of.
Next, I think of all the possible dishes I could create to
fill this particular craving using my favourite ingredients
and influences from that part of the world. I usually end up
getting so carried away with this that I end up blogging about
one of the dishes I cooked up in a fantasy I had earlier in
the week.
I’m not the kind of girl to ignore my belly when it speaks to
me, just so you know.
I’ve always wanted to make a spicy chilli with dark chocolate,
inspired by Mexican ‘mole’ sauce. In my recipe, I used
chocolate to give the chilli an intense, slightly bitter
flavour to counteract the savoury notes already muddling in
the pot. The result? A rich, hearty bowlful of goodness,
topped off with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of cheese and
some fresh avocado.
Hand me the tortilla chips, por favor?
Now, if you’re Mexican or a whiz at cooking Mexican food, I
apologise for this in advance. I’m not going to call this dish
Mexican because it almost certainly breaks all the rules of
Mexican cooking.
However, I’m not going to apologise for saying it’s delicious.
(“It’s delicious”) – Because it is, and because I can say
whatever I like here in my safe haven. Ha.
Black Bean and Chocolate Chilli
(serves 4-6)
Ingredients
160g dried black beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure
cooker)
80g dried pinto beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure
cooker)
80g dried soya mince, soaked in hot water then squeezed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
300g passata
2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
2 tbsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
5 hot green chillies, minced
125g 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped
3 tsp sugar
4 tbsp lime juice
100g sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Around 1 litre hot water
To serve
Sour cream
Chopped avocado
Chopped coriander
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan or dutch oven. Add
the onions and allow to brown. Add the garlic, chillies, cumin
powder, coriander powder, tomato puree, passata, sugar,
oregano, chocolate and cheese, and bring to a boil.
2. Add the reconstituted soya mince, cooked beans and enough
water to cover by about an inch. Put the lid on, turn the heat
down to low and simmer for around 20-30 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
3. Remove the lid and adjust the consistency of the chilli if
necessary. Add more water if it’s thick, or continue to simmer
with the lid off if too watery.
4. Add a handful of chopped coriander and season with salt.
Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, avocado and
coriander. You can have this with tortilla chips, flour or
corn tortillas, spicy rice or seasoned potato wedges.
Have you ever cooked a savoury dish with chocolate? If not, go
and make this – pronto!