Potatoes with cashew nuts (kaju aloo – pictured above)
Prep 5 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 6
1 kg large white potatoes (such as Maris Piper), unpeeled
6 green chillies
4cm piece fresh ginger
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
12 fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp cashew nuts
2 large onions, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
Put the potatoes in a large pan with a lid and fill with cold water. Put the pan over a medium–high heat and bring to a boil. Keep on a low, rolling boil for 20–25 minutes – cooking time will vary according to variety, size and quality. Test they are cooked with a skewer – they should be tender but not falling apart. Once cooked, drain, leave until cool enough to handle, then remove the skins, cut into 2.5cm cubes and set aside.
Using a food processor, blitz the chillies and ginger to a paste – if you want to reduce the heat of this dish, remove the chilli seeds first.
In a frying pan with a lid, heat the oil over a medium–high flame. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and cashews, and cook until the cashews darken in colour. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, but not coloured.
Add the chilli and ginger paste, the turmeric, salt and 200ml water, then bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the diced potato. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then lower the heat, add the sugar and cook, covered, for a further 10 minutes. If there is any excess water in the pan, remove the lid and cook over a high heat until the potatoes have a glossy sheen.
Before serving, check the seasoning and add salt or sugar to taste.
Beetroot raita
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 8–10
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 large beetroots, uncooked, peeled
1 kg Greek yoghurt
¼ tsp chilli powder (optional)
¼ tsp sugar, or to taste
1 level tsp salt, or to taste
In a heavy-based frying pan, toast the cumin seeds over a low heat, until they darken and release a nutty fragrance. Grind the toasted cumin seeds in a spice grinder or crush them in a mortar.
Grate the beetroot into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the yoghurt with a wooden spoon or balloon whisk until smooth. Add the cumin and the chilli powder, if using, then mix to combine. Add sugar and salt to taste.
Add the spiced yoghurt to the grated beetroot and mix until the beetroot is coated in yoghurt. Before serving, check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
You can make this raita the day before and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Masala omelette
Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 2
4 eggs
2 green chillies
2 spring onions, finely chopped
4 tbsp finely chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp coriander leaves (or any other herb), chopped
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp melted butter or vegetable oil
For an omelette sandwich
2 slices white bread
Salted butter
1 good squeeze tomato ketchup (optional)
In a bowl, beat the eggs. If you prefer not to eat the green chillies, chop them into pieces large enough to see, so you can remove them later; if you enjoy them, chop them finely. Add the chillies to the beaten eggs and all the other ingredients, except the butter or oil.
In a small, nonstick frying pan, heat a tablespoon of the butter or oil over a medium heat. Add half the egg mixture to the pan and leave to set, before gently folding over the omelette to cook through.
Slide the omelette from the pan on to a plate and keep warm. Repeat for the second omelette.
To make the omelette sandwich, butter two slices of white bread, fill with an omelette, squeeze with ketchup and enjoy.
Chicken drumstick (tengri) kebab
Prep 10 min
Marinate 6 hr +
Cook 25 min
Serves 2
4 medium skinless drumsticks (about 500g)
Lemon wedges, to serve
For the marinade
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp ground coriander
¼ tsp chilli powder (replace with paprika for a milder heat)
1 large pinch sugar
1 tbsp fresh ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Put the drumsticks in a non-reactive container with a lid and pour over the marinade, making sure that every surface of the chicken is covered. Cover the container and put in the refrigerator for at least six hours, and preferably overnight.
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, to allow it to come to room temperature.
These kebabs can be cooked in an oven or on a barbecue. If cooking in an oven, heat it to 200C/390F/gas 6.
Put the drumsticks on an oven tray in a single layer so they cook evenly, and pour over any remaining marinade. Bake for 20–25 minutes, then pierce the thickest part of a drumsticks with a skewer – the juices should run clear. If not, return to the oven. The drumsticks should be speckled with brown patches, but the meat should not be dry.
On a barbecue, wait until any flames have subsided and a low heat is evenly spread across the coals – if the heat is too high, the outsides of the drumsticks will cook quickly but the insides will still be raw. The cooking time will vary, depending on the heat of the coals. Again, pierce the thickest part of the drumstick to check whether the juices run clear.
Serve the kebabs warm, with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
