Zaika Vegan Recipes From India - Romy Gill

In memory of my beautiful mother who taught me the importance of sharing knowledge about one’s food with others, and cooking from the heart.

CONTENTS Dedication Title Page Foreword by Allan Jenkins Introduction

BREADS GRAM FLOUR TURMERIC PANCAKES ROTI MAKKI DI ROTI BAJRA ROTI NIGELLA SEED NAANS BHATURE PIAZ PARATHAS ALOO PARATHAS RAW PAPAYA PARATHAS

LIGHT and BREEZY KACHUMBER SALAD MOOLI SALAD POMEGRANATE AND MUNG BEAN SALAD

WATERMELON AND MINT SALAD FIVE-BEAN SALAD PAPAYA WITH DILL PHALIYAN SHALGAM KI SABZI SQUASH AND SAVOY CABBAGE SABZI VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN BANDH GOBI SABUT MATAR GRILLED AUBERGINES CHAAT MASALA DEEP-FRIED OKRA MY SPECIAL CAULIFLOWER JEERA RICE LEMON RICE SPICY CHICKPEAS BHARLI MIRCHI

WARMING THE HEART KHICHDI BAINGAN BHAJA STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS SWEET AND SOUR TOFU RED LENTIL DAL SPLIT GREEN PEA DAL

CHANA DAL CHOLE KALA CHANA BAINGAN BHARTA SPICY GREEN LENTILS ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH ALOO METHI ALOO POSTO MIXED VEGETABLE SABZI OKRA SABZI MARROW SABZI RAW MANGO SABZI JACKFRUIT SABZI PANCH PHORON PUMPKIN

LABOURS OF LOVE BAINGAN MASALA PUMPKIN, CHARD AND POTATO KOFTAS SAMOSA CHAAT ROASTED CAULIFOWER WITH ROSE HARISSA AMRITSARI ROASTED BROCCOLI AND MOILEE SAUCE KALI DAL URAD DAL FRY RAJMA CHAWAL

VEGETABLE PULAO SAAG MOONG DAL WITH PALAK KACHE KELE KI SABZI BHARE KARELE VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN VADA PAV

SNACKS CAULIFLOWER PAKORAS ELDERFLOWER PAKORAS ROASTED PINEAPPLE CIRCLES POSTO BORAS POTATO AND PEA SAMOSAS MOMOS ROASTED

POMEGRANATE

MOLASSES SWEET

POTATO CHIPS BEETROOT, KALE AND SWEET POTATO TOASTIES BONDA BHUTTA ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS TURMERIC HUMMUS

PUDDINGS JALEBI

BLOOD ORANGE AND POLENTA CAKE FLAXSEED PINNI LADOOS RICE PUDDING ZARDA

DRINKS BANANA, COCONUT AND TURMERIC SMOOTHIE AAM KA PANNA ELDERFLOWER AND SAFFRON CORDIAL GULAB (ROSE WATER) SHARBAT NIBU PANNI TURMERIC GIN AND TONIC ROMY’S NEGRONI SPICED LEMON WATER GINGER, TURMERIC AND MINT TEA

PANTRY CAULIFLOWER AND ONION ROSE HARISSA WITH PRESERVED LEMONS FRESH TURMERIC PICKLED SHALLOTS GARLIC AND CHILLI HARI (GREEN) TAMARIND AND DATE AVOCADO

APPLE MINT AND CORIANDER PANCH PHORON GARAM MASALA CHAAT MASALA ROMY’S SPICE BLEND ANARDANA ONION PASTE Acknowledgements Copyright

Foreword by Allan Jenkins

It started with samosas. The plumpest, crispest, most fragrant pastry parcels I have ever had. It was at a hipster pop-up in a smart part of London. The capital’s food world had turned out to be wowed by dish after perfect dish. And we were. Perhaps the smoky aubergine stood out: accomplished, pitch perfect, all you hope for. But she had me with the samosa. They tasted of home, you see. Warm and generous, like Romy Gill, the woman, cook, and now author, who made them. In some ways, Romy’s journey to this book also started with samosas. Before Romy’s Kitchen – her celebrated Michelin-mentioned restaurant in Thornbury, near Bristol – there was Romy’s kitchen in her house, where she made samosas and spiky, spicy chutneys and sauces, and sold them through food festivals, or shared them in cooking classes and by teaching kids at local schools. There were advertisements in the yellow pages and local papers to spread the word about her cooking. Of course, Romy’s loving husband and daughters, her family in India and her neighbours always knew she could cook. But more importantly, so did she. It wasn’t enough for Romy to be the best mother, wife, daughter she could be. She is one of the most driven women I’ve ever met and it’s this same drive that has made her run marathons, ride a bicycle across India for Action against Hunger, made Michelin notice, and that, in 2016, made her an MBE. I have watched her, with her close team, in her tiny restaurant kitchen outside Bristol. I have seen the care she takes as she cooks; the confidence with which she scoops spice to go into the grated potatoes for the stuffed parathas her

mother made her as a child, or the samosas I begged for so I could eat them on my train journey home (they are still the best I will eat until the next time I visit). Romy Gill is not just one of the UK’s finest Indian cooks, or even one of the best female chefs. She is simply one of our most gifted cooks and teachers. I can’t wait to try these recipes – I hope it is the start of a series of books. Read Zaika, savour the stories but please also cook with it often, keep it in the kitchen and let the pages get splashed with golden spices.

Introduction

I grew up with my Punjabi family in a small town in West Bengal, India. Childhood home pleasures were basic; there were none of the gadgets and emerging mod-cons of the day – I was 12 when our first black-and-white television set arrived in the house, and we were absolutely transfixed by it! For us, there were more simple pleasures, such as playing cricket and badminton and the get-togethers with family and friends at the many festivals, weddings and religious celebrations. These events created such fervour and joy for us all; they were occasions for dancing, singing and, of course, food. From a young age I’d sit and watch my parents cook; my father would grind the spices and prepare the mixes for my mother, which she would cleverly use to liven up a variety of everyday foods. I remember my mother feeding me as a small child on our veranda, introducing me to a wealth of flavours, textures and techniques, all of which have stayed with me ever since. She was my first instructor in life and her influences are strong in the way that I cook today. My parents didn’t speak English but they made sure we went to English medium school (a type of school in India where students are taught the same education syllabus as children in the UK) and they provided good wholesome food for us. All our food was plant-based, as we rarely ate meat, only ever on special occasions. Indian food is strongly influenced by religion, culture, rituals, the caste system, wealth and poverty; poor people who can’t afford to drink clean water cannot afford to eat meat or drink milk. Few rich people eat meat every day, either, and even if they do, vegetables and lentils play a huge part in these dishes.

My parents would use eclectic styles from all over India to create delicious family meals. Indian food is not ‘Indian’ food, it’s regional, and every household cooks particular dishes differently – they might use the same spices but their techniques and methods vary. My mum used to say it’s all in the hand. I am so grateful to Dad that he worked in a steel works far away from the village he grew up in, because if he had stayed at home I would never have learned to respect the flavours I know so well today. Where I grew up, people came from different states and cooked and shared the food they grew up eating, so I was used to eating a wide variety of different flavours. When I first moved to England, in 1993, many of the Indian ingredients that I’d become accustomed to using were almost impossible to find, unless you had a specialist Indian shop nearby. I was not able to drive then and I was bit scared to take the bus, as if I got lost, what would happen? (Mobile phones were not a necessity then…!) Although it might seem a bit silly to many people, coming from a country that was so different in so many ways was challenging, as well as exciting, at first. I had never used an oven before, so you can understand that roasting vegetables or baking a cake was a first for me. Eating a strawberry, or as a matter of fact eating any berries from the UK, was another first. And I absolutely disliked the taste of avocado (making it into a chutney helped!), which was just one of many vegetables and herbs, with which I began to experiment, that I had never seen before. It was so exciting to combine the two cultures and create something fresh and new, always with the added ingredients of a pinch of nostalgia and spice. It’s this style of experimentation that has formed the base of my cooking ever since. I wanted to open my own restaurant from the moment I moved to the UK, and to cook for people the food that I grew up eating. In 2013 I finally opened the doors to my restaurant, having waited three and half years for planning permission to give me change of use and then nine months for the builders to finish work. Once I had the space, then came the challenge of finding money to furnish the restaurant, hire staff and buy ingredients (along with many

more necessary costs); four banks refused to give me a loan, but then BBC national news interviewed me for a feature about small businesses and the very next day I got a loan. I sold all my jewellery and put all our savings towards the restaurant: Romy’s Kitchen in Bristol, UK. Getting the restaurant open was a long struggle, but it was worth all the effort. The food that I cook there is very much based on the flavours I grew up with, and now the restaurant is established I can also travel around sharing my recipes, doing pop-ups and writing for various magazines and newspapers. And now in this book I can share this food with you, too. It’s vegan, because that’s what I grew up with, and that’s what I love to eat. There’s a misconception that all vegan cooking takes an unnecessarily long time to prepare – whether that refers to time spent finding the ‘specialist’ ingredients, or the time taken for peeling, trimming and chopping the vegetables, and so on. I hope that through my recipes you will see that vegan cooking can be quick, simple and tasty. Of course, sometimes, just like a well-made meat casserole, you need to put in more time to get the most out of an ingredient’s flavours (a cauliflower has flavours as complex as any piece of meat – give the Roasted cauliflower with rose harissa a go and you’ll see what I mean) and slow cooking is key to bringing these out. My recipes in the Labours of Love chapter therefore might take a bit more effort and planning ahead than a midweek recipe, but it’s worth it – I promise! Many of the recipes in Zaika were cooked for me in my homeland by my mother and her friends. Food is woven through my childhood, and it features strongly in all my most cherished memories. As a child in the school holidays in India, my siblings and I would head off on long train journeys with my mum, kept happy with her beautifully packed picnics, featuring street food from each state, which we’d eat when the train stopped at each station. My mum’s passing has made me realise how much I miss her and how much I crave the flavours of those train journeys. I now try to recreate those sights and smells of childhood in the UK; food certainly helped me when I missed my family and the friends that I grew up with, and it gave me hope of making new friends in a

new country, too, by sharing it as I had at home. And although I am no longer living in my homeland, I have never forgotten my roots. The vegan dishes in this book are the flavours of my kitchen – simple, accessible recipes that anyone can cook – and it is, I hope, a treasure trove that I intend to be passed through each household, and each generation.

BREADS GRAM FLOUR TURMERIC PANCAKES ROTI MAKKI DI ROTI BAJRA ROTI NIGELLA SEED NAANS BHATURE PIAZ PARATHAS ALOO PARATHAS RAW PAPAYA PARATHAS

Across India, breads such as roti, paratha and naan are common, but in northern India especially, bread is the staple food of many diets – it’s not unusual for Indians to eat these breads three times a day, or more! Growing up in a Punjabi family, homemade parathas and roti were always on the table; the region’s climate makes it perfect for wheat growing, so many people rely on this crop to feed themselves, and as a result eat a lot of wheat-based dishes, such as bread. Roti and parathas are such a huge part of everyone’s daily meals. Since they are eaten every day, these breads are incredibly simple to make. Unlike Western bread-making processes, these methods have only a few steps and it doesn’t take much effort to get delicious results – all you need to know is how to roll the dough! There are, however, a couple of top tips to get the best breads. First, when making the dough be sure to add the water slowly, it’s important you don’t add it all in one go; and secondly, make sure you give the dough enough time to rest and rise before working with it – a bit of patience at this stage makes a real difference to the bread’s texture and taste. Don’t worry about the shape of your breads – the taste of a freshly baked homemade roti is far superior to anything you could buy, so who cares what shape it is! I learned how to make these staple bread dishes from my mum and, helpfully, they’re all vegan! I remember how she would feed us a fresh baked roti or paratha on the veranda, while putting the world to rights. Mum always said that you need to knead the dough with love. My friends still talk about my mum making the best, most delicious crispy parathas. I hope you will be able to create fond memories while making and eating these breads (they taste even better when shared with someone you love).

Spicy | Fluffy | Warm

GRAM FLOUR TURMERIC PANCAKES These pancakes have a silk-like texture and are much enjoyed by my family and my friends. I discovered this recipe while on my travels to Gujarat, but I have changed it slightly by using coconut milk yogurt and adding different spices to change the flavours – you can add any spices you like, according to your taste. These are delicious served with some coconut milk yoghurt or your favourite chutney. 1 hour MAKES 8–10 PANCAKES 150g gram flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp nigella seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp salt Handful of chopped fresh coriander 150g coconut milk yogurt Sunflower oil, for frying Coconut milk yoghurt or chutney, to serve To make the batter, sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then add all the spices, salt and fresh coriander and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt and 100ml water, then add to the spiced flour and slowly pour in another 50ml water, stirring to blend. Leave to rest for 20 minutes before making the pancakes. Heat a non-stick pancake or small frying pan over a medium heat, then once the pan is hot, brush with oil evenly, then with a ladle carefully pour in a half ladleful of the batter and immediately spread with the back of the spoon to form pancakes. Brush oil on top and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. Check if the pancake is fluffy and cooked on both sides. Repeat to cook the remaining pancakes. Serve with a dollop of coconut milk yoghurt or your choice of chutney.

Fresh | Soft

ROTI Roti are made fresh every day in India and are eaten all over the country, although they are more popular in some states than in others. These plain breads can be enjoyed with many dishes. 50 minutes MAKES 8–10 ROTI 150g wholemeal flour 50g plain flour, plus extra for dusting Pinch of salt 75ml lukewarm water (you might need more) 1 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing To make the roti, tip the flours and salt into a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the warm water and oil. If the dough feels a little dry, add a few drops more of water. Mix everything into a dough and knead for 5–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside to rest for half an hour at room temperature. Once rested, make 8–10 equal balls out of the dough. Lightly sprinkle flour onto a board or work surface and roll out each ball of dough to make thin pancakes about 3mm thickness. Place one of the the dough pancakes in a hot frying pan set over a medium heat, cook for 30 seconds, then turn over and cook on the second side for 1 minute, until small bubbles form. Turn again and cook the first side, pressing it lightly with a piece of kitchen paper – it should start to rise. Repeat to cook the remaining roti. Make sure the roti are cooked evenly on both sides, then brush them with oil and wrap in kitchen paper to keep warm before serving with any curry you wish!

Fresh | Warm

MAKKI DI ROTI Without Makki di roti, Punjabi cuisine is unimaginable. This is a popular Punjabi flatbread and the traditional method for making these involves pressing the dough between your hands to flatten it (you can’t roll it, as maize flour contains a small amount of gluten and sticks a lot). This technique requires lots of practice, so instead many people – like me – use the freezer bag technique described here – it is much easier! 35 minutes MAKES 4 ROTI 200g maize flour 120ml hot water, for binding the dough 6–8 tsp sunflower oil, for brushing Saag, to serve Start by sifting the maize flour into a mixing bowl, then add the hot water slowly to make a smooth dough. Depending on what brand of flour you use, you might not need all 120ml so add the water slowly until all the ingredients are just combined. Knead the flour with a spoon first and then with your hands. Kneading is an essential part of making roti, so don’t rush this – it is best done using the heel of your hand for a smooth dough. Divide the dough into 4 tennis ball-sized portions. For the next bit, place the dough ball on a freezer bag and flatten it with your fingers a little bit, then once flattened wet your hand and start patting the dough into a disk approximately 3mm thick. While you are patting out the dough, set a frying pan or griddle over a medium heat to warm. Once the pan is hot, place one roti gently on it and allow it to cook until the underside has yellow and black-brown spots – this takes 3–4 minutes – then turn it over and cook for the same amount of time on the other side. Repeat to cook the remaining roti. Once all the roti are made, brush with some oil and serve them with saag.

Comforting | Warm | Fresh

BAJRA ROTI These gluten-free flatbreads are made from ground millet flour, and traditionally ladies made these using their palms to shape them, then slowly roasted them over an open cooking stove, or chula, which is a traditional Indian mud stove. You see a lot of these in more rural villages. 35 minutes MAKES 4 ROTI 150g bajra (millet flour), plus extra for dusting 1 tsp salt 100ml warm water, for binding the dough 6–8 tsp sunflower oil, for brushing Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the salt and slowly start adding the hot water, stirring it with a wooden spoon and then kneading it carefully to combine and work the dough as there is no gluten in the millet. Depending on what brand of flour you use, you might not need all 100ml so add the water slowly until all the ingredients are just combined. Divide the dough into 4 tennis ball-sized portions. For the next bit, you can use the freezer bag method (see Makki di Roti) or use a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. If you are using a baking sheet, place a dough ball on one side of the paper and flatten it with your fingers a little bit, then once flattened wet your hand and start patting the dough into a disk approximately 3mm thick. While you are patting out the dough, set a frying pan or griddle over a medium heat to warm. Once the pan is hot, place a roti gently on it and allow it to cook until the underside has yellow and blackbrown spots – this takes 2–3 minutes – then turn it over and cook for the same amount of time on the other side. Repeat to cook the remaining roti. Brush the roti with a little oil, to keep them moist, and serve immediately.

Fresh | Light | Soft

NIGELLA SEED NAANS I’ve made these with nigella seeds, because the pungent, bitter taste works magic in the dough, but you can sprinkle in many other seeds, spices or herbs to create different flavours. 1 hour 30 minutes MAKES 4–5 NAANS 100ml lukewarm water ¼ tsp fast action dried yeast Pinch of salt Pinch of sugar 325g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 2 tbsp coconut milk yogurt 1 tsp nigella seeds 4 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing Pour the lukewarm water into a mixing bowl, then add the yeast, salt and sugar. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes before making the dough. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, yogurt and nigella seeds, then add the yeast mixture slowly, mixing together as you go and kneading everything into a dough. Add the oil at the end. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave the dough to rise for 30–40 minutes in a warm place. Once risen, divide the dough into 4 or 5 balls, depending how thin you would like your naans to be. Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and place the tray under the grill to heat up. Roll out the dough balls thinly on a lightly floured work surface until you have 4–5 bread shapes. Place the rolled naan onto the hot baking tray and grill for 1–2 minutes on each side, making sure they are lightly browned and crispy on both sides, then brush with oil and serve hot.

Fresh | Crispy

BHATURE These deep-fried, fluffy flatbreads are made from plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda; the dough is left to ferment before being rolled into long oval shapes and deep-fried (I like to make mine smaller in size but the dough is exactly the same!). It is a classic Indian puffed bread usually served with chickpeas. Our trips to Punjab were not complete until we had eaten these in our dabbas. 50 minutes MAKES 4–6 FLATBREADS 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp baking powder Pinch of bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp salt 2 tsp white sugar 200ml lukewarm water 3tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for deep-frying To make the dough, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and then add the salt and sugar, and use your fingers to mix them into the flour. Slowly pour in the lukewarm water while kneading the mixture into a firm dough – it should be elastic, not sticky. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes in a warm place. Once rested, divide the dough into 4–6 equal portions, depending on how large you want the flatbreads to be. Roll out the balls into thin breads on a lightly floured surface. Heat the oil in a wok or a deep pan, and once the oil is hot (this will be when the handle of a wooden spoon creates steady bubbles when dipped in), keep it at a medium heat and deep-fry the bhature, one at a time, until brown on both sides – around 2–3 minutes on each side. Remove the bread from the oil with tongs and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat until all are fried. Serve warm.

Fresh | Spicy | Crispy

PIAZ PARATHAS Another type of Indian flatbread, parathas are popular for breakfast and there are countless versions made all over India. I am just showing you how to make simple onion parathas, but they are often stuffed with spiced potatoes, cauliflower, radishes, chopped fresh fenugreek leaves and green papaya – whatever you like! 45 minutes MAKES 4 PARATHAS 75g wholemeal flour 75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp salt 2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for drizzling and frying 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1–2 green chillies, seeds removed, very finely chopped 1 large red onion, very finely chopped 2 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp garam masala ½ tsp salt Coconut milk yoghurt and a choice of pickle, to serve Get a medium mixing bowl and tip all the ingredients into the bowl. Mix everything with your hands and slowly add 90ml water until it comes together into a dough. If it feels a little dry, add a tiny splash more water. Knead for 5–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Return to the mixing bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a disk approximately 3mm thick. Repeat with all the dough balls. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat – make sure the frying pan is searing hot, otherwise the parathas won’t have the scorched look and flavour you’re after. Once hot, dry-fry the parathas, one at a time, on each side for 1 minute. Flip and cook for a minute more on the other side, until small blisters form on the surface of the dough. Brush a little oil over the dough, then flip onto the other side and fry for another minute. Brush more oil onto the upturned side, then flip again and cook for a final minute, serve hot with some coconut milk yoghurt and pickle.

Fresh | Spicy | Crispy

ALOO PARATHAS This was originally a North Indian dish, but now it is made everywhere. It is a complete meal, easy to make and, because it is so versatile, you can have it anytime. 1 hour 45 minutes MAKES 4–5 PARATHAS For the parathas 50g wholemeal flour 50g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp salt 2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing and frying For the filling 2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and roughly chopped 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 30g kale, chopped ½ tsp garam masala ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt A selection of pickles and chutneys, to serve First make the dough. Tip the flours and salt into a medium mixing bowl, then slowly pour in 55– 70ml cold water and the oil and mix everything with your hands until it comes together into a dough. If it feels a little dry, add a splash of water. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Return to the mixing bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rest for an hour at room temperature while you make the filling. Mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the rest of the filling ingredients, mix together and set aside. Divide the dough into 4 or 5 equal balls, depending on what size parathas you are making. You can either roll out all the balls to 2mm-thick discs so they are ready to fill, or roll and fill them one at a time. Whichever way you do this, take one of the discs, top with 1 tablespoon of filling, bring the edges of the dough into the centre, pinch to seal and form a pouch, then carefully flatten the pouch in your hands. Sprinkle with more flour and roll again, seal-side down, to 2mm thick. Repeat with all the dough balls. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the parathas, one at a time, for 1 minute on each side until small blisters form on the surface. Brush oil on both sides of the parathas, flip onto the other side and fry for 1–2 minutes until both sides are nice and crispy. Serve hot with pickles and chutneys.

Fresh | Spicy | Crispy

RAW PAPAYA PARATHAS Many people are not sure what to do with raw papayas (‘raw’ here meaning unripe), so mostly they just make salads or chutneys with them. I really like eating these papaya parathas because they are soft and full of flavours, yet crispy on the outside. It also brings back all the memories of my mum packing our school lunches or sitting in the veranda her feeding us and asking us the about school. 50 minutes MAKES 4–5 PARATHAS 1 small green raw papaya, peeled, deseeded and flesh grated 1 tsp salt 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp Anardana powder 2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing and frying Put the grated papaya into a large bowl, add the salt and leave for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, take the grated papaya flesh in your hand and squeeze out all the water, then transfer to a clean, dry bowl. Sift in the flour and add the remaining ingredients along with 55–70ml cold water. Mix everything together well and set aside for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Divide the dough into 4 or 5 equal balls, depending on what size of parathas you are making. Roll out the dough balls to 2mm-thick discs. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the parathas, one at a time, for 1 minute on either side, until small blisters form on the surface. Brush oil on both sides of the parathas, flip onto the other side and fry on both sides for 1–2 minutes until nice and crispy.

LIGHT & BREEZY KACHUMBER SALAD MOOLI SALAD POMEGRANATE AND MUNG BEAN SALAD WATERMELON AND MINT SALAD FIVE-BEAN SALAD PAPAYA WITH DILL PHALIYAN SHALGAM KI SABZI SQUASH AND SAVOY CABBAGE SABZI VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN BANDH GOBI SABUT MATAR GRILLED AUBERGINES CHAAT MASALA DEEP-FRIED OKRA MY SPECIAL CAULIFLOWER JEERA RICE LEMON RICE SPICY CHICKPEAS BHARLI MIRCHI

My mum’s life revolved around cooking food for her children, whether that was making sure we left for school having eaten a good breakfast; sending us off with a home-cooked packed lunch; feeding us snacks when we got home; or, of course, dishing up the evening meals shared by the whole family. My daughters Reet and Neev certainly enjoy cooking more than I used to while growing up – I had the most amazing excuses for getting out of the kitchen, and often I’d run off to play cricket with my brother and his friends. But even so, because cooking was in my mum’s heart and soul, her enjoyment of it was still passed down on to me. Moving to the UK really made me miss the food I grew up eating and sharing with my friends. I’ll always remember how my mum would make Phaliyan – everything looked so effortless when she was cooking; some recipes she would linger over, while some she would whip up in 15 minutes. Getting the seasoning right was so important to her and she would even season fruits perfectly to enhance their natural flavours, such as the Watermelon and mint salad. My mum would make this for when we got home from school in the hot weather – keeping the watermelon in the fridge until the last minute so it was really cold. A lot of the quick meals my mum would make didn’t include meat. When I was younger, our family didn’t have a fridge so all the food we ate was fresh, and as meat wasn’t my parents’ first choice, it wasn’t often an option. Because of this reliance on fresh ingredients, these recipes are all bursting with big flavours but, because they needed to be made quickly, they’re all very simple. These would all make a great lunch, or if you want to make them more substantial, pair them with a pitta bread, wrap or even some boiled rice. You’ll never go back to sandwiches again!

Fresh | Crunchy

KACHUMBER SALAD This is one of the most common salads made in the homes and restaurants of Indian families. I think it goes really well with so many dishes because of its fresh flavour and vibrant colours. 10 minutes SERVES 3–4 ½ small cucumber, deseeded and chopped into fine batons 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 40g white hard cabbage, shredded ½ green apple, cored and sliced Seeds of ½ pomegranate Juice of 1 lime ½ tsp salt 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl and toss everything together well. Eat immediately.

Fresh | Crunchy | Acidic

MOOLI SALAD RADISH SALAD In India we used mooli radishes for this dish, and these can now be found in most major supermarkets or local Indian groceries. I still prefer these, but if you can’t find them just swap in any small radishes. Always make this salad fresh and serve at once, otherwise the radishes go soft and have a strong smell. 5 minutes SERVES 3–4 2 bunches of mooli radishes, each cut in half 1 green chilli, seeds in, finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander Juice of 1 lime 1 tsp brown sugar ½ tsp Maldon sea salt Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl and toss everything together well. Eat immediately.

Sweet | Sour

POMEGRANATE AND MUNG BEAN SALAD Soaking lentils, pulses or beans in water before cooking saves time, but if you want a really quick meal, you can use ready-to-eat or tinned and cut out the soaking time completely. There is no right or wrong way! 25 minutes (plus at least 2 hours soaking) SERVES 3–4 100g dried mung beans 3 tsp pomegranate molasses 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp salt 2 tsp rapeseed oil Seeds of 1 pomegranate 6 radishes, chopped 2 spring onions, chopped Soak the mung beans in a bowl of cold water for a minimum of a couple of hours or overnight. Drain the beans and boil them in a pan of water over a high heat for 15–20 minutes, until they are tender. Drain and tip into a serving bowl. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the pomegranate molasses, wholegrain mustard, salt and rapeseed oil. Mix well and pour over the mung beans. Add the pomegranate seeds and the chopped radishes, mix well and then sprinkle over the spring onions to finish.

Fresh | Spicy | Soft

WATERMELON AND MINT SALAD This is an easy summer salad that’s perfect for parties too. I make my girls scoop out the watermelon with a melon baller to make perfect rounds – I never know what they will say when I ask, it depends on their mood now they are teenagers! If you don’t have a scoop, chopping the watermelon into large chunks works just as well. This recipe uses black salt, it has such an incredible and unique flavour, and can be found online or at your local Indian grocery. 10 minutes SERVES 2–4 1 tsp Chaat masala ½ tsp black salt ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Juice of 1 lime 1 small watermelon, peeled, deseeded and chopped into bite-size chunks Handful of mint leaves, chopped Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl and toss them together properly, then cover with clingfilm and keep the salad in the fridge until ready to serve – if you let the ingredients chill it tastes much better.

Fresh | Filling

FIVE-BEAN SALAD When I was expecting with my daughter Reet there were so many ingredients that made me sick. In particular, I found the smell of cooking lentils or pulses unbearable. So that’s when tinned things came handy – and it also saved me precious time! 10 minutes SERVES 2 400g tin of five bean salad 2 spring onions, chopped small 4 radishes, chopped 1 pickled gherkin, drained and chopped 1 green chilli, seeds in, chopped 4 cherry tomatoes, halved Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Juice of ½ lime 1 tsp Maldon sea salt 1 tsp black mustard seeds, crushed Leafy salad, to serve Tip the beans into a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well. Mix the beans with all the other ingredients in a serving bowl, stirring well to combine, and serve with any leafy salad or on its own.

Fresh | Spicy | Hearty

PAPAYA WITH DILL When we were young we ate raw (or in other words, unripe) and sweet papaya all the time; my mum would make delicious dishes with raw papaya, from salads to chutney to stuffed parathas – she was very creative when it came to not wasting a single thing. 10 minutes SERVES 3–4 1 small green ‘raw’ papaya, peeled, halved, deseeded and flesh grated 2 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped Juice of 2 limes 1 tsp salt Handful of fresh dill, chopped Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy the fresh salad on its own or as a side with main dishes.

Gentle | Warm | Comforting

PHALIYAN FRENCH BEAN SABZI French bean sabzi is a very simple and quick recipe that doesn’t take long to prep and cook. It’s filling and works well as a side dish. In Indian households, we often add potatoes to vegetable dishes; they taste good and bulk up the dish so all the family can share and enjoy it. This is a dish that is often cooked with potatoes – I prefer it without them, but you can add them if you like. 25 minutes SERVES 4 6 tsp sunflower oil 4 garlic cloves, chopped 4 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp black mustard seeds, crushed 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 tsp salt 200g French beans, cut into 2cm pieces 50g fennel leaves (if you can’t find fennel, use dill), roughly chopped Dal, rice or Roti, to serve Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée, spices, green chillies, salt and 70ml water to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped beans and fennel leaves, cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10–12 minutes. Check if the beans are cooked, then leave to rest for 5–6 minutes with the lid on before serving. Serve with dal, rice or roti.

Sharp | Soft | Hearty

SHALGAM KI SABZI TURNIP SABZI Turnip is the only vegetable I am still not able to convince my daughters to eat. These root vegetables are extremely easy to cook, and there are many ways to do so – from soups and salads to purées. You can also ferment them, and my grandma and mum used to pickle them to enjoy out of season. This is a really simple recipe that can be served as a salad or as a side dish with other main meals. 15 minutes SERVES 4 4 tsp rapeseed oil 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 200g small white turnips, sliced with a mandolin or very finely sliced with a knife 1 tsp Anardana powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp salt Juice of ½ lime Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for a minute, being careful not to burn it. Add the sliced turnips, anardana, turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes, salt, lime juice and chopped coriander into the pan, mix together well and cook for 5–6 minutes, until tender. The turnips don’t take long to cook, as they are so thinly sliced.

Mild | Warm | Sweet

SQUASH AND SAVOY CABBAGE SABZI Squashes are delicious either on their own or mixed with other vegetables, and in this recipe the sweetness of the squash works well with earthy, bitter cabbage. This makes a good side dish with dal and rice, or just with roti. 15 minutes SERVES 2–4 5 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 3 garlic cloves, grated 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 150g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and diced into 1cm pieces 250g Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp salt Dal, rice or Roti, to serve Heat the oil in a pan, and once the oil is hot, add the crushed fennel seeds. When they start crackling, add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, cabbage, spices and salt and mix everything together well, covering the pan with a lid, then leave to steam-cook for 7–8 minutes over a low heat. After this time, remove the lid to check if the squash is cooked, if not, replace it quickly and leave to cook a little longer. Serve with dal, rice or roti.

Sweet | Crunchy | Warm

VEGETABLE CHOW MEIN Chinese food was and is very popular in West Bengal while I was growing up, where it is made in front of you on the street stalls. You will not find Chinese food like it anywhere else in the world! All my childhood was spent eating the street food of my local area, and it was meals like this that I always shared with my friends. 30 minutes SERVES 2–4 3 nests dried egg-free noodles 6 tsp sunflower oil 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 10g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 red onion, thinly sliced 5 spring onions, chopped 4 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 2 tsp chilli sauce 3 tsp tomato ketchup 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 1 green pepper, deseeded and finely sliced Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain well. While the noodles are cooking, heat the oil in a wok or a deep pan, then add the chillies, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the sliced red onion and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients cook for a further 5–6 minutes while stirring regularly. Add the cooked noodles and toss until well mixed. Serve immediately.

Spicy | Warm | Crunchy

BANDH GOBI WHITE CABBAGE WITH NIGELLA AND FENNEL SEEDS Cabbage of any kind has always been one of my favourite things to eat. In the UK, cabbage isn’t that popular, especially not with children, and I think this is because it can be very bland – after boiling alone it is just tasteless! But if you add garlic, ginger or onions along with peas or beans, and sauté the leaves you can create a whole new dish that will help people see cabbage in a different light. Serve as a side dish with rice or dal, or eat on its own with roti and picked shallots. 15 minutes SERVES 2–4 6 tsp sunflower oil 3 tsp grated fresh root ginger 20g fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp nigella seeds 3 red chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 small white hard cabbage, shredded Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Juice of ½ lime ½ tsp Maldon sea salt Roti and Pickled shallots, to serve Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the ginger and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the fennel and nigella seeds and red chillies. Add the chopped cabbage and cook for 5–6 minutes. Finally, add the coriander, lime juice and salt and cook for another minute before serving. Serve with roti and pickled shallots.

Spicy | Warm | Comforting

SABUT MATAR SPICY FRESH PODDED PEAS There are so many things I discovered when I moved to the UK. Supermarket aisles have such a wide variety of fresh and frozen ingredients – I had never seen frozen peas before I came here! Back home, peas were something we enjoyed helping our mum take out of the pod and she always used to buy more than she needed, as she knew half of them would be eaten by us as we shelled them – the peas were so soft and sweet. My daughters love this dish stuffed into pitta bread and served with pickled shallots. 15 minutes SERVES 3–4 6 tsp sunflower oil 1 large white onion, thinly sliced 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 1 tsp salt 400g fresh peas, podded Pitta bread and Pickled shallots, to serve Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a high heat, then add the sliced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously – if it starts to burn, add a few drops of water and lower the heat to medium. Add the spices, amchoor and salt and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the peas, cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut the pitta breads in half to make pockets and fill with the sabut matar. Serve with pickled shallots.

Warm | Comforting | Smooth

GRILLED AUBERGINES I must have at least twenty different ways for cooking aubergine, and I am always intrigued to find more! Sadly, my love of aubergine is not shared by my partner. This recipe, however, is the only aubergine dish he will eat, because the sweetness of the pomegranate works well with the aubergine and the flavours disguise its texture. 30 minutes SERVES 4 2 large aubergines 4 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 1 medium red onion, chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped 1 large tomato, finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground turmeric Salt, to taste Seeds of ½ pomegranate First prepare the aubergines. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving the skin intact as half shells. Roughly chop the removed flesh. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cumin seeds and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the garlic is light brown. Add the onion and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the chillies, tomato, parsley, spices and chopped aubergine to the pan. Stir and cook for 4 minutes or until the aubergine is tender. Season, to taste, with salt. Remove from the heat. Preheat the grill, and place the hollow aubergine shells on a baking tray. When the grill is hot, cook the aubergine shells under it for about 5 minutes (take care not to burn them). Fill the empty shells with the cooked aubergine mixture and return to the grill for a further 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Crispy | Crunchy | Warm

CHAAT MASALA DEEP-FRIED OKRA Okra is an edible green seedpod that is originally from Africa but is now widely used in many other cuisines, especially in India where it is also known as bhindi, or ladies’ fingers. My mum would make deep-fried okra, which was loved by all. This is my version of her recipe and I’m proud to say it’s almost as good! Serve this dish with roti – to me, this is just heaven! 30 minutes SERVES 3–4 250g okra 150g gram flour ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 4 tsp Chaat masala 1 tsp salt Sunflower oil, for deep-frying Juice of 1 lime, to serve Roti, to serve Wash the okra and dry thoroughly. Remove the top stem of each and cut lengthwise into thin slices. Put the okra in a large mixing bowl and add all the spices and salt. Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan. To test if the oil is hot enough, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil – if it starts steadily bubbling, you’re ready to go. When the oil is ready, deep-fry the okra a few at a time until crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with lime juice before serving. Serve with roti.

Gingery | Warm | Fiery

MY SPECIAL CAULIFLOWER There are many types of food that bring me comfort when I am sad or even when I’m happy, and this is the ultimate dish that brings me joy. It was introduced to me by a dear friend but I have tweaked it a tiny bit to suit my taste. The spice mix that I absolutely love is panch phoron (see here to make your own), so I’ve added this here. 30 minutes SERVES 4 25g fresh root ginger, peeled 15 garlic cloves 15g fresh turmeric root, peeled or 1 tsp ground turmeric 4 green chillies, seeds in 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp Panch phoron 1 tsp salt Juice of 1 lime 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets Handful fresh coriander, chopped Roti or rice, to serve Add the ginger, garlic cloves, turmeric, chillies and 2 tsp water to a food processor and blend to make a paste. Heat the oil in a pan, then add the panch phoron and once the spices start to sizzle, add the paste and cook for about 5 minutes over a medium heat. Keep stirring to prevent the paste sticking. Add the salt, 3 tbsp water and the lime juice to the pan and cook for another minute. Add the cauliflower florets to the pan and stir to coat them well, then cover the pan with a lid and cook for a further 10–12 minutes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Just before it’s ready, stir through the chopped coriander and serve with roti or rice.

Fresh | Warm | Soft

JEERA RICE This is a popular dish in North India, and it’s easy to prepare, being just basmati rice and cumin seeds. The ‘jeera’ of its name is for the cumin seeds, which is sometimes pronounced Zeera. It goes so well with lots of dishes (including the Rajma Chawal, pictured) and is good to know for when you don’t want just plain rice. 25 minutes SERVES 4 200g basmati rice 2 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp salt 300ml hot water Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then drain. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the cumin seeds, then add the drained, soaked rice to the pan along with the salt and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the hot water, stir well and cover with a lid. After about 5 minutes, when all the water has been absorbed, remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a tea towel and put the lid on. Leave it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Warm | Hearty | Comforting

LEMON RICE WITH CURRY LEAVES AND PEANUTS As a child, eating was very much the focus of my friends getting together – we didn’t have gadgets, for us it was all about sharing food. This recipe is one that my school friend’s mum, Simi, always made when she invited me to tea. She made lots of delicious dishes but I only remember this simple recipe – it stands out in my mind even now. 50 minutes SERVES 2–3 100g basmati rice 3 tsp raw peanuts 4 tsp sunflower oil 6–7 fresh curry leaves Pinch of salt 1 tsp ground turmeric Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp grated fresh or desiccated coconut, to serve Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then tip into a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Half fill a kettle with water and boil. Drain the rice, then add to a pan and cover with boiling water. Boil for 12–15 minutes over a medium heat, then drain and set aside. Dry-roast the peanuts in a frying pan until light brown, remove and set aside. In the same pan, heat the oil and fry the curry leaves, then add the peanuts, salt and turmeric. Add the lemon juice, then tip the mixture into the cooked rice and stir well. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with the coconut to serve.

Hot | Spicy | Hearty

SPICY CHICKPEAS Back home in India, I had always seen everyone soaking chickpeas or beans overnight and then cooking them. It wasn’t until I moved to the UK that I started to use tinned chickpeas, which do make life easier if you haven’t got time to prepare and cook the dried ones. I love this recipe so much that if I have any leftovers I make hummus with the chickpeas by adding lemon juice and tahini and blending them in a food processor. 10 minutes SERVES 2 4 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp Panch phoron 2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 2 tsp garam masala 5 tsp tomato purée 3 tsp dried fenugreek leaves 1 tsp salt 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained Roti, rice or a slice of toasted bread, to serve Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the panch phoron and fry for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the ground ginger, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, tomato purée, dried fenugreek leaves, salt, 100ml water and mix well. Add the chickpeas to the pan, then leave them to cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and check they don’t stick to the pan. Serve with roti, rice or toasted bread.

Spicy | Rich

BHARLI MIRCHI STUFFED JALAPEÑOS Bharli mirchi can be enjoyed with a Roti or Paratha for breakfast or any time you like. Mum used to make this recipe with her friends; they used to get together just for these. I prepare these and keep them in the fridge, so I can enjoy them late at night with a slice of toast when I forget to have my dinner after working long hours. 1 hour SERVES 4 20 jalapeño peppers Juice of 1 lime 100g black mustard seeds, crushed 2 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 2 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp asafoetida powder 1 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 2 tsp salt 300ml rapeseed oil Cut a small slit through the middle of each of the jalapeños. Very carefully remove the seeds with a teaspoon, and place on a plate, being careful not to split the peppers apart. Set aside the peppers. In a blender add the rest of the ingredients and the seeds from the jalapeños, and blitz until you have a runny paste. Stuff the chillies with the mixture carefully using a teaspoon. Close up the peppers and put them into an airtight container, pop on the lid and leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes and they are ready to enjoy on their own or as a side dish.

WARMING THE HEART KHICHDI BAINGAN BHAJA STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS SWEET AND SOUR TOFU RED LENTIL DAL SPLIT GREEN PEA DAL CHANA DAL CHOLE KALA CHANA BAINGAN BHARTA SPICY GREEN LENTILS ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH ALOO METHI ALOO POSTO MIXED VEGETABLE SABZI OKRA SABZI MARROW SABZI RAW MANGO SABZI JACKFRUIT SABZI PANCH PHORON PUMPKIN

In this chapter I wanted to include both recipes that my mum would make me and those I’ve created myself since coming to the UK and have started cooking for my own family and friends. These dishes are the epitome of comfort food for me, and whenever I make them, they remind me of home. I remember feeling so pleased when a customer of Bengali heritage told me that my cooking tasted just like the food he ate as a young boy! It’s very special to be able to connect my two homelands in this way. Back in India, meat was a luxury that many couldn’t afford, so our daily diet consisted of wholesome foods such as dals or sabzis (sabzi is a vegetable dish cooked with spices, sometimes with onion, ginger, and garlic, too. Sabzi can be dry or wet). This meant that instead of meaty stews, our warming meals were based on lentils and vegetables and they tasted just as good (if not better!). These are the dishes that are at the heart of Indian cooking. Lentils, pulses or beans form the basis of comforting dishes and take longer than others to cook but when cooked properly they are so creamy and delicious and bring joy when eaten. Some dishes, like Khichdi, take longer to cook than some meat dishes would, but they are all still good midweek options. You’ll see that several recipes involve making a tadka. This is what makes these dishes taste incredible and it is named after the technique of gently frying ingredients, to release their essential oils and flavours, before adding them to rice or lentils. It is often made from onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, chillies and spices but there are many variations of tadka so feel free to experiment and find the flavours you like best!

Warm | Creamy | Smooth

KHICHDI This yellow golden pot of khichdi, or khichri as it is also known, is a simple rice and lentil dish to which a tadka is added. Khichdi is eaten in various ways; in Bengali rituals and pujas, the offerings made to God of this golden pot of khichdi are called bhoger khichuri. This goes wonderfully with Baingan bhaja, and is perfect for a rainy day. 1 hour SERVES 4–6 150g basmati rice 50g red lentils 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt For the tadka 2½ tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 medium white or red onion, finely chopped 2 tsp fresh root ginger, grated 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp ground coriander Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Rose harissa with preserved lemon pickle, to serve Wash and soak the rice and lentils in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes, tip into a sieve and then rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain, then tip the rice and lentils into a deep saucepan, add the turmeric and salt and pour over 1 litre of cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the rice and lentils are soft. If it begins to dry out, add more water: it should be wet in consistency. Stir occasionally as it cooks. While the rice and lentils are cooking, make the tadka. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the cumin seeds and let them pop, then add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes until softened and light brown. Add the ginger and garlic to the onion mix and cook for another minute. Add the green chillies, tomato purée, followed by the ground coriander, mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Add a few drops of water, if required, so that the paste doesn’t stick to the pan. Once the rice and lentils are cooked, add them to the tadka and stir through to coat. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and serve with rose harissa with preserved lemon pickle.

Mild | Silky | Gentle

BAINGAN BHAJA SPICY AUBERGINES Aubergines are my all-time favourite vegetable, and this is one of my absolute favourite ways of cooking them. I have tweaked the original recipe that was passed down to me without changing the taste to make this tasty and comforting dish. It works really well as a side to Khichdi. 40 minutes SERVES 2 2 tsp grated garlic 1 tsp ground turmeric Juice of ½ lime 1 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp salt 1 large aubergine, sliced into 1cm rounds 2½ tbsp rapeseed oil, for shallow-frying In a large bowl, mix together the grated garlic, turmeric, lime juice, mango powder, chilli flakes, cornflour and salt. Add the aubergine slices to the marinade and let them marinate for about 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, and once the oil is hot, add the aubergine and pan-fry on a medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side until both sides of all the slices are crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain off any excess oil onto kitchen paper. Serve hot.

Crunchy | Spicy | Warm

STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS I used to make this recipe with hot chillies, but not many of my friends like very hot food so while shopping I found baby sweet peppers instead. I was intrigued and excited at this find, because I had never cooked with these little peppers before. I use vincotto in this – a dark, sweet and thick syrup, which combines well with the peppers. 20 minutes SERVES 3 3 tsp grated fresh turmeric root 2 tsp grated garlic 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp cumin seeds 5 tsp vincotto 9 baby sweet peppers Sunflower oil, for deep-frying 50g gram flour ½ tsp salt Juice of ½ lime In a deep bowl, combine the turmeric, garlic, chilli flakes, cumin seeds and vincotto. Set to one side. Cut a small slit through the middle of each of the peppers and very carefully remove the seeds with a teaspoon without splitting apart the peppers. Once all of them are deseeded, take a teaspoon and equally divide the garlic and chilli mixture among the peppers. Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat, and while the oil is getting hot, make the batter. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the salt, lime juice and 50ml water and mix well. To test if the oil is hot enough, dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it bubbles steadily, the oil is ready. Dip each of the peppers into the batter, shake off any excess, then deep-fry them in batches in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides – approximately 4–5 minutes. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain away any excess oil. Serve immediately.

Spicy | Sweet | Sour

SWEET AND SOUR TOFU I have never been a great fan of tofu, yet this recipe is so delicious I go back to it all the time. Here I’ve combined tofu with the flavours of India and China to create a truly multicultural dish. 45 minutes SERVES 2 200g tofu, cut into triangles 1 tsp cornflour 3 tsp grated fresh root ginger 6 garlic cloves, grated 5 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 3 tsp agave syrup 3 tsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp nigella seeds ½ tsp salt 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 4 tsp rapeseed oil Rice, to serve Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl except the oil and coriander. Place the bowl in the fridge and let it marinate for half an hour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the tofu and marinade and cook for 3–5 minutes, turning regularly. Serve hot and with rice.

Warm | Hearty | Spicy

RED LENTIL DAL Red lentils don’t need soaking for long – 10 minutes is perfect. They cook quickly and are are packed with nutritional benefits. The beauty of dal is that it is very versatile and can be eaten with anything, but it is particularly good with rice. 1 hour SERVES 4–6 100g red lentils 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt For the tadka 4 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp nigella seeds, plus extra to garnish 15g grated fresh root ginger 6 garlic cloves, grated 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp ground coriander Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Wash the lentils in a sieve under cold running water and add to a bowl of cold water. Soak for 10 minutes, then add them to a medium pan with 1.5 litres water, the turmeric and salt, and cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the lentils are cooking, make the tadka. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the nigella seeds and when they start to sizzle add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped green chillies, tomato purée, ground coriander and fresh coriander, mix them all well and cook for another 2 minutes. Check if the lentils are cooked, and once they are nearly done, stir the tadka into the dal and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with nigella seeds.

Rich | Mild | Hearty

SPLIT GREEN PEA DAL When I was a judge for the BBC Food & Farming Awards, I was introduced to Hodmedod, a British pulses, grains and seeds producer. Founded following the successful Great British Beans trial project, Homedod was established to stimulate and assess demand for indigenous pulses, and now they work with British farms to source a range of top-quality ingredients. I believe we should always try to support local food producers so, if you can, do give Homedod a go. 45 minutes SERVES 4–6 200g Hodmedod’s organic split green peas or any split green peas 2 tsp salt 15g fresh turmeric root, peeled and chopped 6 tsp sunflower oil 2 tsp nigella seeds 6 garlic cloves, chopped 15g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 2 medium white onions, chopped 2 tsp tomato purée 3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tsp garam masala Rice, bread or Roti, to serve Tip the split peas into a sieve and rinse under cold running water so that all the starch comes out. Rinse until the water runs clear. Add the split peas to a pan, cover with 1 litre of water and add the salt and turmeric. Cover the pan with a lid, set over a medium heat and let it simmer, stirring regularly, for about 30 minutes, or until the peas are soft. If it looks like more water is needed during cooking, add it as necessary. Meanwhile, in another pan, heat the oil and add the nigella seeds; when they start to pop, add the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for a minute. Add the chopped onions and cook slowly for 5–6 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the tomato purée and green chillies to the pan and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the garam masala and mix it well with the paste. Once the paste is made, add it to the spilt peas and cook over a low heat for further 5 minutes. Serve with rice, bread or roti.

Creamy | Warm | Comforting

CHANA DAL Chana dal is the generic name for chickpea dal and for the type of split chickpeas used (the chickpeas are dried and the kernel is split). There are so many ways of cooking this – every household in India cooks dal very differently, and everyone thinks their way is the best! I hope I can convince you that such is the case with this recipe. 50 minutes SERVES 4–6 250g chana dal (split chickpeas) 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt For the tadka 5 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp nigella seeds 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 15g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 large tomato, finely chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander Soak the chana dal in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, then drain through a sieve and rinse under cold running water so that all the starch comes out. Rinse until the water runs clear. Place the chana dal in a deep pan and cover with 1 litre of water, then add the turmeric and salt and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid, set over a medium heat and simmer, stirring regularly, for about 40 minutes, or until the chickpeas are soft. If it looks like more water is needed, add as necessary. While the dal is cooking, make the tadka. In a separate pan heat the oil over a medium heat and add the nigella seeds. When they start to pop, add the chopped onion and soften slowly over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and green chillies and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the tomato has softened. Keep stirring so that the paste doesn’t burn – if it sticks to the base of the pan, add a few drops of water. Add the garam masala to the paste and set aside. Check the chickpeas are cooked; if they are, stir in the tadka. Cover the pan and cook over a very low heat for 3–4 minutes. Stir in the coriander and serve.

Spicy | Warm | Fiery

CHOLE KALA CHANA BLACK CHICKPEAS Commonly known as kala chana in Hindi, black chickpeas are also known as Bengal grams. This is what the gram flour you find in supermarkets is made from, despite the colour of the flour. In Indian cooking, gram flour is a key ingredient and is commonly used in batter for pakoras and onion bhajis. I prefer kala chana over the white chickpeas any day as they can be used in so many dishes and, when cooked with any ingredients, they balance the flavours really well. 10 minutes SERVES 2 4 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 tsp grated fresh root ginger 2 green chillies, seeds in, slit in half ½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin 4 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp salt 240g drained, tinned kala chana Coriander leaves, to garnish Roti or Bhature, here and green chillies, to serve Heat the oil in a frying pan then add the cumin seeds. Once they start sizzling, add the grated ginger and green chillies and cook for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, cumin, tomato purée and salt and mix well. Drain the kala chana through a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Add to a pan and cover with 500ml water, then cook over a high heat for 5 minutes until heated through. Add the spice mix to the kala chana and stir until well combined. Garnish with a some coriander leaves and serve with plain roti or bhature, pickled shallots and green chillies.

Spicy | Warm | Fiery

BAINGAN BHARTA ROASTED SMOKY AUBERGINE The beauty of Indian food is that it not only has regional dishes but families cook each of these in so many ways. If you don’t like one method, you can just cook it another way! Baingan bharta with dal and roti would be my ultimate desert island dish; the perfect balance of smoky aubergine and the warmth of the green chillies is so divine. The aubergines are roasted on the hob and then left to cool down before peeling off the skin and mashed; this recipe is how my mum made it, so I give her all the credit. 30 minutes SERVES 3 2 medium-sized aubergines 6 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 3 medium onions, finely chopped 3 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, finely chopped 20g coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt Roti, to serve Roast the aubergines over a gas burner on the hob over a medium heat using a pair of tongs to hold them, or under a preheated hot grill. Either way, turn the veg regularly for even roasting. Allow to cool, then when cool enough to handle, peel off the roasted skin. Mash the flesh in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds, then add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the onions and chillies, cook for 4–5 minutes over a high heat and keep stirring. Once the onions are translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and coriander to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes. When the tomatoes have broken down into the onions, add the rest of the spices and salt and mix together well. Finally, stir in the mashed aubergine and cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Serve with roti.

Spicy | Crunchy | Warm

SPICY GREEN LENTILS This is hug in a bowl – comfort food at its best, as well as a delicious and wholesome meal. One must always be creative with ingredients and when I was expecting with my girls I was not able to eat certain things, so I had to experiment with the produce I could eat. This was one of my most successful creations and you can serve this as a meal on its own or with some bread on the side. 35 minutes SERVES 2–3 4 tsp rapeseed oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped 4 spring onions, chopped 1 large carrot, finely diced 1 medium courgette, diced 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 green chilli, seeds in, chopped 1 tsp salt 200g drained tinned green lentils Handful of fresh parsley, chopped Bread, to serve Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the diced courgette, turmeric, chilli and salt and cook for 4 minutes. Tip in the lentils and chopped parsley, stir well and cook for 3–4 minutes more, so all the flavours are combined. Switch off the heat, put on the lid and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Serve warm with your favourite bread.

Soft | Warm | Sweet

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH There are so many varieties of squashes easily available now, and this recipe works with any of them. Enjoy this as the centrepiece of a vegan Sunday roast or with a simple salad. It’s a real crowdpleaser! 15 minutes SERVES 3–4 1 medium butternut squash, cut in half, deseeded, quartered and sliced 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 2 garlic cloves, chopped ½ tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 2 tsp olive oil 1 tsp salt Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. While the oven is getting hot, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl, making sure the squash slices are well coated in the spices. Transfer the coated squash pieces to a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, take the tray out of the oven and shuffle the slices around so they’re cooked evenly on all sides.

Sharp | Spicy | Warm

ALOO METHI FENUGREEK WITH POTATOES In Western countries you might be choosing to eat vegan food because you prefer it or for ethical or health reasons, however not everyone in India can afford to make this choice. Stems, peels and leaves therefore, that we waste here in the UK, are used out of necessity to survive in India. This recipe is a classic dish and uses all of the fenugreek, or methi, for maximum flavour and minimum waste. This is perfect served with roti or as a side dish with your favourite dal (such as Chana dal, pictured). 35 minutes SERVES 2–4 5 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 20g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 250g potatoes, peeled and diced 200g fresh fenugreek, leaves and stems, chopped 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt Roti or Chana dal, to serve Heat the oil in a pan, and once hot add the cumin seeds. When they start sizzling, add the ginger and cook for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the diced potatoes, chopped fenugreek leaves and chillies, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and 20ml water to the pan. Stir everything together, cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and check if the potatoes are cooked by piercing them with the tip of a sharp knife. Serve hot with roti or dal.

Smooth | Silky | Warm

ALOO POSTO POTATOES WITH POPPY SEEDS Potatoes play a huge part in Indian dishes. Every state has their own way of cooking them or mixing them up with other ingredients. The dish I love making with them is aloo posto, which only Bengali families make. Although my parents both lived in Punjab, they still make this for themselves or for anyone in my family who is visiting them. It might be a classic Bengali dish, but it’s loved by all. Serve this with rice, dal or as a side to other dishes. 15 minutes (plus 1 hour soaking) SERVES 4 100g poppy seeds 5 tsp sunflower oil (in Bengal we use mustard oil) 1 tsp nigella seeds 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, slit lengthwise, plus extra to garnish 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt Rice or Red lentil dal, to serve Soak the poppy seeds in a bowl of water for an hour, making sure the water completely covers them. Strain the seeds through a very fine sieve, then add them to a blender and grind to a paste. (If you don’t have time to soak them you can always grind the dry poppy seeds in a coffee blender or spice blender to a fine powder.) Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the nigella seeds and green chillies and cook for a minute. Add the potatoes and fry for 5 minutes. Stir in the poppy seed paste, making sure it coats all the potato pieces, then add the turmeric, salt and 150ml water and mix well. Cover the pan and cook the potatoes for 8–10 minutes or until softened and the water is absorbed completely, but check regularly to make sure they don’t burn. Serve with rice or dal.

Earthy | Warm | Hearty

MIXED VEGETABLE SABZI Both my parents were very good cooks and for my mum, every season brought something she was very excited about. Carrots, greens and cauliflower were wintry vegetables and the various dishes she made were so simple, yet absolutely divine! I remember how I disliked these vegetables and every time she asked me to help her peel them, I would have the biggest excuse not to help. But she didn’t want us to get bored with food, so she would always create new and delicious dishes with what she had. 40 minutes SERVES 2–4 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 10g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 medium white onions, thinly sliced 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 10g fresh coriander, chopped 2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp garam masala 150g carrots, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces 150g small cauliflower florets 50g cavolo nero, chopped Roti, to serve Heat the oil in a pan, and once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds. When they start popping, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute, making sure not to burn them. Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook for 6–7 minutes until light brown. Add the green chillies, tomatoes and coriander to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, garam masala and 40ml water to the pan along with all the vegetables, cover the pan with a lid and cook the sabzi on low for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with roti.

Sour | Warm | Salty

OKRA SABZI Okra, if not cooked properly, can be very slimy. As a child, I never ate okra cooked like this, so I would always say I was allergic to it! However, having a restaurant and being a food writer means I have to think outside of the box and give love to such vegetables to make them appealing. I adore this recipe because my girls love it – I wish I had been given this when I was younger too. 30 minutes SERVES 4 75g creamed coconut 1 tsp cumin seeds 15g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated 4 medium red onions, sliced 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 3 tsp tamarind chutney 3 tsp tomato purée 3–4 green chillies, seeds in, sliced 500g okra, trimmed and cut into 3cm slices 1½ tsp salt Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Roti, to serve Heat a large wok or deep pan over a medium heat, then add the creamed coconut. Once the creamed coconut turns into oil, add the cumin seeds and turn the heat up to high. When the seeds start sizzling, add the grated ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the sliced onions to the pan, cooking them until soft and light brown – about 4–5 minutes – stirring continuously. Add the turmeric, coriander, tamarind chutney, tomato purée and green chillies and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the okra and cook for another 10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and cook for 2 minutes, then sprinkle over the chopped coriander. Serve with roti.

Soft | Warm | Earthy

MARROW SABZI While growing up in India my mum would always cook seasonal vegetables – she wasn’t following a trend, it was just local produce was so flavourful and my parents didn’t buy a fridge-freezer until I was 11 years old. If you can make this dish while marrows are in season, it’ll be especially tasty. 15 minutes SERVES 2–4 4 tsp sunflower oil ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp nigella seeds 10g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 level tsp ground turmeric 1 medium marrow, sliced into half-moon discs 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground coriander 4 tsp chopped mint leaves 2–4 pitta breads, to serve Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then add the cumin and nigella seeds. When the seeds start sizzling, add the ginger and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute. Then add the chillies and turmeric and cook for 1 minute more. Add the marrow discs to the pan, stir and cook for 6 minutes, occasionally stirring until they start to soften. Add the salt, ground coriander and mint to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Cut the pitta breads in half to make pockets and fill with the marrow sabzi.

Spicy | Sweet | Sour

RAW MANGO SABZI I went to India with Lisa Markwell for the Sunday Times in search of mangoes. We were not only mesmerised by the different varieties of raw (or in other words, unripe) and ripe mangoes, but also the methods and techniques used to cook them. Whilst in India, we were invited to have a meal in the house of one of my friends in Hyderabad and the dish that stayed in my mind was the mango curry, for which I asked them to give me the recipe. It makes a delicious side dish. 25 minutes SERVES 6 4 medium raw (unripe) mangoes, cut into bite-sized chunks 1 tsp salt 100ml rapeseed oil ½ tsp fenugreek seeds ½ tsp black mustard seeds 6–8 curry leaves 15g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated 4 garlic cloves, sliced 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tbsp brown sugar 2 green chillies, seeds in, sliced Boil the mango chunks, with the salt, in a pan with 500ml water for 10 minutes. Once the mangoes are soft, drain and discard the water. While the mangoes are boiling, heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat, add the oil and fenugreek and black mustard seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the curry leaves, ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chilli powder, turmeric and sugar, stir for 1 minute then immediately remove from the heat. Add the soft mangoes to the spices and cook for roughly 6–7 minutes over a low heat until heated through. Serve hot.

Flaky | Gentle | Mild

JACKFRUIT SABZI I was born and grew up in a township in Bengal and I was very fortunate that we had various fruit trees, one of which was a kathal tree, from which we picked sweet jackfruits. When the fruit was in season my mum would use some for making sabzi, some for pickling and she would leave a few fruits on the tree to ripen. Jackfruit is such an underrated fruit, and for years we couldn’t get it unless you went to a speciality shop, but now all the supermarkets stock it in tins. The moment I saw tinned jackfruit it gave me so much joy that I bought it and called my mum for this recipe so I could make this recipe the same day. It’s a dry dish that’s great served with a wrap, pitta bread, roti or as a side with rice and dal. 15 minutes SERVES 2–4 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 6 curry leaves 2 small onions, sliced 3 tomatoes, chopped ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp salt 400g tin jackfruit chunks, drained Wraps, pitta bread or Roti, to serve. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the curry leaves and immediately add the sliced onions and cook, stirring continuously, for 5–6 minutes until the onions are golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes. Stir in all the spices, chilli and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the jackfruit to the paste, stir it in well and cook for 4–5 minutes. Serve with wraps, pitta bread or roti.

Sweet | Spicy | Gingery

PANCH PHORON PUMPKIN SPICY FRIED PUMPKIN If I were to be stranded on a desert island but left with an endless supply of panch phoron spice mix I think I might just be OK. It’s a combination that is perfect for pickling and making chutneys as well as general cooking. It goes brilliantly with any type of squash and this recipe is simple, but delectable. If you have any leftovers it can be whizzed quickly into a thoroughly hearty and tasty soup. 25 minutes SERVES 4 3 tsp rapeseed oil 2 tsp Panch phoron 3 tsp grated fresh root ginger 6 garlic cloves, grated 1 pumpkin (approximately 700g), peeled, deseeded and diced 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp salt Roti or pitta bread, to serve Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat, then add the panch phoron. Once it starts to sizzle, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced pumpkin together with the chilli flakes and salt and cook over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring regularly, until it is tender. Remove from the heat, serve warm with roti or pitta.

LABOURS OF LOVE BAINGAN MASALA PUMPKIN, CHARD AND POTATO KOFTAS SAMOSA CHAAT ROASTED CAULIFOWER WITH ROSE HARISSA AMRITSARI ROASTED BROCCOLI AND MOILEE SAUCE KALI DAL URAD DAL FRY RAJMA CHAWAL VEGETABLE PULAO SAAG MOONG DAL WITH PALAK KACHE KELE KI SABZI BHARE KARELE VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN VADA PAV

Sometimes it can be so good for the soul to spend a longer time cooking; taking care over preparing the ingredients and gently frying the onions or simmering the sauce. Of course, this requires a great deal of patience (especially when the moreish aromas of the spices start to develop) but there is nothing more rewarding than putting in the time and having a wonderful plate of food to share at the end of the day. In India, the dishes that typically take longer to cook are often those that have been passed down through the family, and these recipes are no different; nearly all of them being variations of those that my grandma passed on to my mum, who in turn passed them on to me. The beauty of these recipes is that each is slightly different: Baingan masala made in our house would be different from our neighbours’ versions, the same with the Saag or Kali dal. Once you feel comfortable with my recipes, feel free to make your own adjustments so you too can have your own special recipes to pass on to your loved ones. A special dish for me is the Samosa chaat. I was inspired to create this recipe when I went to India and saw one of the street vendors making it. The sweetness of the pomegranates, the freshness of the mint and coriander, the kick of the chutney and sweet and sour of tamarind, make this dish an amazing combination of flavours. Whenever I eat it, it’s like that iconic dinner scene in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ – so make sure you’re among friends when you try it!

Rich | Creamy | Warm

BAINGAN MASALA BABY AUBERGINES WITH DILL AND COCONUT Every year I give up something for Lent, and one year my girls and I followed a plant-based diet for 40 days. Mum used to make this recipe quite regularly, but with yogurt and fresh coriander, which I have substituted with dill and coconut milk here. It’s so good my friends prefer this version when they come to eat at my house. 40 minutes (plus 1 hour resting) SERVES 4 6 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 12 baby or small aubergines (about 5cm), sliced in half but not all the way through 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 large white onions, finely chopped 3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 100g dill sprigs, chopped 1½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp ground coriander 1½ tsp salt 400ml tin coconut milk Roti, to serve Heat 3 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a wok or deep frying pan, then add the cumin seeds and aubergines – keeping the two halves of each together – and shallow-fry until half cooked, 4–6 minutes. While the aubergines are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in another non-stick pan and add the garlic, cook for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until light brown – 8–10 minutes. Add the green chillies, tomatoes and dill, stirring everything together, and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the rest of the spices, salt and coconut milk and bring the mixture to the boil, then cook the sauce over a low heat for 3 minutes. Add the fried aubergines to the sauce and stir gently to combine, then cook for a further 5 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, leave to rest for an hour – it becomes more flavoursome with a little time. Serve with roti.

Creamy | Smooth | Mild

PUMPKIN, CHARD AND POTATO KOFTAS Koftas can be made with various vegetables. I have used pumpkin, chard and potatoes here, as it’s a combination that works really well with the sauce and is loved by my friends and family. You can use any vegetables you might have left over to make these, just swap them in and follow the recipe steps. For the sauce you can use fresh, tinned tomatoes or tomato purée, every way is perfect! Serve with Jeera rice. 50 minutes SERVES 4–6 For the kofta balls 250g pumpkin, peeled and grated (squeeze out any juice after grating) 50g chard, finely chopped 250g potatoes, peeled and grated (squeeze all the water out after grating) 2 tsp raw peanuts, coarsely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp salt 1 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 2 tsp cornflour Sunflower oil, for shallow-frying For the sauce 6 tsp sunflower oil 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 5 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped and puréed in a blender 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt 2 tbsp ground almonds 400ml tin coconut milk 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves Jeera rice, to serve Put the chopped and grated vegetables into a large bowl along with the rest of the kofta ingredients. Mix well with your fingers and try to knead the mixture like you do when you make a dough. Make 10 balls of the mixture that are a little smaller than a golf ball, and set aside. Heat some oil in a pan on a high heat and once hot turn the temperature to medium and shallow-fry the balls for 2–3 minutes until they start to look golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain away any excess oil. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a pan then add the grated ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the puréed tomatoes to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add all the spices and salt and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Stir in the ground almonds and coconut milk, bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the dried fenugreek leaves. Cook the sauce for 10 minutes. Add all the cooked koftas to the sauce just before serving to just heat through – don’t cook them any further in the sauce or they might fall apart. Serve with jeera rice.

Spicy | Sour | Fiery | Hearty

SAMOSA CHAAT When restaurant critic Grace Dent was asked in the Guardian what her desert island dish would be, she said chef Romy Gill’s samosa chaat – fried, chopped-up samosas with chickpeas, sweet chutneys and yogurt. It’s a big, crunchy, crispy bowl. And it’s delicious. This recipe includes Haldiram’s Aloo Bhujia which are spicy dried noodle pieces. They can be found in most major supermarkets now, online or in your local Indian grocery. You can replace the crunch these provide with toasted peanuts, but trust me, it’s worth getting the real thing! 15 minutes SERVES 10 200g potatoes, peeled and diced 1 quantity Spicy chickpeas 75g fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 quantity Potato and pea samosas 3 tsp coconut milk yogurt 5 tsp Tamarind and date chutney 2 tsp Mint and coriander chutney 150g Haldiram’s Aloo Bhujia Seeds of 1 pomegranate Cook the diced potatoes in a pan of boiling water until just cooked through. Drain, then mix the cooked potato cubes with the chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, along with a handful of chopped coriander (leave some for garnishing) and set aside. On a large serving plate, squash the samosa and place 2 tablespoons of the potato and chickpea mixture on top. Squirt 3 teaspoons of coconut milk yogurt all over, topped with 3 teaspoons of tamarind and date chutney, 2 teaspoons of mint and coriander chutney and 2 handfuls of aloo bhujia. Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of pomegranate seeds, a further 2 teaspoons of tamarind chutney and 2 teaspoons of the remaining coriander on the top to finish. Place in the middle of the table for everyone to reach and tuck in!

Spicy | Fresh | Sharp

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ROSE HARISSA Olia Hercules is a very talented chef and a very dear friend who recently invited me to a pop-up event where she made roasted cauliflower with spices, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I came home with a few ideas and decided to roast cauliflower with rose harissa for my family – it went down very well! 50 minutes SERVES 3 3 tsp Belazu rose harissa 2 tsp Tamarind and date chutney 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 1 head of cauliflower, whole Simple salad, to serve Mix all the ingredients, apart from the cauliflower, together in a bowl to form a paste. Rub the paste all over the whole cauliflower. Transfer to a baking tray and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. When ready to cook, place the marinated cauliflower on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden. Serve hot as a side or with a simple salad.

Creamy | Silky | Smooth

AMRITSARI ROASTED BROCCOLI AND MOILEE SAUCE Moilee sauce is one of the most comforting sauces and brings me sheer joy. It is very creamy and has the beautiful kick of the chillies, the fragrance of curry leaves and amritsari spices (a blend of different spices used mostly in the Punjab). Everyone has a slightly different way of making this, but this is my preferred method. You can buy the amristari spice blend in most major supermarkets, online and in Indian grocery shops. 40 minutes SERVES 3–4 For the broccoli 1 large head of broccoli 2 tsp amritsari spice blend 1 tsp salt Juice of 1 lemon For the moilee sauce 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 10 curry leaves 25g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 10 garlic cloves, chopped 3 medium white onions, very thinly sliced 4 bird’s eye chillies, seeds in, chopped 1½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt Juice of 1 lemon 750ml coconut milk Chop the broccoli into florets and add to a bowl with the spice blend, salt and lemon juice. Stir to coat the florets, then set aside to marinate for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Lay the marinated broccoli on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and roast in the oven for 5–6 minutes. After this time, test if it’s cooked by piercing it with the tip of a sharp knife; it shouldn’t be too soft, it needs to have bite. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat, then add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the curry leaves and stir for 30 seconds, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook until translucent, around 8 minutes. Add the chillies, turmeric, salt, lemon juice and coconut milk, mix well, then bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to reduce a bit. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When cool, blend to a smooth sauce in a food processor. Add back to the pan and cook for a further 6 minutes. To serve, spoon the sauce into soup bowls and place the cooked broccoli in each bowl.

Smooth | Creamy | Hearty

KALI DAL BLACK LENTIL DAL While growing up, my mum made lots of different dals, but the one we always loved was this one, especially when we attended the celebrations in the gurudwara, where people from the Punjabi community cooked langar (a meal that is cooked to be enjoyed by everyone). You can slow-cook the dal, and it’s always a good idea to make extra and freeze it – just use it within 1 month. This recipe uses whole black urad dal, which is also known as the black gram and is very popular in Punjabi cuisine. 2 hours 30 minutes (plus overnight soaking) SERVES 6–8 200g black urad dal (black lentils) 100g chana dal (split chickpeas) 50g kala chana (or 240g drained tinned kala chana, but this won’t need soaking) 2 tsp salt 3–4 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 15g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 tsp ground turmeric For the tadka 5 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 small white onions, chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped Handful of fresh coriander, chopped 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala Roti and salad, to serve First prepare the dal. Soak the lentils, chana dal and kala chana together overnight in a large bowl of cold water. In the morning, drain the pulses through a sieve and rinse under cold running water, then add to a pan with 3 litres of water, the salt, green chillies, ginger and turmeric, stir it together and slow-cook for around 2 hours over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it looks like more water is needed during cooking, add it as necessary, but check the lentils to see if they are cooked or not before adding water. While the dal is cooking, make the tadka. To make the tadka, heat the oil in a pan, then add the cumin seeds. When they start sizzling, add the chopped garlic and cook for a minute. Add the chopped onions and cook until light brown (this will take 5–6 minutes). Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh coriander and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Add the ground coriander and garam masala, mix well, then add the tadka to the dal in a pan and cook over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes to warm through and infuse the flavours. Serve with roti and salad.

Earthy | Spicy | Gentle

URAD DAL FRY In the Indian community the range of uses of lentils and pulses is so vast that I am still learning about Indian cuisine and their ways and methods. Here I’ve used white urad dal, which becomes white after splitting. It is one of the key ingredients in making papadums and is used to make so many dishes, including dosas and idli (a savoury rice cake). For me this is the most versatile dal. 1 hour (plus 2–2½ hours soaking) SERVES 4 200g white urad dal 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp amritsari spice blend ½ tsp asafoetida powder 50g fresh wild garlic, chopped (or normal garlic if the wild variety is out of season) Roti or salad, to serve Rinse the dal in water in a sieve, then drain and soak in a bowl of water for a couple of hours. Check if the dal is soft, if not let it soak for another half an hour. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the black mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the grated ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the green chillies, tomato purée, turmeric, salt, lemon juice, spice blend, asafoetida and wild garlic, mix it all together well and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the dal and add it to the paste, mixing everything together well, then cook over a low heat for 10–12 minutes. Serve with roti or a simple salad.

Fiery | Tangy | Saucy

RAJMA CHAWAL RED HARICOT BEANS Rajma was my staple diet every weekend with Jeera rice, raita and salad. It was like a Sunday roast with the family. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite comfort foods. I have used Hodmedod’s red haricot beans instead of the more traditional red kidney beans. 1 hour 40 minutes (plus overnight soaking) SERVES 6–8 200g Hodmedod’s dried red haricot beans 5 tsp pomegranate molasses 2 tsp salt 15g fresh turmeric root, peeled and chopped 3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 5 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 garlic cloves, chopped 20g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 2 medium onions, chopped 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 3 tsp garam masala Jeera rice, to serve Soak the beans in a bowl of hot water and leave overnight. The next day, drain the beans in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, then add the beans, 2 litres of water, pomegranate molasses, salt, turmeric and green chillies to a pan and cook over a high heat. When the liquid starts to boil, lower the heat to medium, cover the pan with a lid and cook for nearly 1½ hours. While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the cumin seeds, chopped garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5–6 minutes until translucent, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat, let the mixture cool down, then add the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth (alternatively, you can blend the mixture with a hand-held blender in the pan). Add the blended mixture to the beans and cook everything together until heated through. Serve with jeera rice.

Rich | Spicy | Hearty

VEGETABLE PULAO Pulao is a meal on its own. Mum used to make this with leftover vegetables so it’s great for using odd bits left in your fridge. We always have a simple salad of onions, a slice of lime, salt, green chillies and lauki (courgette) raita with this. 1 hour SERVES 6 300g basmati rice 5 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 4 green cardamom pods 3cm piece of cassia bark 6 black peppercorns 10g fresh root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2–3 green chillies, chopped 1 tsp ground turmeric 100g carrots, sliced into 3cm slices 50g runner beans, sliced into 3cm chunks 100g small cauliflower florets 2 tsp salt 1 tsp garam masala 1 litre boiling water Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Salad, to serve (see introduction) Soak the rice for 20–25 minutes in a bowl of cold water, the water should just cover the rice. While the rice is soaking, heat a heavy-based pan. Add the oil and once hot, add all of the whole spices and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a further minute, as it helps the juices to release. Immediately add the sliced onions and keep stirring over a medium heat until they start to colour. This will take about 5–6 minutes. Add the green chillies and turmeric and cook for another minute, then add all the vegetables and cook for another 5–6 minutes over a medium heat. Keep stirring, if it catches, add a few drops of water. While the vegetables are cooking, drain the water from the rice. Add the salt, garam marsala and rice to the pan and mix well. Add the hot water and boil over a high heat. Once the water has come to a boil, lower the temperature and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook for 8–10 minutes. Once cooked, the rice will be fluffy and you will smell beautiful aromas. Remove the cassia bark and cardamom pods, stir through the chopped coriander and serve alongside a salad.

Smooth | Full-bodied | Hearty

SAAG SPICED LEAFY VEGETABLES When my dad was 16, he left Punjab to go and live with his aunt and uncle in West Bengal. He got a job in the IISCO steel plant and, when my parents got married, my mother joined him, leaving behind her friends, family and the food she grew up eating. At first she missed everything, but she got used to the changes and when the winter greens were in season Mum would eat this saag every day as it reminded her of home. Saag is a very popular dish and it is traditionally made with mustard leaves, but if you are not able to get these, substitute with kale leaves. 50 minutes SERVES 4–6 200g mustard or kale leaves 200g spinach 100g fenugreek or chard leaves 3–4 green chillies, seeds in 2 tsp salt 4 tsp corn meal For the tadka 2 tbsp sunflower oil 20g fresh root ginger, peeled 4 garlic cloves 1 large onion 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp garam masala Makki di roti and chopped mooli, to serve Pour 1 litre of water into a large pan. Roughly chop all the greens and chillies and add them to the pan with the salt. Simmer over a medium heat for 10–15 minutes. Check if the greens are cooked, then drain them but keep the water. Let them cool slightly and then add the cooked greens and corn meal to a food processor and blend to a purée. Set aside. To make the tadka, heat the oil in frying pan over a medium heat. Chop the ginger and garlic and add to the pan, cooking for 1 minute. Then chop the onion and add – cook for 6–7 minutes. Add the spices and puréed greens to the pan and mix well – if you need to loosen the mixture a little, pour in a little of the reserved greens cooking water, as it is full of flavour. Serve hot with makki di roti and mooli.

Warm | Hearty | Spicy

MOONG DAL WITH PALAK SPINACH DAL My mum, like any mum in India, knew so many ways of making different dals – it’s a part of our staple diet. We are so used to standard dals that we forget there are so many other ones to enjoy. Moong or mung bean dal is so underrated yet is one of the most delicious when cooked properly. 1 hour (plus at least 2 hours soaking) SERVES 6–8 200g moong dal 2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground turmeric 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 5 tsp sunflower oil 20g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 200g spinach, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander Roti or rice, to serve Soak the dal for a couple of hours or overnight in a large pan of water. Drain through a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Drain and tip the dal into a pan, then cover with 2 litres of water, add the salt, turmeric and green chillies and cook over a medium heat until the dal is soft, which will take about 40 minutes. While the dal is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the chopped ginger and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Once the tomato is soft, add the chopped spinach and ground cumin and coriander, stir well and cook for another 3–4 minutes. When the dal is soft add the spinach paste to the dal and cook for a further 3–5 minutes, so the flavours mix in well, and serve with roti or rice.

Creamy | Smooth | Silky

KACHE KELE KI SABZI GREEN BANANA SABZI Bananas are abundant in India, and they are eaten in many different ways. From raw (or unripe) bananas we would make a sabzi – deep-frying them as chips. Also, nothing is wasted, and in many places the banana leaves are used to serve or steam food. This is a delicious, creamy and filling dish that is great for using green bananas – when not fully ripened the fruit is starchy, which is perfect alongside the coconut milk yogurt. 40 minutes SERVES 3–4 3 green bananas 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds ½ tsp asafoetida powder 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 medium white onions, sliced 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt 150g coconut milk yogurt, whisked Plain rice, to serve Place the whole unpeeled bananas in a deep large pan, and pour over just enough water to cover, then cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes. Drain the water and let the bananas cool, and once cool enough to handle, peel them and cut each one in half, then slice into rounds and set aside. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. Once the seeds start sizzling, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook for another 6–7 minutes until light brown and softened. Add the green chillies and tomato and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and all the spices and salt to the paste and stir well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, let the paste cool, then transfer to a blender and blend until to a smooth purée. Once the purée is made, return it to the pan, add 100ml water, the banana slices and whisked coconut milk yogurt, stir the sauce gently, then cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 4–5 minutes. Serve with plain rice.

Warm | Bitter | Soft

BHARE KARELE STUFFED BITTER GOURD Long train journeys were part of my holidays while growing up, and for these my mum would pack the most amazing picnics. Karela (bitter gourd) lasted a long time and didn’t go stale, so it was perfect for these trips. It is an acquired taste but if cooked properly and served with dal or roti there’s nothing more blissful! 1 hour SERVES 4–6 For the gourds 6 bitter gourds 1 tsp salt 2½ tbsp sunflower oil For the stuffing 2 tbsp sunflower oil 4 small red onions, finely chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 3 tsp Anardana powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp salt 3 tsp garam masala 3 tsp tomato purée Roti, to serve First prepare the gourds. Wash them, then cut in half, scoop out the seeds and flesh and set aside. Rub salt on the bitter gourd shells to bring out the juices. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the reserved seeds and flesh of the gourd with the green chillies and cook for 5 minutes. Once the paste becomes brown add the anardana, turmeric, salt, garam masala and tomato purée and mix well. Cook for another few minutes, stirring occasionally over a low heat. Remove from the heat and leave the paste to cool. Once cooled, tip the mixture into the bowl of the food processor and blend to a coarse paste. Heat the sunflower oil for the gourds in another pan and fry evenly until the shells are light brown and soft – around 10–12 minutes. Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to remove the excess oil. Fill the shells with the stuffing and wrap some kitchen string around each one to hold the stuffing in. Once stuffed, transfer them to the pan you fried the shells in and cook for another 3 minutes to make sure the flavours of the stuffing infuse the shell properly. Remove the string and serve with roti.

Crumbly | Sticky | Warm

VEGETABLE MANCHURIAN Indo-Chinese food is very big in India and is the most delicious combination of flavours. I used to eat this dish until I was sick of it! It’s vegetable balls in a sauce and is as tasty with noodles as it is with plain rice. 40 minutes SERVES 2–4 For the balls 100g white hard cabbage, shredded 100g green beans, very finely chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 small green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 4 spring onions, chopped 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 75g plain flour 4 tsp cornflour 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns Sunflower oil, for deep-frying For the sauce 2 tsp tomato ketchup 1 tsp rice vinegar 2 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp chilli sauce 2 tsp cornflour 4 tsp sunflower oil 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 medium white onion, finely chopped 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2–3 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 1 tsp sugar 2 spring onions, chopped, to garnish Plain rice or noodles, to serve In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the balls, then gather the mixture together so that all the moisture from the vegetables stays in the dough. Knead it as you would a bread dough, then shape into 20 small balls – it might take about 2–3 minutes to get the consistency – and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan and, when the oil is hot enough (this will be when the handle of a wooden spoon creates steady bubbles when dipped in), deep fry the balls for around 2 minutes until golden brown – you may need to do this in batches. Scoop out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain away any excess oil. Next, make the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and chilli sauce. In another small bowl, blend the cornflour and 2 teaspoons water to a smooth paste.

Heat the oil in a pan, then add the grated ginger, onion, garlic and green chillies and cook for 4–5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce mix and cornflour paste and cook for 1 minute, making sure the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add 500ml water and bring the mixture to a boil, then when the sauce thickens, add the peppercorns and sugar. Finally, add the fried balls to the sauce and cook for 2–3 minutes to heat through. Garnish with the spring onions and serve with plain rice or noodles.

Warm | Hearty | Comforting

VADA PAV The beauty of growing up near a steel plant was that we met people from different states and learnt about their rituals and celebrations, but the best part was the food that came from their home towns. Vada pav is a Mumbai staple – it normally comes as a round ball but my daughters prefer it flattened, so this is what I have done. 45 minutes SERVES 3–4 For the vada balls 300g potatoes, peeled and chopped 3 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for deep-frying 1 tsp black mustard seeds 8 curry leaves 7 garlic cloves, grated 2 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped ½ tsp ground turmeric Pinch of asafoetida powder 1 tsp salt For the batter 110g gram flour ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp salt Pinch of bicarbonate of soda Bread rolls, Hari (green) chutney and Garlic and chilli chutney, to serve Put the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and cook until soft. Drain, tip into a bowl and mash. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the curry leaves, garlic and chillies and cook for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric, asafoetida and salt along with the mashed potatoes, mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside to let the potato mixture cool, then once cool enough to handle, make into 3–4 golf ball-sized balls and flatten slightly to make patties. Put the batter ingredients into a separate bowl and slowly pour in 100ml cold water, until the mixture is the consistency of pancake batter. Half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with oil. Heat over a high heat until the oil is hot (the handle of a wooden spoon should steadily bubble when dipped in), then lower to medium. Drop the balls into the batter and then into the hot oil and fry 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown. This will take 2–3 minutes. Scoop out using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain away any excess oil. Once they are all cooked, put Hari chutney on one half of a bread roll and chilli and garlic chutney on the other half and then put the vada in the middle. Serve hot.

SNACKS CAULIFLOWER PAKORAS ELDERFLOWER PAKORAS ROASTED PINEAPPLE CIRCLES POSTO BORAS POTATO AND PEA SAMOSAS MOMOS ROASTED POMEGRANATE MOLASSES SWEET POTATO CHIPS BEETROOT, KALE AND SWEET POTATO TOASTIES BONDA BHUTTA ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS TURMERIC HUMMUS

When I was a young girl in West Bengal, my friends and I didn’t have much money, so at the end of each week we used to put all our pocket money together and go and buy ourselves all sorts of street food – it was such a treat. And while we craved these dishes, the whole experience was more about sharing the food than anything else. Indian street food is unlike any other, the smell entices you and because it is cooked on carts in the open air the smell would come flying over to us. We couldn’t resist the smell of deep-fried samosas, kachori and chaat (all savoury snacks) and there was such a variety, but momos and samosas were our favourites (they cost around the equivalent of 50p each in British currency, which doesn’t sound like a lot now, but back then, and to us, it was a real extravagance!). In India, you don’t have to go to a five-star hotel for incredible-tasting food, it’s easily accessible and freshly cooked right in front of you. I often hear people saying that it’s hard to find good-tasting vegan snacks that aren’t massproduced (there’s only so many carrot sticks with hummus one person can eat), but the recipes in this section will brighten up your snack time, and are perfect for when you’re feeling a bit peckish. They’re also great appetisers if you’re entertaining guests – I often make a batch of samosas and enjoy them with my friends and a glass of wine. Every country has its own type of street food and it’s easy to understand why this style of cooking is becoming ever more popular in the UK. Street food is the essence of local culture and community; it’s simple, but big on flavour and, most importantly, it’s moreish. You don’t want to know how many momos I could eat if given the chance…

Crispy | Spicy | Warm

CAULIFLOWER PAKORAS On a very wet day my mum would made us pakoras. They always tasted that much better on a rainy day – me and my siblings sitting on the veranda, putting the world to rights and talking about the Indian cricket team. This is one of my mum’s many splendid variations – feel free to use whatever vegetable is in season or you have leftover in your fridge (purple sprouting broccoli works especially well). 25 minutes SERVES 4–6 Sunflower oil, for deep-frying 150g gram flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp nigella seeds 2 tsp Anardana powder 20g fresh turmeric root, peeled and grated 2 green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped 1 medium red onion, finely sliced 1 small cauliflower, including leaves, chopped into small florets Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Mint and coriander chutney or tomato ketchup and Chaat masala, to serve First, make the batter. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt, nigella seeds, anardana powder and just enough water to make a thick batter, up to 50ml – it should be sticky and quite dry. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, ensuring the ingredients are well coated in the batter. Set aside. In a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Check the oil is hot enough by dropping a little of the batter mix into the oil – it should float up quite quickly if it is. Once hot enough, shake off any excess batter from the florets, then drop them into the oil and cook, in batches, until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil. Repeat until all the florets are cooked. Serve warm with mint and coriander chutney or, if the kids insist, tomato ketchup. You can also add a little kick by sprinkling with chaat masala.

Crispy | Fruity | Warm

ELDERFLOWER PAKORAS We don’t often make pakoras at home – only really when we have guests – but it is a good way of making kids eat vegetables. Pakoras are a favourite with my kids, but instead of making traditional ones I like to be creative and make an elderflower version. I know this is very seasonal, but it’s a good way of using them if you want to make something other than Elderflower and saffron cordial! 30 minutes SERVES 4–6 50g gram flour 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp salt 12 elderflower heads Sunflower oil, for deep-frying Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add all the ingredients, except the elderflower and oil, with up to 50ml water. Whisk the batter until it is thin enough to coat the elderflowers – but it shouldn’t be too runny. In a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat to 170°C or until the handle of a wooden spoon creates steady bubbles when dipped into the oil. Once hot, dip the elderflower heads into the batter to coat, shaking off any excess, then drop the elderflowers, in batches, into the oil and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil. Repeat until all the flowers are cooked. Serve hot.

Spicy | Sweet | Sour

ROASTED PINEAPPLE CIRCLES Pineapple becomes wonderfully sweet and sticky when cooked with date sugar and tamarind, but when combined with chilli flakes and fennel seeds this is just bursting with flavours. Be sure to find a ripe pineapple for this – the outside should be golden not green – but if you can’t, buy an unripe one and keep it near some bananas to ripen – bananas release ethylene which is a gas that naturally ripens around food around it. 15 minutes SERVES 4–5 75g date sugar 75g Tamarind and date chutney 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 pineapple, skin removed and flesh sliced into 1cm-thick slices Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Put the date sugar in a medium frying pan over a low heat to melt – do not stir, as this may cause the caramel to crystallise. As it melts, keep shaking and swirling the pan until a medium-coloured caramel is formed. Add the tamarind and date chutney and whisk well. Boil for 2 minutes, then add the chilli flakes, salt, garam masala and fennel seeds. Place the pineapple slices in a baking dish. Pour the spicy caramel sauce over the pineapple slices, then roast for 12–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the pineapple circles to a plate, covering it with foil to keep warm. Pour the cooking juices into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then cook to reduce to a thicker caramel. Pour over the pineapple and eat warm.

Warm | Creamy | Soft

POSTO BORAS POPPY SEED CAKES Posto boras is a white poppy seed dish that is cooked in Bengali households. Also known as poppy seed cakes, these are small round bites that are mouth-wateringly delicious. You can serve these as a side dish with a main meal, but I love them as snacks. 50 minutes MAKES 8–10 100g white poppy seeds 4 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cumin seeds Mustard or rapeseed oil, for shallow-frying Sliced shallots and Mint and coriander chutney, to serve Soak the poppy seeds in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain the poppy seeds, tip them into a blender and whizz to a paste. Add the paste to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. While the oil is heating, make 8–10 golf ball-sized balls from the poppy seed mixture and then flatten them. Once the oil is hot, lower the temperature. Cook the boras, in batches, until golden and crispy on all sides. Remove the boras with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain the excess oil. Serve hot with sliced shallots and mint and coriander chutney.

Crispy | Flaky | Spicy

POTATO AND PEA SAMOSAS Samosas originated in the Middle East and Central Asia, and they are traditionally simple deep-fried stuffed pastry triangles, and the fillings vary depending on the region. Nowadays there are many variations on this classic – sweet, savoury, fried and baked – but for me a samosa has got to have a savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes. This is my favourite way to make samosas, as it reminds me of my grandmother. 2 hours MAKES 10 SAMOSAS For the pastry 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp salt 6 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) For the filling 4 medium potatoes 2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for deep-frying 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 1 tsp cumin seeds 50g peas, frozen or fresh 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1–2 green chillies, finely chopped 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin Handful of fresh coriander 1 tsp salt First make the pastry. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the salt, oil and the carom (ajwain) seeds. Rub the oil into the flour with your hands so it’s well combined, then add 100ml water and bring the dough together and knead briefly until it forms a ball – it should be smooth and soft. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Next, make the filling. Bring a pan of water to the boil and in the meantime peel and chop the potatoes. Add to the boiling water and cook until soft but still holding their shape. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the fennel and cumin seeds, and once they start sizzling add the peas – if frozen, cook through, but if fresh just cook for few minutes to warm them. Add the grated ginger, green chillies, ground coriander and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the cooked potatoes to the pan, mix well and cook for 2–3 minutes to heat through and mingle the flavours. Chop the coriander and add along with the salt and keep cooking for 2–3 minutes over a low heat. The veg should be well coated with spices. Check the seasoning. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When you’re ready to start cooking, heat a frying pan on a very low heat. While it is heating, divide the rested pastry into 5 equal-sized balls. Roll each into a circle on a lightly floured work surface to approximately 15cm diameter. Put the rolled pastry into the pan, warm on both sides then cut in half. Repeat with all the other roti. Brush the edges with water. Fold the semi-circle in half, bringing the straight edges together to make a cone and fill with the filling. Pinch and seal the open edge and then push it with a fork. Repeat until all the remaining dough is made into samosas.

Heat a deep heavy-based pan, half-fill it with oil and heat it to 180°C. Deep-fry the samosas, two at a time, for 4–5 minutes until light brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain the excess oil, then fry the rest in batches. Serve while still hot.

Warm | Soft | Steamy

MOMOS CABBAGE AND CARROT DUMPLINGS Momos were a huge part of my life growing up in Bengal, as they were affordable and tasty. I still love making them today, and I eat them until I can’t eat any more! 2 hours SERVES 4 For the dough 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp salt 5 tsp sunflower oil For the filling 40g cabbage, finely shredded 1 large carrot, peeled and grated 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 small white onion, chopped 2 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 2 tsp fresh coriander, chopped 1 tsp salt For the dipping sauce 3 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 green chilli, seeds in, chopped 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 tsp sugar First make the dough. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then add the oil and mix well. Slowly add 120ml cold water to the flour mix and knead the dough until it is flexible. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave it to rest for 1 hour at room temperature. While the dough is resting, make the filling. Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Divide the dough into 20 equal-sized balls weighing around 12g each. Dust a work surface with flour and roll the balls into thin circles, one at a time. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling into the centre of the circle, then using your thumb and forefinger, pinch together the edges of the dough to make a round shape. Pinch all around the shape to seal the parcel. Next, make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients together with 30ml cold water and mix well. When you’re ready to eat, fill a steamer pan with water, cover the base of the steamer with baking parchment and pierce some holes in it. Working in batches, place the momos on the baking parchment and steam for 8–10 minutes – they should look transparent and not feel sticky when fully cooked. Serve the momos hot with a sprinkling of chopped spring onion and the sauce for dipping.

Warm | Sweet | Sharp

ROASTED POMEGRANATE MOLASSES SWEET POTATO CHIPS My daughters are not big fans of normal potatoes but they love sweet potatoes. The sweetness of this variety along with the tartness of the pomegranate molasses works really well. 15 minutes SERVES 4–5 4 sweet potatoes, sliced into chips 4 tsp pomegranate molasses 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 3 tsp rapeseed oil Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and put it in the oven to heat up for 5 minutes. Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well to coat the chips in the flavourings. Tip the chips onto the hot baking tray and cook in the oven for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Crispy | Warm | Spicy

BEETROOT, KALE AND SWEET POTATO TOASTIES While I was growing up, when it came to food, little things made me happy. Although we didn’t have a toastie maker, our very good friends did. Life was simple and people helped and cared for each other. When we used to visit Chawla aunty she used to make these potato and onion toasties for us. Now I have a toastie machine, I change the fillings all the time and this is one of my favourite ingredient combinations. 15 minutes SERVES 2 1 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra to spray the sandwich maker 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 20g kale, finely chopped 1 small beetroot, peeled and grated 1 small sweet potato, boiled, peeled and roughly mashed ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes ½ tsp salt 1 tsp Chaat masala 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves 4 slices of bread (in India we always had these with white bread) Ketchup, to serve Heat the oil in a pan and add the ginger, kale and grated beetroot and cook for 3–4 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Preheat the sandwich maker and brush it with oil. Meanwhile, top 4 slices of bread with the filling and cover each with another to make 4 sandwiches. Place as many sandwiches as your machines allows in the sandwich maker, close the machine and cook until the bread is brown and toasted, about 2–3 minutes. Serve hot with a cup of tea and some ketchup.

Crispy | Flaky | Warm

BONDA When I started my business from home I always made various starters and I tried to be creative so that people would enjoy the food. These deep-fried balls are made with peanuts, potatoes and coconut – a combination that works well; I love the crunch of peanuts against the fresh flavours of coriander and coconut. 20 minutes MAKES 8–10 BALLS 1 medium potato, peeled and grated 6 tsp desiccated coconut 2 tsp raw peanuts, chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 green chilli, seeds in, finely chopped 3 tsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp salt Sunflower oil, for deep-frying Avocado chutney and Tamarind and date chutney, to serve Squeeze all the water from the grated potatoes between your hands, then put them into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, mix well and shape into 8–10 golf ball-sized balls. In a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based deep frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat to 170°C. Add the balls to the hot oil, in batches, cooking them for 2–3 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Serve hot with avocado chutney and tamarind and date chutney.

Spicy | Sweet | Soft

BHUTTA GRILLED CORN ON THE COB In India you will find street vendors cooking corn over hot charcoal, flavoured with lemon or lime and spices. I prefer to rub it with black salt (kala namak) which can be found in the world food aisles of many large supermarkets, online and in your local Indian grocery. 15 minutes SERVES 4 4 corn on the cobs, stripped of outer leaves ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp black salt 1 lime, halved Preheat the grill or barbecue. Grill the corn equally on all sides until golden brown and little black spots are starting to emerge – around 10 minutes. Once cooked, rub the cobs with the turmeric and black salt. Rub the lime halves all over the corn, squeezing out the juice as you go. Serve immediately.

Crunchy | Sweet | Nutty

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS These are delicious as a nibble for friends served with a glass of red wine. 10 minutes SERVES 2–3 Seeds of 1 medium pumpkin ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes ½ tsp ground cumin 2 tsp pomegranate molasses ½ tsp salt Preheat the oven 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl to coat the seeds. Lay the seeds on a baking tray and put in the oven to roast. Check on them after 2 minutes and shuffle them around so that they roast evenly – they shouldn’t take more than 5–7 minutes, but depending on the oven they might take up to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Serve warm.

Smooth | Creamy | Earthy

TURMERIC HUMMUS The first time I had the taste of hummus was when I moved to the UK, and I was intrigued by its taste and texture. I researched this dish and the ingredients that go into making it, then I tried making it in many variations. This is one of my favourite ways – the turmeric gives it a beautiful yellow colour and there’s a flavour kick from the red Kashmiri chilli flakes. 10 minutes MAKES 8 SERVINGS 200g drained tinned chickpeas 15g fresh turmeric root, peeled and chopped 3 tsp tahini paste 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp Maldon sea salt 6 tsp rapeseed oil Salad, crisps or pitta bread, to serve Place all the ingredients in a blender with 2 tsp water and whizz into a thick paste. Serve immediately with salad, crisps or pitta bread, or put in the fridge and serve later – it will keep for up to 2 days.

PUDDINGS JALEBI BLOOD ORANGE AND POLENTA CAKE FLAXSEED PINNI LADOOS RICE PUDDING ZARDA

It’s undeniable that people in India have a (very) sweet tooth. Whenever there’s an occasion of any kind – whether it’s a baby being born, someone getting married, or even a funeral – sweets are present because they are a symbol of happiness. This fondness for the sweet stuff means that there’s a lot of variety when it comes to puddings. It’s also important to remember that when the British ruled India they introduced a cake culture that’s still thriving today, and when the Iranians moved to India they brought with them their wonderful bakeries. This rich crossover of cultures means that India’s sweet scene is both diverse and unrivalled. I’ll always remember my mum making us Zarda. It is a typical Punjabi rice pudding, and the name comes from the Persian word zard, meaning yellow. Zarda was only made for weddings in Punjab, and I have wonderful memories of running around with my cousins while they explained to us the importance of making zarda and distributing it within the community. Lots of English puddings rely on dairy ingredients and eggs, but the hot weather in India and lack of fridges in most households meant that this wasn’t always possible. Instead, lots of popular puddings were made with dairy-free doughs or grains, and often deep-fried or coated in sugar syrup. For the creamier desserts, like rice pudding, I’ve substituted milk with vegan dairy alternatives, such as almond milk. Feel free to use whichever plant-based milk you prefer, but I find that almond milk has a natural sweetness that goes perfectly with puddings.

Warm | Sweet | Crispy

JALEBI Every weekend my dad would bring jalebis home from a street vendor father and son who had a food stall and were famous for making these. They come in all sorts of intricate designs but don’t worry too much about this – you can make them whatever shape you like. I have tried so many times to make mine like those from home, but it has been impossible to recreate them. However, this is not a bad attempt! 25 minutes (plus 6–8 hours fermenting) MAKES 15–20 For the batter 250g plain flour 75g cornflour 1 tsp baking powder 250g coconut milk yogurt ½ tsp red food colouring For the syrup 400g caster sugar 8 green cardamom pods, crushed Pinch of saffron threads 2 tsp lemon juice Sunflower oil, for deep-frying Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then add the yogurt and food colouring and mix well until the batter is thick but still has a pouring consistency. Set aside to ferment in a warm place for 6–8 hours. When you are ready to cook the jalebis, make the sugar syrup. Add the sugar to a saucepan along with 150ml water, the crushed cardamoms and saffron and bring to the boil (this takes about 5–6 minutes). Once the mixture has become sticky, add the lemon juice so the syrup doesn’t crystallize and set aside.

To fry the jalebis, heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat to 180°C, and while the oil is heating up, put the batter in a piping bag and, once full, cut a tiny whole at the bottom to make the jalebi swirls. Hold the bag from the top and swirl the batter in a round shape straight into the oil. Make only three at a time so there is space to cook both sides and the oil stays hot. When the batter is golden brown and crispy, remove from the oil using a slotted spoon to drain the oil, then add to the syrup and leave to soak for about 2 minutes. Remove from the syrup and serve hot.

Fruity | Soft | Creamy

BLOOD ORANGE AND POLENTA CAKE I learned how to bake when I came to the UK and this is a really special recipe to me. It’s my husband’s favourite cake because not only does it taste delicious but it uses polenta (a common ingredient in India) which reminds him of home. Vegan cakes can be tricky, but you wouldn’t even notice that this one has no butter or eggs – enjoy! 1 hour SERVES 10 150g soft vegan margarine 100g coconut milk yogurt 150g caster sugar 200g ground almonds 100g fine polenta Zest and juice of 2 blood oranges 40g golden syrup Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line a 21cm rectangular loaf tin with baking parchment. In a mixing bowl, beat the vegan butter, coconut milk yogurt and sugar together with a whisk, then mix in the almonds and polenta. Add the zest and juice of the blood oranges and golden syrup. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Test to see if the cake is ready by inserting a skewer in the middle – if it comes out clean it is done. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen gently with a knife before releasing – be very careful when taking it out of the tin. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and enjoy!

Sweet | Full-bodied | Hearty

FLAXSEED PINNI LADOOS Pinni is a Punjabi and North Indian cuisine dish and it is the quintessential winter food. Many of my memories of winter holidays in Punjab relate to the aromas of pinnis in Nani’s kitchen. I used to help her shape them into balls; some I would eat at once and some I would save to enjoy later. 1 hour MAKES 20 500g jaggery 500g flaxseeds 400g wholemeal flour 400ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing 10 green cardamom pods, crushed 50g raw almonds, chopped 50g raw cashews, chopped 20g raisins First, make the sugar syrup. Add the jaggery and 250ml water to a saucepan and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely – about 3–5 minutes. Test the syrup by putting it between your forefinger and thumb – if it leaves a string while parting the two, it is ready. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, add the flaxseeds to a dry pan and cook over a low heat until lightly toasted – just a minute or two, they will start to make crackling sound. Remove from the heat, tip onto a plate and let the seeds cool. Once cool, blend them in a blender in a coarse powder – do not over grind them. Toast the wheat flour in the oil in a frying pan over a low heat until it turns brown and starts to have the sweet fragrance of the wheat cooking – 4–5 minutes – then add the flaxseed powder, crushed cardamom pods, nuts and raisins, and mix well. To prepare the pinni ladoos, lightly cover your hands in oil (to prevent the mixture sticking) and combine the sugar syrup with the

dry ingredients and shape into 20 golf ball-sized balls. Store the pinni in an airtight container, for up to 1 month. Enjoy with a cup of tea.

Creamy | Warm | Smooth

RICE PUDDING Rice pudding is one of those foods that every region makes differently and it’s a really important food because its soft texture means it’s used by many mothers when weaning their children. Coming from a Bengali family, my mother always made ours sweet and spiced with cardamom pods – this vegan adaptation tastes just as good! 2 hours 30 minutes SERVES 4–6 60g basmati rice 1½ litres almond milk 6 green cardamom pods, crushed into a coarse powder, plus extra to garnish (optional) 50g brown sugar 20g toasted flaked almonds Put the rice in a bowl with enough water to just cover it and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the crushed cardamom pods and let the milk come to a boil. Add the drained rice to the boiling milk. Reduce the heat to low, then cook the rice, uncovered, for 2 hours at a gentle simmer, stirring regularly to break up the rice and ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The milk will gradually reduce to about a quarter of its original volume. Once the rice and milk has thickened to a thin porridge consistency, add the sugar and flaked almonds. Continue to cook on a low heat for 5–10 minutes, stirring often so that no lumps form. Serve hot or cold scattered with more crushed cardamom, if you like.

Fresh | Sweet | Soft

ZARDA Mum never made Zarda while I was growing up in Bengal, we only got to experience it when we were in Punjab for village celebrations. This dish is usually made for special occasions, so how could I not include this in my collections of memorable recipes? 45 minutes SERVES 5–6 15 raw almonds 15g sultanas 200g basmati rice 50ml sunflower oil 5cm piece of cinnamon stick 6 green cardamom pods 5 cloves 100g demerara sugar Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp orange food colouring 1 tbsp flaked almonds In a bowl, soak the almonds in hot water for 15 minutes. At the same time, in separate bowls, soak the raisins for 10 minutes and the rice in cold water for 15 minutes. When ready, drain the raisins and rice. Then drain, peel and slice the almonds, and set aside. Over a low heat, heat the oil in a frying pan, add all the whole spices, and when they start to sizzle, add the sliced almonds and sultanas, fry for a minute then take off the heat. Add the rice and sugar with 500ml water to a saucepan and cook for about 5–8 minutes, until the rice is nearly cooked. Drain off any water. Once the rice is cooked, heat the frying pan with all the spices and sultanas and mix in the cooked rice. Add the lime juice and orange food colouring and cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes,

stirring continuously. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds before serving.

DRINKS BANANA, COCONUT AND TURMERIC SMOOTHIE AAM KA PANNA ELDERFLOWER AND SAFFRON CORDIAL GULAB (ROSE WATER) SHARBAT NIBU PANNI TURMERIC GIN AND TONIC ROMY’S NEGRONI SPICED LEMON WATER GINGER, TURMERIC AND MINT TEA

These recipes are all very close to my heart. Nibu panni is incredibly important because it’s the go-to drink for keeping you cool in the hot weather, with the double benefits of being a detoxing drink that also quenches your thirst. Similarly, the Gulab sharbat is a perfect hot-weather drink. It’s made with rose water and looks especially pretty if you can find some fresh rose petals to decorate it with. A lot of people don’t realise that whisky and beer are really popular in India. Whisky is very popular in the Punjabi communities and other states, too, so if you want to embrace this part of Indian culture, have a glass of whisky or a beer with the pakoras (see here and here) and you’ll be dining like a local in no time! I must admit, I only started drinking alcohol when I came to the UK and I’ve loved putting my own twists on traditional English cocktails. I drank my first gin and tonic when I came to Thornbury, in Gloucestershire, where my restaurant is now based, and I tried the local distillers’ 6 O’clock gin. I was inspired by its flavours, and my Turmeric gin and tonic recipe is, I think, the perfect blend of spices plus, its beautiful golden yellow colour makes it an impressive drink to serve for guests.

Smooth | Creamy | Earthy

BANANA, COCONUT AND TURMERIC SMOOTHIE My recent travels with Suitcase magazine took me to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Mark and Atalanta – my hosts there – have built a beautiful boutique hotel on Havelock Island. I had the opportunity to taste some truly delicious food while I stayed with them, but it was this banana smoothie with fresh turmeric and coconut that stayed with me. It’s very filling and very tasty! 5 minutes SERVES 1 1 large banana, peeled and chopped 100ml coconut milk 20g fresh turmeric root, peeled and diced 5 ice cubes Put all of the ingredients into a blender with 50ml water and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy. See photo (right).

Spicy | Fresh | Cooling

AAM KA PANNA Mum would make this drink for us when we returned from school on the blistering days of the summer heatwave. Summer for us was the time for fresh, chilled drinks made in our kitchen, and there was nothing better than Aam ka panna to refresh our bodies. There are different ways of making it, but I prefer this method because this is how my mum made it. 20 minutes SERVES 4 4 unripe mangoes 1 tsp cumin seeds 6 tsp sugar ½ tsp black salt ½ tsp Chaat masala Ice cubes, to serve Mint leaves, to garnish Cook the whole, unpeeled mangoes in a pan with 500ml water for about 12 minutes or until the skin feels tender. Remove the mangoes using a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Meanwhile, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Take off the heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, crush in a pestle and mortar or a blender to a rough powder. Peel the skin off the mangoes and then scrape the flesh away from the stone and add to the blender with the sugar, salt, chaat masala and 400ml water. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses with some ice cubes and garnish with some mint leaves. See photo (left).

Sweet | Fruity | Fresh

ELDERFLOWER AND SAFFRON CORDIAL I love elderflowers, and when they are in season and abundant we make a wide variety of dishes in the restaurant to showcase them. I like this cordial served with cold sparkling water and ice. I prefer it quite strong so I combine 50ml of cordial for every 175ml water. Keep the cordial in a sterilised bottle in the fridge for three months – we make lots every summer. You can make different variations in flavours, too, from rose to lime – try adding 4 additional teaspoons lime juice or 4 teaspoons rose water instead of the saffron threads. 10 minutes (plus 24 hours infusing) SERVES 10 150g elderflower heads (around 12–14) 2 tsp saffron threads 1 tsp crushed green cardamom pods 700ml just-boiled water 250g caster sugar 3 tbsp lime juice First rinse the elderflower heads very gently under running water – you want to dislodge any bugs but not damage the flowers. Put the elderflowers in a large bowl with the saffron and crushed cardamom pods. Pour over the just-boiled water and gently press the florets down under the water to completely submerge them. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to infuse at room temperature for about 24 hours. Strain the infusion through a fine sieve into a deep saucepan and discard all the bits. Add the sugar and lime juice to the infusion, cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, and keep stirring until the sugar dissolves and the fragrant liquid is starting to simmer. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool. Once cold, pour into sterilised bottles with a lid and store in the fridge and enjoy later. See photo (top).

Fresh | Cooling | Fragrant

GULAB (ROSE WATER) SHARBAT When I was younger we used to make our own fizzy drinks and share them with family and friends, and I really enjoyed this. One of these drinks was this sharbat, which is beautiful and delicious, and the fragrant rose made me feel like a princess. 5 minutes SERVES 2 6 tsp sugar 4 tsp rose water 100ml lime juice 2 tbsp pomegranate juice 1 litre sparkling water, chilled Rose petals, to serve Combine all the ingredients in a jug. Pour into glasses and decorate each glass with a rose petal before serving. See photo (bottom).

Fresh | Salty | Sweet

NIBU PANNI We didn’t have fizzy drinks often while I was growing up, they were only brought out for special occasions and one of these was Nibu panni. This is basically a spiced homemade lemonade, Indian-style. It is still drunk by everyone and enjoyed by all in India. It’s very refreshing and perfect when the weather is hot. 10 minutes SERVES 2 6 tsp sugar 1 tsp black salt Juice of 2 lemons 4 ice cubes 1 tsp salt Mint leaves, to garnish Pour 1 litre of water into a jug, add the sugar and black salt and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and ice and mix it all together. Dip the rims of each glass in a little water and then the salt. Then pour the drink into the glasses and pop a mint leaf on the top of each drink before serving. See photo (right).

Fresh | Gentle | Cooling

TURMERIC GIN AND TONIC I am ashamed to say that the first gin and tonic I ever drunk was when I moved to Thornbury and came to know the people who make the local brand, 6 O’clock gin. I tasted it at a food fair and since then I have stuck like glue to this gin – it’s my favourite! Of course, you can use any gin you like or have available, but if you can get a bottle of 6 O’clock, you won’t regret it. 15 minutes SERVES 1 ½ tsp grated fresh turmeric root 50ml 6 O’clock gin (or any other brand) 4 ice cubes 1 slice of lime or lemon and mint leaves, to garnish Tonic water, to taste It’s crucial to get the glass as cold as possible beforehand, so pop the glass in the freezer for 10 minutes before you make your drink. While the glass is in the freezer, add the turmeric to the gin and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Add the gin to the glass along with the ice, and as much tonic as suits your taste. Garnish with the slice of lime or lemon and some mint leaves. Enjoy. See photo (left).

Smooth | Full-bodied | Sharp

ROMY’S NEGRONI My first taste of negroni was when Paula, my dear chef friend from Ireland, and I judged the BBC Food and Farming Awards together. I love the bitter sweet taste of it, and ever since that first taste, I have been hooked! 5 minutes SERVES 1 4 ice cubes 20ml vermouth 20ml gin 30ml Campari 10ml brandy 20ml lemonade 1 slice of blood orange Pinch of Kashmiri red chilli flakes Add the ice to an old-fashioned glass, pour in all the spirits and lemonade, stir gently, then garnish with the orange slice and the chilli flakes. See photo (right).

WARM | CITRUSSY

SPICED LEMON WAtER Every morning before drinking or eating anything I always have a cup of warm water and lemon juice. I have been told it gives a boost of energy and helps to ease bloating. 5 minutes SERVES 1 200ml hot water 2 tsp fresh lemon juice Pinch of crushed black pepper Pinch of ground cinammon Pour the hot water into a cup, add the lemon juice, stir in the spices and drink while still hot.

Warm | Soothing | Full-bodied

GINGER, TURMERIC AND MINT TEA Herbal teas are very common and I always prefer to make my own – here’s one of my favourite combinations. 5 minutes SERVES 2 600ml water 10g fresh root ginger 10g fresh turmeric 4–6 mint leaves Peel and finely chop the ginger and turmeric. Add to a pan with the mint and 600ml water and bring to the boil. After 2 minutes, sieve out the ginger, turmeric and mint, and serve immediately.

PANTRY Pickles CAULIFLOWER AND ONION ROSE HARISSA WITH PRESERVED LEMONS FRESH TURMERIC PICKLED SHALLOTS Chutneys GARLIC AND CHILLI HARI (GREEN) TAMARIND AND DATE AVOCADO APPLE MINT AND CORIANDER Spices and Pastes PANCH PHORON GARAM MASALA CHAAT MASALA ROMY’S SPICE BLEND ANARDANA ONION PASTE

Every good kitchen has a good pantry, and the kitchen at my restaurant is no different. Included in this section are the recipes that are fundamental to making sure your cooking tastes the best it possibly can. Of course, if you’re in a rush or don’t have the resources to make these from scratch, the equivalent good-quality, shop-bought options are fine. But if you are able to, making your own spices and pastes, pickles and chutneys makes a real difference to the flavour of your finished dishes. I’m often told by friends who have made their own that they’ll never go back! STERILISING JARS If you choose to make a batch of pickle or chutney to store in your pantry, instead of eating immediately, it must be bottled into sterilised jars so they maintain their freshness. To sterilise your jar, heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3, and while the oven is heating, wash all the jars and their lids, in hot soapy water. Once washed, rinse and drain thoroughly, then place the jars and lids on baking trays and put in the oven to dry completely. The jars should still be hot when you fill them with your preserves. NOTES ON STORING Chutneys should be kept in the fridge for no longer than a week. Pickles can be kept for up to six months but, once opened, should be kept in the fridge. All spices or spice blends should be stored in an airtight container in a cool place, where they will last for two months.

Pickles Just like in Europe, Indians use pickling as a way to make fruits and vegetables last longer and ensure that fresh, seasonal produce isn’t wasted. Pickles are much easier to make than most people realise, and even though they take a little bit of effort, it means you can enjoy delicious fruits and vegetables throughout the year when you wouldn’t be able to eat them fresh. It’s easy to ignore pickles and focus on the main dishes but add a pickle – whether sweet or sour – to your next meal and it’ll bring it to life.

Clockwise from top: Rose harissa pickle with preserved lemons; Fresh turmeric pickle; Pickled shallots; Cauliflower and onion pickle.

Sharp | Vinegary | Fiery

CAULIFLOWER AND ONION PICKLE In India, people love pickles because they enable you to eat food that’s no longer in season all-yearround. They are a really important part of a meal and my mum’s cooking was no exception – she never wasted anything and any leftover fresh produce was pickled. This is a versatile pickle that is one of my favourites! 1 hour 10 minutes MAKES 1 LARGE JAR 1 large cauliflower, chopped into small florets 300g shallots, halved 100g fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced 2 bulbs of garlic, cloves peeled 100g whole green chillies 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp nigella seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 350ml white wine vinegar In a pan of water, boil the cauliflower florets for 5–6 minutes, then drain and put the florets on a clean tea towel for 1 hour or so until they are completely dry. Meanwhile, add all the other ingredients to a bowl and add the florets when dry. Transfer everything to a sterilised jar with a lid. Allow the pickle to infuse for a few days before eating to develop the flavours, then when you eat them the delectable explosive combinations will erupt in your mouth.

Spicy | Zesty | Citrussy

ROSE HARISSA PICKLE WITH PRESERVED LEMONS I am huge fan of Belazu products and I use their ingredients a lot in my cooking. Recently I did a pop-up and forgot to take pickle, so I had to make this – the quickest pickle I have ever made – using their preserved lemons, and everyone really enjoyed it. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 200g Belazu or other preserved lemons, drained and finely diced 3 tsp rose harissa ½ tsp salt In a bowl, combine the diced preserved lemons with the rose harissa and salt, mix well and put in a sterilised jar with a lid and keep it in the fridge.

Zesty | Sharp | Vinegary

FRESH TURMERIC PICKLE Each region of India has its own pickle, and these preserves play a huge part in Indian dining. They are served as a side because they add more flavours to dishes, to complement them or add contrast, with sourness or sometimes sweet pickles. 20 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 200g fresh turmeric root 2 tsp Panch phoron 20g Kashmiri red chilli flakes 1 tsp asafoetida powder 100ml malt vinegar 4 tsp extra virgin rapeseed oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar Wash the turmeric root, then pat dry with kitchen paper and set aside to dry thoroughly. Once dry, peel the skin off the turmeric and slice the root into very thin strips with a knife, or even better, a mandolin. Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl, adding the turmeric strips. Transfer to a sterilised jar with a lid and store in the fridge.

Spicy | Sharp | Vinegary

PICKLED SHALLOTS Onions in every form or shape feature strongly in Indian food, either cooked into the dish or prepared alongside your food. When you go to a restaurant you will always get onions, green chillies and fresh lemon halves on the side. When I came to the UK I became less keen on eating raw onions, but then my partner made these pickled shallots, and now I am a huge fan. 10 minutes SERVES 3–4 150g shallots, peeled and chopped into discs 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli flakes or powder 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp Panch phoron Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix them well to combine, then put in a sterilised jar with a lid and store in the fridge.

Chutneys I can’t stress enough how important chutneys are as a side dish. For me, or for any Indian, a chutney is something that has been made with seasonal produce and is served fresh from the kitchen, not something that comes out of a jar. In India, chutneys are made every single day and can be eaten warm or cold. The ingredients are ideally always in season to ensure the best taste, and the same level of love and care is given to these accompaniments as is given to the main plates. One recipe that I created after coming to the UK was my Avocado chutney. The soft texture but cooling flavour of the fruit makes it a perfect side dish for many Indian recipes – and this one is definitely best eaten fresh.

Clockwise from top: Hari (green) chutney; Tamarind and date chutney; Avocado chutney; Garlic and chilli chutney; Apple chutney.

Fresh | Fiery | Zingy

GARLIC AND CHILLI CHUTNEY In Rajasthan, this chutney is a staple side dish for so many meals due to garlic being its key ingredient – it complements everything but it goes especially well with the Bajra roti 40 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 15 Kashmiri red dried chillies 15 garlic cloves 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp sunflower oil Juice of ½ lime 50ml water 1 tsp salt Soak the chillies in a bowl of hot water for around 30 minutes until soft, then drain. Tip the drained chillies and all the other ingredients plus 3 tbsp water into a food processor and blend until smooth. Check the consistency it should be like a paste. Transfer to a sterilised jar with a lid and keep in the fridge.

Fresh | Cooling | Smooth

HARI (GREEN) CHUTNEY If you’re a fan of spicy food but the person you’re eating with isn’t (or vice versa!), this chutney is the perfect accompaniment due to it’s fresh and soothing flavours. Try it with the Vada pav – it goes wonderfully. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 50g fresh coriander, chopped 40g mint leaves 2 garlic cloves 4 spring onions, roughly chopped Juice of 1 lemon 2 whole green chillies ½ tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 4 tsp sunflower oil Add all the ingredients to a food processor bowl with 4 tsp water and whizz to a smooth paste and then transfer to a sterilised jar with a lid and keep in the fridge.

Sweet | Sour | Tangy

TAMARIND AND DATE CHUTNEY The most delicious chutney ever, which goes with everything. It’s the not-so-secret ingredient that makes my Samosa chaat so delicious. 15 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 3 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp ground ginger 6 soft dates, stoned and chopped ½ tsp salt 6 tsp palm sugar 100g tamarind paste Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat, then add the cumin and fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the remaining ingredients and 200ml water and mix everything together in the pan. Cook over a low heat for 10–12 minutes until the dates are soft and the tamarind looks really dark and sticky. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, transfer to a sterilised jar with a lid and keep in the fridge.

Smooth | Creamy | Fiery

AVOCADO CHUTNEY The first time I saw an avocado was when I moved to the UK, before that I didn’t know the taste or the texture. When I ate one for the first time I was not sure, but eventually it grew on me. In the beginning, I used to sprinkle lime and black salt on it before eating it, but now I use it to make this chutney, which is very fresh and loved by everyone. You can eat this with anything, but it is especially good with Potato and pea samosas. This chutney will keep in the fridge for up to a day if needed but it’s best eaten fresh. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 1 ripe avocado, peeled and stoned 30g fresh mint leaves 1 green eating apple, core removed 2 whole green chillies 1 small white onion, roughly chopped Juice of 1 lime 4 tsp olive oil 1 tsp salt Add all the ingredients to a food processor bowl and blend to a purée. Keep in the fridge; it is best eaten on the day of making, as otherwise the texture will change and the avocado will brown, but it can keep for 2 days if you don’t mind the colour!

Fresh | Spicy | Sweet

APPLE CHUTNEY This chutney makes the best Christmas present, plus the beauty of this is you can eat it on toast, use it as a side with salad and it goes really well with tofu. I like to use dried Kashmiri red chillies here that I have whizzed in a blender to make a powder. It has medium heat and if you buy the chillies whole, you can also chop them to make chilli flakes. 20 minutes MAKES 2 SMALL JARS 4 tsp sunflower oil ½ tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp nigella seeds ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder Pinch of salt 4 green eating apples, peeled and chopped Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the fennel and nigella seeds and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the chilli powder, salt and chopped apples to the pan and mix all the ingredients well. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat, let the mixture cool, then add to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge.

Fresh | Spicy | Sweet | Sour

MINT AND CORIANDER CHUTNEY Every state and every household makes a variation of this a mint and coriander chutney. In India it’s common to use raw mango but since this isn’t as readily available in the UK, I have substituted this with a green apple – it has the same sweetness and sourness of the mango so works really well. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 50g fresh mint leaves, chopped 50g fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 small green cooking apple, chopped 4 spring onions, chopped 2 small green chillies, seeds in, finely chopped 1 tsp salt 1 tsp caster sugar Juice of 1 lime 2 tsp rapeseed oil Mix all of the ingredients together and blend in a food processor until smooth. Transfer for a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge.

Spices and Pastes Spices are the most important ingredient in Indian cooking; they just make the dishes, and each and every spice has its own magic. Spice blends can be standard, but there are some that more or less every household adds their own twist to. As a top tip, when you buy spices, whether whole or ground, get them in small quantities to keep their aromas and flavours at their best. If making your own spice blends feels like too much effort on your own, bulk buy whole spices and invite some friends around to give you a hand. I’ve hosted my own spice-making parties; they’re a great way to catch up with those you love. With a glass of wine and good company, spice-making becomes so easy and everyone wins because you can each take home a batch of spices at the end!

Clockwise from top: Romy’s spice blend; Onion paste; Panch phoron; Garam masala; Chaat masala.

Spicy | Sweet | Bitter

PANCH PHORON This is my favourite blend – it would be my desert island spice! It’s the spice I grew up with in Bengal and my mum would make pickles with it. For me, it’s a mix of my Punjabi and Bengali heritage and it’s like magic. Its smell is so moreish and brings back lots of childhood memories. 5 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 6 tsp fenugreek seeds 6 tsp cumin seeds 6 tsp nigella seeds 6 tsp black mustard seeds 6 tsp fennel seeds Combine all the seeds and transfer to an airtight container.

Spicy | Rich | Warm

GARAM MASALA This is a blend of dry-roasted whole spices that is used in many dishes. It is fairly hot to taste, but not overpowering. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 15cm piece of cassia bark 3 dried bay leaves 5 black cardamom pods 15 green cardamom pods 4 tsp cumin seeds 4 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp black peppercorns Heat a frying pan over a low heat. Add all of the spices and toast them gently for about 2 minutes until you can smell their aroma, stirring to stop them burning. Remove the pan from the heat and let the spices cool. Once cool, grind the spices to a rough powder in a blender and store in an airtight container.

Spicy | Fiery | Zingy

CHAAT MASALA Chaat masala is a key ingredient to so many Indian dishes and is used in all street food – it’s a must and tastes so much better homemade than shop bought. 10 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 6 tsp cumin seeds 6 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp black peppercorns 2 whole dried chillies 1½ tsp ground ginger 4 tsp mango powder (amchoor) 1 tsp salt 2 tsp black salt ½ tsp asafoetida powder Roast the whole spices and chillies in a non-stick pan over a low heat for a minute or two – once you can smell the aromas of the spices take the pan off the heat and let the spices cool. Tip the toasted spices and all the other spices into a blender and blend everything to fine powder. Transfer to an airtight container to store.

Warm | Earthy | Mild

ROMY’S SPICE BLEND This is my special blend that I use a lot in my cooking, I hope you enjoying making and using it in your recipes too! 5 minutes MAKES 1 SMALL JAR 3 tsp cumin seeds 3 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp nigella seeds 3 tsp Anardana powder 4 tsp white poppy seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp cloves 8 green cardamom pods 4 black cardamom pods Add all the spices to a blender and whizz to a powder. Transfer to an airtight container.

Crispy | Sweet | Crunchy

ANARDANA DRIED POMEGRANATE SEEDS Pomegranates – how I love these amazing jewel-packed fruits! For a time, though, I’m ashamed to say that I couldn’t bear to look at them. That shame dates back to one summer as a child that I still remember vividly. Summer holidays were things of wonder back then: we used to make 24-hour train journeys, and I looked forward to all of the various train stops and enjoying food at the houses of grandparents and cousins. One afternoon on one of these trips, my cousins and I, along with their friends, went to a nearby orchard to pick pomegranates without first asking the permission of the owner. The orchards were wide-open spaces and the guard witnessed us. He duly told the owner who administered our punishment: to clean the orchard for a full week in the most searing summer heat. For years after, I couldn’t so much as look at a pomegranate! But I fell in love with them once more when I moved to the UK. I missed my family and my friends so much, and these ruby-red delights kept them and my homeland in my thoughts all the time, so they found their way into many of my dishes. Dried pomegranate is used a lot in Indian cooking, it adds sweetness and when combined with sour flavours it enhances the taste of dishes. It is also commonly added to chutneys and I love sprinkling the fresh seeds in salads.

How to dry pomegranate seeds 14 hours ½ SMALL POT Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting. Remove the seeds from 1 pomegranate and spread them out them on a baking tray. Place the tray on the centre shelf of the oven and leave to dry out for 8–10 hours or overnight. You will know when the seeds are fully dried as there will be no moisture left in them and they’ll be hard, sticky and darker in colour. Remove the tray from the oven and leave to cool for 2–3 hours before grinding the seeds to a powder in a blender. Transfer to an airtight container to store.

Spicy | Earthy | Smooth

ONION PASTE Onion paste is something you can make in batches and freeze, then defrost when you need it. It is the base of many Indian dishes, and everyone will prepare it according to their region or the way their family did. This is how I always teach people in my cookery classes to make it, and it works really well. 40 minutes MAKES 450G 8 tbsp sunflower oil 50g fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 500g white or red onions, chopped 6 green chillies, seeds in, chopped 3 tbsp tomato purée 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp salt Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped onions and green chillies and cook for about 15 minutes until the onions start to brown. Stir them occasionally to prevent them burning. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, stir well and cook for a further 15 minutes until everything is turning golden. Remove from the heat, let the mixture cool down, then transfer it to a food processor and blend – or you can blend the mixture with a hand-held blender in the pan – until smooth. If needed, add up to 100ml water achieve a paste-like texture. Make sure the paste is completely cool before transferring to small freezerproof containers and freezing it until needed. Otherwise, transfer to a sterilised jar with a lid and keep in the fridge.

CONVERSION CHARTS OVEN TEMPERATURE GUIDE Elec ºC Very cool

110 120 Cool 140 150 Moderate 160 170 Moderately 190 hot 200 Hot 220 230 Very hot 240

Elec ºF

Gas mark

225 250 275 300 325 350 375

Elec ºC (Fan) 90 100 120 130 140 160 170

400 425 450 475

180 200 210 220

6 7 8 9

¼ ½ 1 2 3 4 5

LIQUID MEASUREMENTS (under 1 litre) Metric 25ml 60ml 75ml 100ml 120ml 150ml 180ml 200ml 250ml 300ml 350ml 400ml 450ml 600ml 750ml 900ml

Imperial 1fl oz 2 fl oz 3 fl oz 3½ fl oz 4 fl oz 5 fl oz 6 fl oz 7 fl oz 9 fl oz 10½ fl oz 12½ fl oz 14 fl oz 16 fl oz 1 pint 1¼ pints 1½ pints

Australian/US ¼ cup

½ cup ¾ cup 1 cup 1¼ cups 1½ cups 1¾ cups 2 cups 2½ cups 3 cups 3½ cups

WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS Metric 10g 20g 25g 40g 50g 60g 75g 110g 125g 150g 175g 200g 225g 250g 275g 350g 450g 700g 900g

Imperial ½ oz ¾ oz 1 oz 1½ oz 2 oz 2½ oz 3 oz 4 oz 4½ oz 5 oz 6 oz 7 oz 8 oz 9 oz 10 oz 12 oz 1lb 1½ lb 2lb

LIQUID MEASUREMENTS (over 1 litre) Metric 1 litre 1.2 litres 1.4 litres 1.5 litres 1.7 litres 2 litres

Imperial 1¾ pints 2 pints 2½ pints 2¾ pints 3 pints 3½ pints

Australian/US 1 quart or 4 cups

Acknowledgements The people below have helped me in my beautiful journey. I cannot thank them enough. Jayne Wolstenholme, for giving me the courage to begin to teach cookery and encouraging me to adapt the recipes I had learned while growing up as a young girl in Bengal. Emily Knight, for being such an important part of my writing career; helping me shape my writing, refine my skills and editing my articles so brilliantly. Neil and Mahairi Vernon, for being so generous letting me have my photoshoots in your kitchen! Clare McGinn, Head of BBC Radio production and editor of the Food Programme, for countless opportunities to share my cooking with a wider audience. Shelia Dhillon, who stands by me, always. Allan Jenkins, editor of Observer Food Monthly, for writing me a foreword and being there for me as a pillar of support. Chef Josh Eggleton, for all the opportunities he’s given me. Richard Vines who has believed in me from the very beginning and has guided me throughout. Jamie Oliver, for always caring. Lisa Markwell, for supporting me and standing by me when I needed her. Micheal Connock, for giving opportunities to appear on TV.

me

several

valuable

Holly and David Manna in Devon, for taking a chance on me and letting me teach for the first time at their wonderful cookery school.

Carousel London – cooking at their space has completely changed my life. Special thanks to Ed Templeton. Kirstie Young, for taking beautiful photos of me. Mina Holland, for giving me a Guardian cook residency. Chef Manjit Gill and Kunal Vijaykar, for motivating me and encouraging me not to give up. Barney Haughton, for giving me my first opportunity to do a festival demonstation. The Severn Sisters team – together we have created something truly special. Special thanks to Kim Somauroo. Annette McLaren, for always helping me and my daughters. Victoria Stewart, Maria Elia, Clare Salisbury, Francesca Lockwood-Taylor and Debora Robertson, for being such great friends. John, Meg, Aurelia and David, for being wonderful neighbours. Kate, Ruth, Angella, Simon, Kim, Julia, Emma G, Jan and Mike, my friends from Thornbury who have made me feel so welcome and are there whenever I need them. Paula McIntyre, whom I miss dearly. Reshmi, for remembering and sharing our childhood memories so I could include them in this book. Nick, from Total produce – I wouldn’t be able to cook without you! Amanda Harris, Emily Barrett and Ru Merritt, for believing in this book and helping make it a reality. Del Sneddon and Matt Inwood, for lending their talents to creating this beautiful book. All the staff at Romy’s Kitchen, in particular Jim, for helping me share my food with others. And a special thanks to my wonderful family: Dad; my brother Prithpal and his family, who have been so supportive since our mother passed away; my husband, Gundeep, who

accompanied me on this life-changing journey; Reet and Neev – my amazing daughters – without whom I would be lost; and finally, to my cat Bagheera, for sitting with me while I wrote this book.

Copyright First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Seven Dials an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment London EC4Y 0DZ An Hachette UK Company Text © Romy Gill 2019 Design and layout © Orion 2019 Cover illustration by Ann Zvereva The moral right of Romy Gill to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. Photographer: Del Sneddon Art Director and Design: Helen Ewing Prop stylist: Matt Inwood Food stylist: Romy Gill A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN (Hardback) 978 1 8418 8305 2 ISBN (eBook) 978 1 8418 8306 9 www.orionbooks.co.uk