CHICKEN TIKKA
Chicken tikka masala this is not. Tikka simply means piece or chunk – so this is chicken pieces, marinated then grilled. The marinade is based on sweet vinegar, not yogurt – and there’s not a drop of food colouring in sight. It makes a nice starter or a delicious lunch in a chapati roll.
SERVES 4 as a starter
- 500g boneless chicken thighs, with skin
For the marinade
- 30g fresh root ginger
- 2-3 cloves garlic (10g)
- 2-3 green chillies (10g)
- 30ml rice vinegar
- 1 tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (available from Waitrose)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
To grill and serve
- 25g unsalted butter, melted
- lime wedges
- red onion salad (optional)
1 Cut each chicken thigh into 3 pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Put in a large bowl.
2 For the marinade, blitz the ingredients to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor.
3 Spoon the marinade over the chicken pieces and turn them to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 6-24 hours.
4 Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Soak some wooden skewers in water.
5 Heat the grill to high. Thread the marinated chicken on to the skewers, leaving enough space between the pieces for the heat to penetrate. Grill for 12-15 minutes, turning and basting regularly with the melted butter, until deep golden brown with some charring. Check that the chicken is cooked through.
6 Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving with lime wedges for squeezing over and a red onion salad, if you wish.
TANDOORI VEGETABLE CHAAT
Often by the roadside or at the beach in India, you will see a cart that’s roasting vegetables over coals. The veg is then tumbled up with special masala, lime juice and chillies.
SERVES 2-3
- 1 large sweet potato
- 4-5 thick slices pineapple, cut into large chunks
- 5-6 padron peppers
- melted butter, for basting
- 2 pinches chaat masala (available from supermarkets)
- 2 pinches red chilli powder
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp tamarind pulp
- salt and black pepper
- fresh coriander, lime wedges and fried chana dal or bombay mix (see tip), to garnish
Lime and chilli dressing
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
- salt, to taste
- 1½ tbsp caster sugar
- 1½-2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2-3 mint sprigs, leaves picked
1 Parboil the unpeeled sweet potato in a pan of salted boiling water for 10-15 minutes. You want it to be just tender but not overcooked as it will be grilled later on. Once boiled, leave to cool, then peel off the skin. Cut into chunks and set aside.
2 Make the dressing by blending everything together until nicely emulsified and set aside.
3 Heat a barbecue or griddle pan over a high heat. Add the sweet potato, pineapple and padron peppers. Turn everything and baste occasionally with melted butter until charred. (You can also do this under a grill.)
4 Tip the fruit and veg into a bowl and add 2 tbsp of the lime and chilli dressing, the chaat masala, red chilli powder, lime juice, green chilli, tamarind pulp and a pinch of salt and pepper.
5 Serve with a garnish of coriander, lime wedges and fried chana dal or bombay mix.
Tips Fried chana dal is a snack made of split chickpeas. It’s available in Indian grocery stores and some supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda. Here it is used to add crunch to the finished dish, but you could also use bombay mix. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated and used for spooning over grilled vegetables, fish or chicken.
OKRA FRIES
These light and crispy little snacks have converted many lifelong okra-avoiders. They are even better when dipped in chutney. The bowl will be empty before you know it.
SERVES 4
- 175g okra
- 4g garlic paste
- 4g ginger paste
- ¼ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (available from Waitrose)
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 15g chickpea (gram) flour
- 10g cornflour
- ½ tsp ‘magic’ masala (see recipe, below)
1 Wash the okra under cold water and pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Slice off and discard the top of each okra, leaving the tail intact. Slice in half lengthways if young and small, quarter the okra lengthways if large.
2 Mix together the garlic and ginger pastes, chilli powder and 4 tsp water. Add the okra and mix well to ensure it is well coated.
3 Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180C or half-fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan with oil and use a sugar thermometer to check the temperature.
4 Mix together the two flours. Sprinkle over the okra and toss gently to coat.
5 Fry the okra in the hot oil, in batches if necessary, until golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with ‘magic’ masala and serve immediately.
‘MAGIC’ MASALA
Flavoured with tangy amchoor (dried unripe mango powder) and bright red chilli powder, this finishing salt is so named because we sprinkle it on to dishes to add a little sparkle. Add to the okra fries (above), regular fries to make masala chips, or over steaks before serving. You can also mix it with yogurt to make a marinade for chicken, fish or lamb.
MAKES ABOUT 20G
- 10g fine sea salt
- 10g amchoor (available from souschef.co.uk)
- 4g deggi mirch chilli powder (available from Waitrose)
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard. It will keep for up to 2 months.
FISH AMRITSARI
This dish originated in Amritsar in the north of India. The city is the meeting point of three prolific rivers, hence its abundance of freshwater fish. It is best to use a mild-flavoured, white flaky fish.
SERVES 2-3
- 300g white fish (eg cod, monkfish or pollock), cut into fingers about 2cm-3cm thick
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 1-2 pinches chaat masala (available from supermarkets)
- lime wedges, and coriander chutney (see recipe, below), to serve
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp red chilli powder (adjust, depending how hot you like it)
- a generous pinch of ajwan seeds (available from souschef.co.uk)
- 2 pinches of salt
For the batter
- 4 tbsp chickpea (gram) flour
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 125ml water
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 3-4 green chillies (depending how hot you like it), chopped
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp chaat masala (available from supermarkets)
- 2 pinches ground turmeric
- ½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
- ½ tbsp lime juice
- pinch of salt
1 Mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the fish fingers, making sure they’re well coated, and leave for 20-30 minutes in the fridge. Take out and place in a sieve or strainer to allow the excess water to drain out.
2 For the batter, mix together the flours and water. Strain through a fine sieve so there are no lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3 Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180C, or half-fill a deep, heavy-based saucepan with oil and use a sugar thermometer to check the temperature.
4 While the oil is heating, lift the fish from the strainer and mix well with the batter.
5 Fry the fish until it is crispy. Lift out of the oil, dry on kitchen towel and sprinkle with chaat masala. Serve with lime wedges and coriander chutney.
CORIANDER CHUTNEY
Blending the herbs with ice cubes helps retain the chutney’s bright green colour.
SERVES 4
- 40g fresh mint leaves, rinsed, dried and roughly chopped
- 40g coriander, rinsed, dried and roughly chopped
- 3-5 green chillies (depending how hot you like it)
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- 2½ tbsp lime juice
- 3-4 pinches sugar
- salt, to taste
- 4-5 ice cubes
Put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz to a fine paste.
PRAWN MOILEE
This is a light, fragrant and utterly delicious south-Indian-style curry, packed with prawns and tempered with coconut milk. Although it looks impressive, it is easy to make, so you can serve it either as a weeknight supper or an indulgent dinner.
SERVES 4
- 6 green chillies
- 55ml vegetable oil
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 30 fresh curry leaves
- 300g white onions, sliced (a little chunky is good)
- 15g garlic paste
- 15g ginger paste
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 25g fresh root ginger, cut into matchsticks
- 400ml coconut milk
- 250ml coconut cream
- 24 large prawns
- 300g medium tomatoes, cut into bite-size wedges
- lemon wedges, to serve
1 Remove and discard the stalks from the chillies, then slice each one into 3 or 4 long strips. Set to one side.
2 Put a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add 40ml of the oil, let it warm for a few seconds, then add the mustard seeds and 20 of the curry leaves. Let them crackle for a few seconds.
3 Add the sliced onion and sauté lightly for 12-14 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Mix in the garlic and ginger pastes, salt, black pepper and turmeric, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the sliced chillies and ginger matchsticks and cook for a further 3 minutes.
4 Pour in the coconut milk and cream and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5 While the curry is simmering, set a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Toss in the rest of the curry leaves and fry for 1 minute until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
6 Add the prawns and tomatoes to the sauce and simmer gently for a further 5-6 minutes, until the prawns are cooked; do not overcook or they will be tough.
7 Serve scattered with the fried curry leaves, and lemon wedges on the side.
AUTUMN DALIA SALAD
Dalia (cracked wheat) is commonly used in India to make breakfast porridge, often with milk and sugar – it’s a real childhood favourite. Here’s it’s used in a salad with seasonal fruit, pickled beetroot, salad leaves and salted caramel chilli cashew nuts. Use bulgur wheat if you can’t find cracked wheat.
SERVES 2-3
For the pickled beetroot (or use store-bought)
- 1 fresh beetroot, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
- 100ml rice vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp salt
For the toddy vinegar reduction
- 500ml toddy vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, see tip)
- 80g caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
For the chilli salted caramel cashews
- 100g whole, roasted cashew nuts
- 70g caster sugar
- 20g salted butter
- Chilli flakes
For the salad
- 80g cracked wheat (or bulgur wheat)
- 235ml water
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp barberries (or chopped dried cranberries)
- a pinch of ground white pepper
- 20-30g mixed salad leaves
- 1 small plum, stoned and chopped
- 1 small pear, cored and chopped
- 1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
- 1 spring onion, sliced to garnish
1 Start by making the pickled beetroot. Mix all the ingredients together and leave for at least 4 hours.
2 For the toddy vinegar reduction place all the ingredients in a small, heavy-based pan. Simmer gently until reduced to a thick syrup (about the consistency of golden syrup). Cool completely.
3 For the cashews, add the sugar to a heavy-based frying pan. Set over a low heat and cook, stirring continuously until the sugar starts to caramelise. Stop stirring and allow to caramelise until light brown, then add the butter and chilli flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, take off the heat and add the cashews. Mix together, then tip the cashews onto a sheet of parchment or a silicone mat and allow to cool.
4 Wash the cracked wheat in cold water at least 2 times. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cracked wheat with the salt and oil. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Spread the cracked wheat out on a flat tray and let it cool. You want it to still have a little bite to it. (Bulgur wheat is par-boiled so cook it according to pack instructions.)
5 Once cool, add the chilli flakes, barberries and white pepper to the cracked wheat, then toss together in a serving bowl with the salad leaves.
6 Lift beetroot from pickling liquor and place on top, then add the plum, pear and kiwi. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the vinegar reduction. Garnish with cashews and spring onion and serve
Tip Toddy vinegar is made from the fermented sap of coconut palms. You can buy it in Indian grocery stores or at Theasiancookshop.co.uk. Apple cider vinegar is a good alternative. The vinegar reduction can be stored at room temperature for several months and makes a great dressing for salads or can be drizzled over cooked meat or vegetables.
COME TO DISHOOM’S SUPPER CLUB
Next month Dishoom will be celebrating the most significant update to its menu since the first restaurant opened in 2010. The launch will be marked with a series of exclusive supper clubs in London, featuring appearances from Dishoom founders and executive chef Arun Tilak, on 25, 26 and 27 September. For more information, go to dishoom.com.
