BBC Good Food 2012-08 India

✓eat in✴eat out✴eat away

TRIPLETESTEDS RECIPE

+ 0 8

AUGUST 2012 ` 100

India

Delicious India! KNOCKOUT

+ 50 can't-fail Indian dishes!

9

CURRIES

o ro sh Mu

from classic to new SHOWSTOPPERS ✴ Vicky Ratnani's chic Indian salads ✴ Manish Mehrotra's Bihari menu MODERN VEGGIE Flavoured rasams SHOW-OFF Meetha gone global EAT OUT Biryanis on trial

EAT AWAY Eat like a Bengali

Mumbai's Friends Union thali

Multiculti Delhi on the plate

m

an da loo ch aat sal ad p 90

MASTERCLASS Trishna's step-by-step butter-garlic crab p 144

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Big Indian love Calling India a food paradise is like saying the sea is wet. Mind-numbing variety in cuisines? We've got it. Spices that changed the course of history? That too. The world's most exciting fruit? Yep. Astounding street food, groundbreaking chefs, swanky restaurants. And curry. Yes, curry.

CURRYLICIOUS! We salute—and salivate over— India’s amazing curries, p 92

I marvel at the sheer hugeness of our incredible world of flavours and spices, at how I'll never be able to know it all. And that's a wonderful thing. This issue is our loving tribute to the nation. Some reasons to tuck in: Curries old and new: It's deliciously ironic. The 'authentic' Indian curry that has rocked the planet from the Balti houses of Birmingham to the karee raisu stalls of Japan would be unrecognisable in its country of origin. So what does curry mean to Indians? Turn to Meher Dasondi's special feature on curries to get a true taste.

curry It’s got the planet in a spice-crazed swoon. Cook — and drool — along with us as we celebrate the sensational Indian curry in all its punchy hues Recipes MEHER DASONDI Photographs PRATEEKSH

SHOP

Salads gone desi: At the height of the monsoon when produce is bountiful, it's fun to kick off some well-worn salad customs and find new roles for beloved Indian ingredients in them. Chef Vicky Ratnani's modern Indian salads feature stars of Indian cooking and tweak them subtly, cleverly, so each dish remains true to a classic salad even while offering fresh tastes and textures. Uber sexy. eat in modern veggie

eat in modern veggie

MEHRA

Props courtesy GOOD EARTH, FAB INDIA, THE

RASAM RUSH Our flavoured rasams are hot stuff. Like seriously. P 64

eat in entertaining

The great Indian

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this flavoured versions that tweak Love rasam? You’ll flip for our ever so deliciously fiery tomato classic from the south Recipes NAREN THIMMAIAH Photographs

‘‘

SUDEEP GURTU

Ask folks from the south of India what their comfort food is and the answer is most likely to be rasam. This tangy-spicy and simple dish is famous for its rejuvenating properties. It’s a soup for some, a meal with rice for many or a palate cleanser before the main course. Little wonder then that rasam is popular all over the country. For this feature I have shared my recipe for basic rasam along with other exciting variants to suit everyone’s palate – green mango, pepper and pineapple rasam.

‘‘

Chef, Naren Thimmaiah, Executive The Gateway Hotel, Bengaluru

13/07/12 9:58 PM Rasam-STAN 13/07/12 9:58 PM 044-047-L3 044-047-L3 Rasam-STAN

Bihar on your plate: Extending the revelry of Anurag Kashyap's headline-making gamcha party for Gangs of Wasseypur at Cannes, we spotlight the relatively lesser-known cuisine of Bihar. Indian Accent chef Manish Mehrotra does the honours with an earthy menu from his beloved native state. (It was my first encounter with litti chokha and I’m totally smitten.)

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Little big biryanis: No five-star restaurant offers biryanis to compare to the ones served in the local eateries of India. You'll spend no more than a couple hundred rupees, the plates will be strictly functional and you'll drink nimbu pani or lassi instead of wine or beer. But the biryanis you'll eat here are cooked by masters and are some of India's most delicious. Turn to p 108.

eat out spy restaurant

There's heaps more. From local Indian grains that bring a nutritional boost to the table to our wonderful homemade achars, from slurp-friendly flavoured rasams to an easy menu from Bengal. The owner of Haji Noor Mohammed Biryaniwale, Haji sahib with his degh PM 13/07/12 9:48

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res spy-STAN

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BIG ON BIRYANI? It’s the little joints that serve up the meanest plates. P 108

To the wonderful people who contributed to this edition, and to you, dear reader, who will cover it with stains from repeated use, we dedicate this sumptuous spread. Please, help yourself.

Sona Bahadur, editor

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green chilli 3 tsp, chopped coriander leaves 6g chaat masala 3 tsp black salt (kala namak) 3 tsp olive oil 15ml THE MARINA DE hung curd 150g mustard oil 30g ginger-garlic paste 30g red chilli paste 15g Kashmiri red chilli powder 3 tsp garam masala powder 3 tsp black salt a pinch fenugreek (kasuri methi) 6g lemon juice to taste cumin powder 6g coriander powder 6g THE RAITA beetroot 180g olive oil hung curd 1/2 cup black salt a pinch chaat masala 2 tsp dill 3 tsp, chopped coriander 3 tsp, chopped ■ Cut the salmon into neat cubes. Whisk all the ingredients together for the marinade . Marinate the salmon for 30-40 minutes. ■ Cook for 3 minutes on the grill or sauté in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes with olive oil. Do not overcook. ■ To prepare the dressing, heat some olive oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once they splutter, add the onions, ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for a minute or so. ■ Deglaze the pan with lime juice. Add coconut milk and simmer for two minutes. ■ Cool and blend the dressing. Season it with salt and pepper. ■ Toss the arugula, the vegetable s and the prawns with the cooled dressing. Garnish with fresh coriander . ■ PER SERVING 247.17 kcals, protein 12.70g, carbs 10.70g, fat 17.63g, sat fat 11.35g, fibre 2.70g, salt 0.3g

Seared salmo mango chaat n and

Serves 6 ■ 25 minutes + marinatin g ■ EASY Tandoori-flavoured salmon chunks with the sweetnes s of silky Alphonso mangoes make for a remarkab le salad. High in Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, it scores on the health front as well. The beet yoghurt is just the proverbia l icing on the cake. salmon 300g red bell pepper 150g, roasted Alphonso mangoes or any other sweet, ripe mango 150g coconut cream (malai) 60g raw mangoes 30g

■ Cut the red bell pepper and the mango into cubes. Tear the malai into strips. Slice the raw mango into paperthin slices using a mandolin slicer. ■ Roast or boil the beetroot until soft. Peel and purée along with the olive oil, hung curd, black salt, chaat masala, dill leaves and coriander. Blend to a smooth, silky purée. ■ Pan sear the salmon for 2 to 3 minutes until pink but not totally cooked. ■ Toss with the fresh coriander , chopped chillies, coconut malai, peppers and diced mango. ■ Spoon the red beet raita over along with sprigs of coriander, dill and a drizzle of black salt, chaat masala and olive oil. ■ PER SERVING 582.50 kcals, protein 26.43g, carbs 27.43g, fat 41.43g, sat fat 15.50g, fibre 5.75g, salt 1.9g

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SALAAM, SALAD! Make way, Mr Caesar. Modern Indian salads are here! P 82

14/07/12 10:54 AM

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Contents 44

90 Mushroom and aloo chaat salad Serves 6 n 40 minutes n EASY This salad can be enjoyed at hot, chilled or room temperatures. The vinegar and chilli add zing. It can even be used as a filling for a sandwich or a wrap. red onion 1/2, sliced yellow bell pepper 1/2, sliced red bell pepper 1/2, sliced garlic cloves 2, peeled and sliced green chilli 1, sliced new potatoes 8, cooked and cut in half button mushrooms 8 caps, stem removed olive oil  1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp chilli powder big pinch

thyme leaves 1/2 tsp parsley 1 tsp, chopped coriander leaves 2 tsp salt to taste pepper to taste n Sweat the sliced onions, bell peppers and sliced garlic in olive oil. Add the green chillies, potatoes and button mushrooms and sauté for a minute. n Deglaze with balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the chilli powder, salt and pepper. n Add the freshly chopped herbs. Serve chilled to allow the flavours to marinate properly. n PER SERVING 204.5 kcals, protein 3.9g, carbs 42.62g, fat 2.55g, sat fat 0.38g, fibre 4.48g, salt none

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122

eat in

eat out

Inspiring, seasonal recipes that work every time

Restaurants on trial, cafés with character and signature recipes

44 7 MEALS FOR ` 700

108 RESTAURANT SPY

52 LUNCHBOX

116 PRO VS PUNTER

54 READY IN 30

120 OFF THE EATEN TRACK

A week’s worth of budget meals Smart lunchbox solutions Quick and easy recipes

64 MODERN VEGGIE

Try our flavoured rasams

72 WEEKEND MENU A line up of Bihari delights

82 WEEKEND

In search of the perfect biryani Delhi’s Yeti on trial

Mumbai’s Friends Union Joshi Club thali

123 SIGNATURE DISH Punjab Grill’s Salmon Tikkas

Salads with a desi twist

92 ENTERTAINING

The united colours of curry

102 SHOW-OFF

Anjum Anand’s Indian desserts

148 SUBSCRIBE to Good Food India

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PRO vs PUNTER

Feel like the average diner doesn’t always agree with professional reviews? Become our punter in the ‘Pro vs Punter’ section and review a restaurant along with a seasoned pro. To apply, write to us at [email protected].

August 2012 28 ON TEST

Mango pickles

29 BARGAIN HUNTER

Wallet-friendly food and drink deals

30 NEED TO KNOW

The punchy world of Indian achars

34 FOOD ISSUES

129 eat away

Foodie holiday ideas and recipes from around the world

126 EAT LIKE A LOCAL: KOLKATA & DARJEELING

Easy yet standout Bengali dishes

132 CITY ON THE PLATE: DELHI

The capital’s multicultural food scene

137 BUDGET AND BLOWOUT

A foodie’s guide to Chennai

140 POSTCARD FROM BENGALURU

Karen Anand eats her way through the Garden City

first bite 10 OVER TO YOU

Reader recipes, comments and letters

21 FIRST BITE

Local Indian grains

24 NEWS, TRENDS AND SHOPPING New products, gadgets we love and more

Good Food investigates Indian fruit

38 NIGHT OUT

Coffee gets a boozy kick

40 BOOKS & COOKS

This month’s delicious new reads

41 WHAT’S ON

August’s must-watch food television

masterclass

97

Shahi mirch bhara paneer

Out & about

JUST A FEW GOOD PLACES TO EAT FEATURED THIS MONTH

143 COOK LIKE A PRO

Kumaon

The handiest microwave rice cooker

Darjeeling Delhi

144 CHEF SKILLS

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Karam Sethi’s step-by-step Garlic, Black Pepper and Butter Crab with Paratha

Lucknow

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n

n n

Bihar

146 DO IT YOURSELF

Four Indian pickles to try at home

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Mumbai

Kolkata

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147 WINE GUIDE

Vikram Doctor’s pick of the best Indian wines

150 TOP PRODUCER

Natural preserves and pickles from Umang

n

Bengaluru

Hyderabad

n n

Chennai

n

Kochi

154 MY LIFE ON A PLATE Actor Shazahn Padamsee on the food she loves

THE BBC GOODFOOD LEGACY

T BBC GoodFood is the UK’s largest selling food magazine with a readership of over 1.1 million. T bbcgoodfood.com is the UK’s most popular recipe site attracting 3.7 million unique users per month. T The hugely successful iPhone & iPad apps have had over 70,000 downloads till date.

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over to you readers write

Over to you For top restaurant, recipe and travel tips, we ask you, our readers, to keep us on the pulse

Write to us! We love hearing from you. E-mail us your feedback, your favourite recipes and your comments at [email protected]. Let’s be in touch!

FOOD NATION Kochi Good Food reader Veena Nair shares her tips on where to eat in her hometown

GOOD FOOD STAR RECIPE Chicken narangi do pyaaza Serves 8 n 40 minutes + 1 hour for marinating n EASY chicken 800g, boneless salt a pinch ginger-garlic paste 100g cinnamon 1-inch piece cloves 4 cardamom 4 ghee 120g onions 300g, sliced baby onions 300g, halved chilli powder 20g turmeric powder 20g tomatoes 200g, finely chopped yoghurt 160g cashew paste 60g oranges 8, 4 juiced and 4 diced garam masala powder 5g aniseed (saunf) powder 10g ginger powder 5g

ginger 20g, julienned lime wedges to garnish mint sprigs to garnish n Dice the chicken and marinate with salt and ginger-garlic paste. Keep aside for an hour. Temper the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in ghee. Add sliced onions and baby onions. n Add chilli powder, turmeric and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and sear well. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the chicken is done, about 25 minutes. n Add in the yoghurt, cashew paste and orange juice. Add garam masala powder, saunf and ginger powder. Serve hot garnished with the ginger juliennes, orange dices and mint sprigs accompanied with lime wedges. n PER SERVING 769.65 kcals, protein 80.60g, carbs 37.01g, fat 31.85g, sat fat 10.15g, fibre 7.55g, salt 0.4g

HOW YOU PIMPED IT I made a fresh plum sauce to add a new dimension to the recipe. I substituted the boneless chicken with chicken drumsticks and ghee with olive oil, then baked the chicken after sautéing the masalas and onions in olive oil. I also cooked the juices from the chicken dish with the cashew and plum sauce before serving. Ruchi Mathur is a food blogger who blogs at ruchisimplyfood.blogspot.com. 10 BBC GoodFood

breakfast starts with characteristic south Indian delicacies like dosas and idlis and proceeds to lesser-known dishes like idiappam and mutta curry (string hoppers and egg roast). The best place for this is the Gokul Oottupura (Tel: +91 484 2203841) chain of restaurants. Affordable, clean and easily accessible, it is the best place for an authentic vegetarian breakfast. T LUNCH Though the traditional ela sadya (a feast served on a plantain leaf) used to consist of 11 to 24 dishes, today, due to lack of time, we tend to prefer fewer choices. But the karimeen pollichathu (spicy fish steamed in plantain leaf), chemmeen ularthu (dry roasted prawns), tharavu varattiyathu (pepper duck) and mutton piralan (lamb in gravy) still hold a special place in our hearts. Try them at Grand Pavilion (Tel: +91 484 2382061) restaurant, at Hotel Grand on M G Road. T DINNER Ever heard of Kethel’s chicken? It’s a unique, patented, tender chicken fry from the Rahmaniya Group of restaurants. They have four outlets across Kerala and have been in the business for more than 60 years. In Kochi, Rahmaniya (kethelschicken.com) is situated on Banerjee Road, Kaloor.

JOIN OUR TASTE TEAM Our Taste Team comprises readers and home cooks who try our recipes and give us feedback on what they liked and what they would do differently. Read p 99 to see Pinky Gaikwad’s twist on the Kaikiri stew. On this page, Ruchi Mathur shares how she adapted the Chicken narangi do pyaaza featured on p 94. Go to p 76 to see what Chandrama Mohanty thought of our Litti chokha with tamataar-khajur chutney. Write to us at [email protected] to join us.

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AUGUST 2012

Photograph JUDY REDDER

T BREAKFAST A typical Kerala

over to you readers write

INSIDERS’ POLL

4.5% Korma

9% Vindaloo

What is your favourite Indian curry?

59.5%

Chettinad-style curry

27% Rogan josh

LETTER READER RECIPE OF THE MONTH Dear editor, OF THE I eagerly await your magazine MONTH Ira Gulati gives us THE SNACKS every month. The recipes are the recipe for her n Peel and cut each cucumber into 2 signature spread of parts vertically. Scoop out the centre of unique, yet easy to prepare and cucumber starters each piece using a knife. Keep aside. most importantly, healthy and nutritious. served with a n Heat the oil in a pan. After 5 minutes, This month, I tried out the different types cucumber mocktail. add the green chilli paste, peas, paneer and curd and mix well. Cook until the of khichdis given in your July 2012 issue Go green cucumber paneer becomes light golden. and everyone at home enjoyed it. Since I surprise n Add the pepper powder, chaat have started subscribing to Good Food, I have Serves 2 n 20 minutes n EASY masala, mint leaves and salt. Mix well and divide into equal stopped buying recipe books! You and your THE SNACKS portions. team have been doing a commendable job in cucumbers 4 n Stuff each cucumber making Good Food a success. Thank you for oil 2 tsp slice with a portion of the green chilli paste 1 tsp prepared mixture. Then helping me better my cooking skills. peas 1/2 cup, boiled cut each slice into 3 equal Debasmita Pani, paneer 3/4 cup portions and garnish with a Mumbai fresh low-fat curd 4 tsp sprig of mint leaves. The winner of the letter of the month for this issue wins a special festive hamper worth ` 5,000 from Foodhall. The hamper is filled with tempting goodies like Kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, penne rigate, basil crackers , chocolate fondue, Lemnos jalapeno cream cheese  and Jamie Oliver’s chilli salt . To write in to the magazine, e-mail us at bbcgoodfood@wwm. co.in and include your address and telephone number. 

Interact with other Good Food readers on Facebook at facebook. com/GoodFoodMagazineIndia or follow us on Twitter at twitter.

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AUGUST 2012

black pepper powder 1 tsp chaat masala 1 tsp mint leaves 1 tsp, chopped THE MOCKTAIL cucumbers 2, finely chopped mango pulp 1/2 cup sugar syrup 2 tsp or to taste lemon juice 2 tbsp jal jeera powder 1 tsp salt to taste ice cubes 2-3 cucumber and mango diced, to garnish

THE MOCKTAIL n Place the cucumber and mango pulp into a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Add the sugar syrup, lemon juice, jal jeera powder and salt. Pour into glasses over ice cubes and serve chilled. Garnish with diced cucumber and mango pieces.

The winner of the Reader Recipe of the Month wins a special gift hamper worth ` 5,500 from Debenhams. The hamper contains a set of storage jars and a stainless steel pan set. To win the hamper, write in with your favourite recipe, attach a photograph of the dish that is at least 1 MB in size, along with a photograph of yourself that is at least 500 KB in size and e-mail it to us at bbcgoodfood@wwm. co.in with the subject line ‘Reader Recipe’. Don’t forget your address and telephone number!

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BBC GoodFood 11

In this issue MANISH MEHROTRA



 VICKY RATNANI

Manish Mehrotra is the award-winning executive chef of Old World Hospitality Pvt Ltd, the company that owns Indian Accent restaurant in Delhi, among others. He graduated from the Institute of Hotel Management in Mumbai, and started his career at Thai Pavilion restaurant at the Taj President in Mumbai. He then set up Oriental Octopus, a pan Asian restaurant in Delhi, and Tamarai, an award-winning pan Asian restaurant in London. In recent years, he has won accolades for his experimental, contemporary take on Indian food at Indian Accent. He also won the televised cooking competition Foodistan in 2012. Mehrotra created a classic Bihari menu of vegetarian delights for Good Food, featured in our Weekend Menu section, p 72.



Vicky Ratnani is a chef, television anchor and culinary consultant based in Mumbai. He graduated from the Institute of Hospitality Management in Mumbai and is currently Corporate Chef, Fine Dining at Dish Hospitality, the company that owns and manages Aurus restaurant in Mumbai. Ratnani came up with his own version of modern salads with a desi twist featured in Weekend on p 82.

 NAREN THIMMAIAH

Naren Thimmaiah is the Executive Chef of Karavalli restaurant at The Gateway Hotel in Bangalore. Thimmaiah began his career with the Taj group of hotels, and over the years, has been instrumental in cementing Karavalli’s reputation as a restaurant that serves authentic regional coastal cuisine. In this issue, Thimmaiah shares his take on the fiery South Indian staple, rasam. Find his flavoured rasams in Modern Veggie on p 64.

SHIRISH SEN

CHRISTINE MANFIELD



Shirish Sen is a Delhi-based freelance photographer who specialises in food, people and product photography. His portfolio includes advertising campaigns, editorial features and packaging for clients such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Ruby Tuesday, Minute Maid and Pepsi, among others. His work has appeared in publications such as Cosmopolitan, Elle and Marie Claire. In this issue, Sen shot the Bihari menu featured in the Weekend Menu section of Eat In, p 72.

Christine Manfield is an Australian chef, author, restaurateur and gastronomic traveller. She set up several restaurants in Sydney, such as Paragon and Paramount, before relocating to London in 2003. In London, she set up the critically acclaimed restaurant East @ West. Currently based in Sydney, Manfield is the author of seven award-winning books based on her recipes and travels. Read Manfield’s account of Kolkata’s culinary legacy, drawn from her sixth book Tasting India, in Eat Like a Local in Eat Away, p 126. 12 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

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Get to know us

Our five easy-to-navigate sections enable you to find exactly what you are looking for. Here’s what you can expect to see in every issue of Good Food India: first bite news, trends, shopping

first bite news, trends, shopping

T First Bite

Attack these attas!

first bite

go with the grain

Jowar (Sorghum)

The sturdiest and most drought resistant of all grains, jowar has long been a staple source of nutrition for the poor. Jowar absorbs flavours easily, which is why it is used by Gujaratis to make bhakris and a porridge-like dish called khichu. As the grain is gluten-free, the flour isn’t as malleable as wheat, which requires one to hand-press the dough into shape as opposed to using a rolling pin.

Discover real flour power with Indian grains and attas Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR

RAJGIRA

RAGI

Photograph DINODIA PHOTOOTO

The flour extracted from the pearl millet grain has a slightly nutty flavour and appears greyish in colour. Mostly consumed during the winter months, bajra is widely eaten in the northern states and Gujarat. Its culinary uses are commonly restricted to chapatis, bhakris, theplas and khichdis. Apart from finding favour with the gluten intolerant, bajra is also beneficial to those with acidityrelated problems. Nutritionally, this grain is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, iron, calcium and protein.

Ragi (Red millet) Popularly known as nachni, this grain is primarily used in the kitchens of southern India. In its raw form, it can easily be mistaken for a variety of red mustard seeds. Apart from diet snack counters being flooded with nachni chips, crackers and papads, it is also traditionally consumed in idli, dosa, upma, adai (thick uttapam), laddoo, chapati and halwa. It is also recommended for patients with calcium deficiencies, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Photograph SUDEEP GURTU

Grain course

Indigenous grains such as jowar, bajra, ragi and rajgira have long been a part of our heritage. Cheap and wholesome, they are gluten-free and rich in fibre and several communities still continue to cook with them. Take for instance, the Maharashtrian thalipeeth (recipe overleaf), which is is a pancake made of a blend of most of these flours. Another example is the jowari/bajri ki roti that’s best paired with zunka (a mix of besan, onion, garlic and spices). While the Gujaratis make theplas with rajgira flour, in Karnataka, boiled ragi flour is made into dumplings and eaten with sambhar (called ragi mudde).

Our opening section is the perfect appetiser for the pages that follow. First Bite brings you the month’s freshest food buzz — new launches, events, great bargains, supermarket sweeps, health tips on food and more. In every issue we spotlight local produce in season in Need To Know. And our Good Food Investigates pieces delve deep into important food issues to bring you insights that really matter to you. P 21

Bajra (Pearl millet)

Rajgira (Amaranth) The flavour du jour of the grain world, amaranth or rajgira is seeing a powerful resurgence. The West has only recently started promoting amaranth as the new power grain, but we in India have long been aware of its benefits — it’s packed with calcium, protein and antioxidants. Western imports incorporate the grain in breakfast cereals and energy bars, but we prefer our good old rajgira laddoos (see recipe on p 80) that are as good for dunking in milk as they are for midday snacking.

JOWAR

Thalipeeth

n Sift all the flours together. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add to the flours. Mix well. n Add the other ingredients except the remaining oil to prepare a soft, yet firm dough. n Rest the dough for 10 minutes. n Make small roundels of the dough and roll each into balls, 3 inches in diameter, by pressing lightly with your palm. Use a little extra flour if required. n Place one thalipeeth on a heated griddle. Apply a little oil on the surface, cover the pan and let it cook on a slow flame. n Gently turn it over when it turns light brown and similarly, cook the other side too. n Serve it with garlic chutney.

Makes 8 n 30 minutes n EASY Recipe MEHER DASONDI rice flour 150g wheat flour 30g pearl millet flour (bajra) 30g sorghum flour (jowar) 30g Bengal gram flour 30g coriander and cumin powder 10g pepper 5g, ground fenugreek seeds 5g clove powder 3g cardamom powder 5g ginger and green chilli paste 20g onions 100g, finely chopped tomatoes 120g, finely chopped fresh yoghurt 120ml chilli powder 10g salt as required oil 120ml

BAJRA

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eat in entertaining

eat in entertaining

The great Indian

curry

The culinary legacy of Indian curry dates back to medieval times when the Mughal aristocracy patronised the khansamas (royal cooks) and bawarchis. From the basic salan to the aromatic kalia, or the rich korma, the cooks strove to innovate and build the gastronomic heritage of curries ranging in textures and flavours. Indian curries vary from region to region in their taste, colour, texture and aroma. Cooking Indian curries often involves a combination of several methods. These include baghar or tempering, bhunao – a combination of stewing and stirfrying, which is starkly different from dum (which involves ‘cooking in its own steam’). Frying to dhuan involves smoking to enhance the flavour whereas bhunana comprises roasting on a tawa, kadai or even in a tandoor. I have categorised the curries according to five basic colours. These include red, where tomatoes

It’s got the planet in a spice-crazed swoon. Cook — and drool — along with us as we celebrate the sensational Indian curry in all its punchy hues

Props courtesy GOOD EARTH, FAB INDIA, THE SHOP

Recipes MEHER DASONDI Photographs PRATEEKSH MEHRA

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form the base; brown, derived from browned onions and masala and white, wherein the colour is obtained from badam or kaju paste or a combination of char magaz or pumpkin seeds, or from the freshness of ground coconut and coconut milk. Yellow curries get their colour from the addition of saffron while green ones are replete with the freshness of vegetables like palak, methi, coriander or mint, either on their own or in combination.

eat out restaurant spy

The largest section of the magazine, Eat In is packed with fabulous recipes with little tips and tricks that are perfect for the home cook. Each recipe is triple-tested by us so you get it right the very first time you make it. We’ve got everything covered — from easy everyday dinners and show-off menus for the weekend to modern veggie dishes and seasonal recipes bursting with the month’s flavours. P 43

- Meher Dasondi, ex-chef and former professor at Sophia Polytechnic’s culinary department in Mumbai

MUST-TRY CURRIES ✴ Chicken narangi do pyaaza ✴ Dhabe ka gosht ✴ Prawn caldeen ✴ Shahi mirch bhara paneer ✴ Safed maas ✴ Kaikiri stew ✴ Aloo paneer nazakat korma ✴ Watermelon curry

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14/07/12 11:05 AM

eat out restaurant spy

on trial

biryanis

We put seven restaurants famed for their biryanis to the test

HOW WE DID IT Hearty, fragrant and usually meaty, biryani is a rich, gourmet dish, redolent of exotic spices and boasting a

great depth of flavour. The restaurants featured in this selection aren’t the epitome of fine dining, but are local favourites that are best known for their biryanis, whether they are of the mild, Awadhi style, the fiery Dindigul style or the aromatic Hyderabadi kacchi-style (where, the meat and rice are cooked together in their raw state as opposed to the pukki style where the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered). Although the menus of these restaurants also include other dishes, they are most famously associated with their biryanis.

Haji Noor TMohammed

with garlic, chillies, pepper and achaari masala. It makes my tongue tingle without numbing it to the other flavours. The greasy dish is served with Dahi Ki Chutney, made with onions, tomatoes and green chillies.

Biryaniwale,

New Delhi

Travelling the distance for a great meal always made a certain ‘gastronomadic’ sense to me. It’s about going where the action is. In the case of Delhi, you go to the Walled City via Turkman Gate, standing here circa 1645. Walking through the gate is like entering another era. The fading glory of carved wooden façades outshines the gaudy bangles on sale in newer shops. Heady floral scents waft out of ittar shops but I’m sniffing out Elaichiwali Gali, home to Haji Noor’s famed biryani eatery. It’s a largish hole in the wall, with no frills at all. The grimy benches can seat 15 at most, and pride of place is reserved for a massive copperbottomed degh from which Haji sahib or his grandson Sikandar ladle out biryani by the plate (eat in) or by the kilo (takeaway).

n ORIGINS

Haji Noor’s style is a variation of the Awadhi tradition. The rice and meat are cooked separately. Then, the meat goes into the degh first while the rice is laden on top. All of it is then cooked again, on dum. The rice and meat are mixed at the time of serving.

n WHAT TO DRINK

Nothing. Unless you carry in some of the delicious sherbet or sattu (a

refreshing drink made with roasted gram and barley) that is sold in the alley outside.

n INSIDER TIP

Haji sahib prepares three deghs of dum biryani each morning. All 210 kilos of it is sold out by 2 pm. They plan to reintroduce the beef korma soon, which was their other speciality until a decade ago. Given the quality of their meat, it should be another crowd puller.

Quality: 8/10 Choice: 5/10 Provenance: 9/10 Atmosphere: 5/10 Value: 9/10 Total: 36/50

— Mudita Chauhan-Mubayi

n DETAILS

Haji Noor Mohammed Biryaniwale, Elaichiwali Gali, Turkman Gate, Asaf Ali Road, Delhi. Timings: 9 am–2 pm. Biryanis ` 30 onwards.

Below: Haji Noor’s succulent mutton biryani

Photographs SAURABH SISODIA

n THE BIRYANI The owner of Haji Noor Mohammed Biryaniwale, Haji sahib with his degh

058-062-L1 res spy-STAN R1.indd 108

T Eat In

Rice and meat glisten on my plate, robustly red with a hint of rose essence (kewra). The meat slides off the bone, melting on my tongue. The rice—slightly overdone that day—is redolent with spices like cardamom, clove and nutmeg and pepped up

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T Eat Out This section stands out for its uniquely-positioned restaurant reviews and features that are authoritative, objective and reliable. A novel approach to restaurant reviews, our Pro vs Punter section enables a Good Food India reader to go undercover and rate a restaurant together with an expert. Plus, we get leading chefs from around the country to simplify their signature recipes to make at home. P 107

13/07/12 9:48 PM

eat away west bengal

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

T Eat Away

Kolkata and Darjeeling Writer Christine Manfield dishes about the city of joy and its stunning culinary legacy

B

engali food is elegant, richly flavoured and textured. Lightness of touch is the key, and great stress is placed on how spices are ground and how much water is used to make them into a paste, with the finesse of the paste being paramount. Panch phoran is Bengali five-spice mix, and its flavours define the Bengali kitchen. Many dishes are characterised by the astute use of mustard seeds (brown and yellow) tempered in mustard oil with dried chilli and curry leaves; white poppy seeds (khus khus) are used in equal measure. Fish plays an integral role in Bengali cooking, to the extent that fish curry is considered inseparable from the Bengali temperament. The city’s coastal position and inland waterways produce abundant supplies, with freshwater fish being more highly sought-after than seawater fish. We are lucky enough to be in Kolkata for the start of the hilsa season. Related to the herring family, these small, silver bony fish are known as ilish in local dialect, and their arrival has everyone excited. During their short season, they appear at every meal: we have hilsa for lunch the first day, check it out at the fish market, have it for lunch again the second day and then twice more for dinner.

In the days of colonial rule, the British initiated the tradition of tiffin – little snacks to nibble on – and it has become an essential component of Indian culinary culture. At the same time, the British memsahibs taught and encouraged their house cooks to make cakes and breads, setting the precedent for sweets and desserts. Kolkata is now synonymous with sweets. Sandesh is perhaps the most renowned local sweet. Its name is the Bengali word for ‘message’ and it is held in special regard. Originally produced in the private kitchens of the wealthy, it is now made by professional confectioners. We also taste mishti doi, the highly revered sweet curd that every Bengali is brought up on. Made from reduced milk, combined with caramelised jaggery (palm sugar) and curd, then set in small earthenware cups or vessels, it’s rich and luscious.

Our seasoned travel journalists and food experts (who are often residents of the featured locations) arm you with insider information and recipes from the world’s most exciting food destinations. Eat Like A Local brings easy, authentic menus from fantastic food destinations while Budget and Blowout shows you how to get your wallet’s worth when travelling. And City On the Plate features the insider’s food guide to an Indian state. P 125

Kewpie’s tomato chutney Serves 8 n 20 minutes n EASY

Text, recipes and photographs adapted from TASTING INDIA by CHRISTINE MANFIELD, Photographs by ANSON SMART. Published by LANTERN, PENGUIN BOOKS.

A delicious fresh relish from Kewpie’s Kitchen, where it is served as an accompaniment to almost everything. Christine Manfield is one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs and cookbook writers. An inveterate traveller, Manfield regularly hosts gastronomic tours to destinations like India, Morocco, Spain and Turkey.

EASY BENGALI MENU TKewpie’s tomato chutney TTatul Ilish Bhaja TAlur dom TBati chorchori TRasagullas

mustard oil 1 tsp panch phoran 2 pinches (recipe below) tomatoes 250g, chopped salt 2 tsp ginger 1 tbsp, julienned chilli powder 1/2 tsp seedless raisins or sultanas 1 tbsp, soaked in water and drained sugar 3 tbsp

A bustling local market in Kolkata Alur dom

Kewpie’s tomato chutney Picking tea in Darjeeling

THE PANCH PHORAN cumin seeds 2 tsp brown mustard seeds 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 tsp nigella seeds 2 tsp n Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai or wok. Add the panch phoran and fry over medium heat until it stops spluttering. n Add the tomato and stir to coat with the spices. Mix in 2 tsp salt, then cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. n Add the ginger, chilli powder and raisins and stir to combine. n Stir in the sugar and 1 cup (250ml) water. n Simmer for 10 minutes until the tomato is cooked and the chutney has thickened. n Season with salt to taste and allow to cool before using.

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13/07/12 10:42 PM

masterclass chef skills

KARAM SETHI’S

Masterclass Karam Sethi, head chef of London’s Trishna restaurant, shows how to pick cooked crab, then creates a sumptuous dinner dish with it Recipe KARAM SETHI Photographs DAVID MUNNS

IVE EXCLUS Y-STEP STEP-BCIPE RE 003-004-L1 Masterclass-STAN R1.indd 144

Garlic, black pepper and butter crab with paratha Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a light lunch n 40 minutes n A LITTLE EFFORT The paratha recipe makes more than you’ll need but you can freeze the leftovers for another time. butter 190g, melted vegetable oil 1 tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp (made by crushing 4 fresh garlic cloves) crab 1 x 750g-1kg, steamed black pepper 1 tbsp chives 3 tbsp, finely chopped THE PARATHAS plain flour 600g egg 1, beaten golden caster sugar 1 tbsp (try Tate & Lyle available at gourmet stores) chives 4 tbsp, chopped butter or ghee 3 tbsp, melted condensed milk 1 tbsp (optional) ghee or oil for frying, 125ml salt to taste n Pick the crab meat from the crab and keep the white and brown meat in separate bowls (see our masterclass on the next page). n To make the paratha, sift the flour in to a bowl, add the egg, salt, sugar, chives and melted butter. Combine 250ml water with the condensed milk and add it in.

n Mix to make a soft dough. Roll the dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. n Divide the dough into 12 small balls. Brush with ghee or oil, cover and leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. n Flatten the dough balls and stretch each one out into a circle as far as it will go. n Fold the edges inward, continuing until you have a round shape of approximately 15 cm in diameter. Press down lightly. Fry the paratha in ghee until crisp on the outside but still very soft inside. n To make the crab, heat the butter and oil in a pan. Once hot, add the garlic paste and cook on a low heat without colouring for 2 minutes. Add the brown crab meat and cook for a further minute, followed by the white crab meat and black pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes and then add the chives and remove from the heat. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed as the brown crab meat acts as seasoning. Serve sprinkled with some more chives and the warm paratha. n PER SERVING (as a starter for 4) 700 kcals, protein 19.6g, carbs 63.4g, fat 42.6g, sat fat 22.8g, fibre 2.8g, salt 1.8g

1

Find the joint where the shell is attached to the body. Use your fingers or a knife to push and crack the body away.

2

There is a natural joint that will give way under pressure and allow you to remove the body.

The feathery dead man’s fingers (gills) are attached to each side of the body. Remove and discard them and any that are left in the shell.

4

5

6

7

8

Use a pick to pull all the meat from the claws. Check through all the white meat for stray shell pieces before you use it.

Twist and pull the claws and legs away from the body.

Styling ARABELLA MCNIE Food styling SONJA EDRIDGE

Karam Sethi was born in London and spent his childhood summers in Delhi. His kitchen experience includes stints at Bukhara in Delhi, Trishna in Mumbai and Zuma in London. He took over as head chef of Trishna in London from early last year.

Tease the white meat from the cavities in the body with a pick or skewer. Keep in a separate bowl to the brown meat.

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Scoop the brown crab meat from the shell and keep in a bowl.

Use a small mallet or back of a heavy knife to crack the claws.

3

Next, cut the body of the crab in half using a heavy knife.

T Masterclass Learn to cook like a pro in our Masterclass section. Pick up cooking lessons directly from culinary masters in India and abroad. Make restaurantperfect dishes and pick up fine dining finishing touches of chefs through illustrated step-by-step recipes in Chef Skills. We also feature nifty kitchen gadgets that sharpen your kitchen skills and our 10-minute wine guide is perfect for wine lovers. P 143

9

13/07/12 11:37 PM

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THE GOOD FOOD INDIA PROMISE We hope you enjoy our lively mix of recipes, restaurant reviews and travel features. We attempt to make them

Why you can cook our recipes with confidence

What our symbols mean

fun to read, but we are also serious about eating well and

All the recipes in Good Food are tested thoroughly, so they’ll work the first time for you at home. Most of our recipes are developed in the Good Food test kitchen by our cookery team or come from food writers and chefs. We aim to make our recipes as practical as possible, keeping ingredient lists to a minimum and avoiding lengthy preparations.

EASY Recipes everyone can make, even beginners. These dishes are usually quick, often on the table within 20 minutes. MODERATELY EASY These require a bit more skill – for example making and rolling out pastry. A LITTLE EFFORT Recipes aimed at experienced cooks who cook for pleasure and like a challenge. CAN BE FROZEN Unless otherwise stated, freeze for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly and heat until piping hot. VEGETARIAN Meat-free dishes. JAIN Suitable for Jain cooking.

and every issue:

How we triple test our recipes

1 2 3

The first time is by the recipe writer, who tests the recipe in a domestic kitchen. Next, a member of the cookery team makes the recipe in the Good Food India kitchen. The recipe is then tested at our photo shoot. Some recipes are tested a fourth time at home by individual members of the Good Food editorial team — we’re all keen cooks and often can’t resist trying out a recipe we particularly love, as soon as we’ve discovered it. Testing our recipes three times or more may seem over-cautious, but mistakes can be costly, so we think it makes sense to ensure you get the right result every time.

doing it sustainably. Here’s what you can expect from this

Over to you  Have a family recipe to share or think you could add to our recipes? Email us at bbcgoodfood@wwm. co.in and let us know. We’re always on the look out for new places and food stories and would love to hear about great places to eat in your hometown.

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Show-off recipes when you fancy a challenge. These recipes require a little effort.

you use standard level measuring spoons, and don’t mix imperial and metric measures. EASY RECIPES Most of Good Food’s recipes are quick and simple to follow and can be made using easily available ingredients. THE ODD CHALLENGE Weekends are perfect for elaborate meals and entertaining. We’ve included a smattering of show-off recipes for those who enjoy a good challenge. GOOD VALUE Look out for our recipes that aim to make the most of your budget — 7 meals for ` 700. We also use full packs, cans and jars where we can, to avoid waste, but if that’s not possible we aim to suggest ways SEASONAL EATING We love using seasonal ingredients in our recipes because they give the food a distinct flavour and add seasonal freshness. HEALTHY EATING We reckon the 80% sensible, 20% indulgent way of eating is best which is why we support our recipes with nutritional info. We’ll also tell you how to give popular recipes a healthy makeover. PROVENANCE MATTERS Where possible, we use humanely reared meats, free-range chickens and eggs, sustainably sourced fish and unrefined sugar. INTERNATIONAL SAVVY Sometimes, recipes call for ingredients that aren’t available locally and can’t be brought to India without notching up air / sea miles. It’s your choice whether or not you use them. CHEAP EATS AND SMART TREATS Hole-in-the-wall eateries and fine dining restaurants — there’s room for

Those recipes marked with this stamp are the simplest and require very little effort. Recipes that can be made under 20 minutes. Perfect for hectic weekdays.

at least three times. For great results, we recommend

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LOOK OUT FOR THESE HIGHLIGHTS REALLY REALLY EASY

TRIPLE-TESTED RECIPES All our recipes are tested

Milagu (pepper)

Serves 8 n 30 minutes

rasam

n EASY

This masala-filled, fiery rasam is certain to rid you of those bad colds. Drinking it plain is a heady experienc e, though not for the faint of heart. tamarind balls 2, lemon-sized oil 2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp curry leaves 12 salt to taste turmeric 1 tsp asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp

Thengai paal milk) rasam (coconut

Serves 8 n 15 minutes

n EASY

How can any South Indian dish be complete without coconut? The simple addition of coconut milk to this rasam brings out a plethora of flavours. ghee 4 tbsp mustard seeds 2 tsp curry leaves 2 sprigs

rasam powder 8 tsp (see recipe on p 68) red chilli powder 4 tsp tomatoes 5, chopped REALLY REALLY coconut milk 8 cups EASY salt to taste coriander leaves 1 cup

044-047-L3 Rasam-STAN

n Heat some ghee in a pan or kadai. Throw in the mustard seeds, wait till they pop and then add the curry leaves. Now mix in the rasam powder and chilli powder. n Stir well and tip in the chopped tomatoes. Sauté for some time until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. n Now add diluted coconut milk and heat it, stirring occasiona lly and making sure it doesn’t split. Add salt to taste. n Add the coriander leaves and let the mixture continue boiling. Remove from fire. Serve the coconut milk rasam with white rice. n PER SERVING 594.63 kcals, protein 5.58g, carbs 16.08g, fat 59.16g, sat fat 51.68g, fibre 5.63g, salt 0.1g

THE RASAM POWDER black pepper 2 tsp

coriander seeds 2 tsp cumin powder 2 tsp red chillies 6 split pigeon peas (toor dal) 2 tsp n Soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Then squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice. n Fry the mustard seeds, cumin powder and curry leaves in oil. n Add the tamarind water, salt, turmeric and asafoetid a and allow to boil. n Grind the rasam ingredients together to make a coarse powder. Add this to the boiling mixture. Serve the rasam hot with steamed rice. n PER SERVING 25.50 kcals, protein 0.65g, carbs 2.73g, fat 1.50g, sat fat 0.07g, fibre 0.81g, salt none

R1.indd 68

13/07/12 9:58 PM

For a list of stores that stock gourmet ingredients, turn to p 153

both in Good Food’s Eat Out pages. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE The Eat Away section arms you with insider info and recipes from the world’s most exciting food destinations written by on-the-ground food journalists. BIG ISSUES Preaching doesn’t come naturally, so we won’t tell you what, or what not to eat. Instead, we keep you up-to-date with issues and debates in the food world in our Good Food Investigates feature. Read about the disappearance of Indian fruit from markets on p 34.

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Shiro, the fine-dining, pan-Asian restaurant with outlets in Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi, is all set to woo gourmets with its brand new menu. The menu will bring together sushi, sashimi, Cantonese dim sum and teppanyaki along with a plethora of Korean, Vietnamese and Thai dishes. This sumptuous spread will be available at all Shiro outlets by mid November. From Spinach Gomae served with a sesame and misoflavoured dip to chunky cubes of fish, stir-fried in hoisin and from Thai chilli sauce to succulent lamb dumplings in a smoky barbeque sauce, you are sure to find something to suit your palate. What’s on our wish list? The delicious Tofu with Spicy Korean Bean Paste, Tenderloin Asparagus with Ginger Lemon Sauce, Tofu Kimchi Chigae (a classic Korean kimchi stew), Spicy Galbi (tenderloin marinated in traditional sweet Korean sauce and barbequed to perfection) and Chicken and Kimchi Casserole with Tofu. The chef though, insists patrons must try the Fish with Chilli Mustard Sauce, Kai Kaprow with Garlic Rice and Hung Shao Green Beans. We say, why choose at all? Bon appetit!

All about BBC Good Food India’s Privilege Programme At BBC Good Food India, we believe no reader of ours should ever have to sit down to anything less than a king’s buffet. Which is why when you subscribe to our magazine, you receive an exclusive Privilege Card that allows you to live out all your food fantasies through a host of special offers. You can swing by over 150 hand-picked fine dining restaurants and enjoy special prices, welcome drinks and complimentary desserts. Or head out on fabulous culinary tours and gastronomic adventures around the globe. You can also stock your larder with exotic ingredients and fine wines or pick up fancy chef’s paraphernalia for the kitchen and bar. To savour this lavish offer, visit goodfoodprivileges.in.

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AUGUST 2012

need to know live masterclass

Habanero Tequila Fired Cottage Cheese

Maximum

Mexican

BBC Good Food India together with Chef Vikas Seth of Sancho’s, added a touch of Mexico to Mumbai with Seth's live masterclass at Foodhall Photographs FAROKH JASSAWALA

O

n an overcast weekday afternoon, a bunch of enthusiastic ladies gathered in Mumbai’s Foodhall for a Mexicanthemed masterclass hosted by the genial chef Vikas Seth of Sancho’s. Chef Seth whipped up a delicious Mexican spread, starting with the basics — creamy guacamole (made with avocado and lime) with roasted tomato salsa accompanied by crisp tortilla chips. There were smiles all around as pretty little bowls of guacamole and salsa were handed round to the participants. Seth then went on to create the Corn, Zucchini and Jalapeno Chimichanga, a popular Tex-Mex dish, heaped with sour cream. But all eyes were on his masterpiece, the Habanero Tequila Fired Cottage Cheese, Mexican Rice and Fresh Lettuce Salad. Camera flashes went off as the chef dribbled tequila all over the cottage cheese and dramatically flambéed the dish. Throughout the class, chef Seth regaled the audience with anecdotes about his life on board a cruise ship. He interspersed the cooking with lots of

culinary tips on several kinds of Mexican ingredients, talking about, among other things, the various types of Mexican chillies available that are used differently in different preparations such as tortas (a sort of sandwich) and molé (the famous traditional Mexican sauce made with cocoa). Plenty of audience participation led to the class going on for well over the allotted two hours. The event finally came to an end with participants enjoying plates of the delicious food that the chef conjured up. The denouement saw all participants taking home little boxes from Sancho’s restaurant, filled with crunchy black and regular tortilla chips.

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first bite news, trends, shopping

first bite

go with the grain Discover real flour power with Indian grains and attas Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR

RAJGIRA

RAGI

Photograph SUDEEP GURTU

Grain course

Indigenous grains such as jowar, bajra, ragi and rajgira have long been a part of our heritage. Cheap and wholesome, they are gluten-free and rich in fibre and several communities still continue to cook with them. Take for instance, the Maharashtrian thalipeeth (recipe overleaf), which is is a pancake made of a blend of most of these flours. Another example is the jowari/bajri ki roti that’s best paired with zunka (a mix of besan, onion, garlic and spices). While the Gujaratis make theplas with rajgira flour, in Karnataka, boiled ragi flour is made into dumplings and eaten with sambhar (called ragi mudde).

JOWAR

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BAJRA

first bite news, trends, shopping

Attack these attas! Jowar (Sorghum)

The sturdiest and most drought resistant of all grains, jowar has long been a staple source of nutrition for the poor. Jowar absorbs flavours easily, which is why it is used by Gujaratis to make bhakris and a porridge-like dish called khichu. As the grain is gluten-free, the flour isn’t as malleable as wheat, which requires one to hand-press the dough into shape as opposed to using a rolling pin.

Bajra (Pearl millet)

Photograph DINODIA PHOTO

The flour extracted from the pearl millet grain has a slightly nutty flavour and appears greyish in colour. Mostly consumed during the winter months, bajra is widely eaten in the northern states and Gujarat. Its culinary uses are commonly restricted to chapatis, bhakris, theplas and khichdis. Apart from finding favour with the gluten intolerant, bajra is also beneficial to those with acidityrelated problems. Nutritionally, this grain is rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, iron, calcium and protein.

Ragi (Red millet) Popularly known as nachni, this grain is primarily used in the kitchens of southern India. In its raw form, it can easily be mistaken for a variety of red mustard seeds. Apart from diet snack counters being flooded with nachni chips, crackers and papads, it is also traditionally consumed in idli, dosa, upma, adai (thick uttapam), laddoo, chapati and halwa. It is also recommended for patients with calcium deficiencies, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Rajgira (Amaranth) The flavour du jour of the grain world, amaranth or rajgira is seeing a powerful resurgence. The West has only recently started promoting amaranth as the new power grain, but we in India have long been aware of its benefits — it’s packed with calcium, protein and antioxidants. Western imports incorporate the grain in breakfast cereals and energy bars, but we prefer our good old rajgira laddoos (see recipe on p 80) that are as good for dunking in milk as they are for midday snacking.

Thalipeeth Makes 8 n 30 minutes n EASY Recipe MEHER DASONDI rice flour 150g wheat flour 30g pearl millet flour (bajra) 30g sorghum flour (jowar) 30g Bengal gram flour 30g coriander and cumin powder 10g pepper 5g, ground fenugreek seeds 5g clove powder 3g cardamom powder 5g ginger and green chilli paste 20g onions 100g, finely chopped tomatoes 120g, finely chopped fresh yoghurt 120ml chilli powder 10g salt as required oil 120ml

n Sift all the flours together. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add to the flours. Mix well. n Add the other ingredients except the remaining oil to prepare a soft, yet firm dough. n Rest the dough for 10 minutes. n Make small roundels of the dough and roll each into balls, 3 inches in diameter, by pressing lightly with your palm. Use a little extra flour if required. n Place one thalipeeth on a heated griddle. Apply a little oil on the surface, cover the pan and let it cook on a slow flame. n Gently turn it over when it turns light brown and similarly, cook the other side too. n Serve it with garlic chutney.

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THE JURY’S OUT

CUPBOARD LOVE HONEY

THE CASE FOR That’s right! I don’t care if I stink up the entire restaurant by ordering the smelliest cheese platter or a steaming plate of blue cheese risotto. I love stinky cheeses. Look beyond the initial waft of body odour and old socks and you’ll find that some of the best cheeses are to be found amidst the stench — Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton and Camembert. I don’t always subscribe to ‘the smellier the better’ school of thought but cheese pheromones have nearly always found favour with me for their pungent, complex flavours. Plus, with everyone turning up their noses (or in this case, away) there’s more for me! - KAINAZ CONTRACTOR

Recipes compiled by CHARLOTTE MORGAN T Honey friands Whisk 6 egg whites to stiff peaks and sift over 75g plain flour, 200g icing sugar and 140g ground almonds. Add 200g melted butter and 2 tbsp runny honey. Fold together. Spoon into 12 buttered cupcake tins. Bake at 200°C for 18-20 minutes, or until they are risen and springy. Warm 4 tbsp runny honey and spoon a little over each friand. T Homemade granola Melt 60g butter with 70ml honey and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix in 200g nuts or seeds and 250g oats. Spread in a roasting tray and bake for 20 minutes at 160°C until golden. When cool, add 150g dried fruit and serve. T Honeyed carrots Peel some carrots and cut in half lengthways. Boil for 3-4 minutes and drain. Put 3 tbsp honey and a knob of butter in a roasting tin and heat in a 190°C oven for 3 minutes. Tip in the carrots, coating completely, and roast for 30 minutes until golden. T Honey and mustard marinade Mix 3 tbsp clear runny honey, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard and 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Use to coat chicken or ribs before cooking. Try Under the Mango Tree’s wild forest honey available for ` 190 in supermarkets.

SUPERMARKET SWEEP Opt for an Asian flavour with this super quick supper.

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Chicken and veggie noodle stir fry Serves 4 n 20 minutes n EASY Start by boiling 1 packet of Ching’s noodles (` 25/200g), following pack instructions. In a wok, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp butter and fry a pack of Godrej Real Good chicken, sliced (` 90/300g), for 5 minutes. Add the entire contents of the Blue Dragon Oyster and Spring Onion Stir Fry sauce (` 65/120g) and sauté the chicken cubes until cooked, 10 more minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and keep aside. Flash-fry a bowl of sliced spinach, pok choy, bell pepper and carrots (` 25/200g). Next, add the noodles and chicken and toss together. Divide between two bowls and serve immediately. 24 BBC GoodFood

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Photograph GARETH MORGANS

Photograph JEAN CAZALS

THE CASE AGAINST On a recent trip to Paris, I visited Pascal Beillevaire, a fromagerie with a dizzying range of French cheeses. Even for a cheese junkie like me, entering the store was overwhelming — it smelled funky, mouldy and vaguely foreboding. That is the problem I have with stinky cheese. If you believe food must smell delicious, you are likely to be put off by the pungent smell of strongly flavoured cheeses such as Roquefort, Stilton or Camembert. Once you have a bite, you are unlikely to forget the taste in a hurry. The smell lingers on and on. If you’re going on a date, give the big, bold, stinky cheeses a wide berth and try the meek and elegant ones instead. - VIDYA BALACHANDER

Photograph PHILIP WEBB, MAJA SMEND

How to use up…

Stinky cheese

TOTAL CO ST

` 205

AUGUST 2012

need to know news, trends, shopping

Presto pastes! Take the tedium out of cooking with these exotic ready pastes Words VIDYA BALACHANDER

AL FEZ SPICY LEMON TAGINE PASTE A slow-cooked stew with tender lamb or chicken and plenty of aromatic herbs and spices, a tagine is a Moroccan classic. Recreate the warm flavours of this hearty dish at home with Al Fez’s Spicy Lemon Tagine Paste. The paste is extremely simple to use: we stir-fried chicken pieces in a little oil and added two medium teaspoons of the paste to it. The paste has a wonderful lemony tang, which is an important part of a traditional tagine. It is not too sour and has the perfect blend of spices, which gives the tagine – or curry – a rich complexity. We tried our tagine with flavoured couscous, but we recommend spooning it over plain, cooked couscous to fully appreciate its flavour. ` 185 for 100g. Available at Godrej Nature’s Basket and Foodhall stores.

BLUE DRAGON SZECHUAN PEPPER SHOT A stir-fry is the perfect after-work dinner. It is fuss-free yet satisfying and easy to rustle up when the chips are down. Blue Dragon’s new range of Stir Fry Shots make the task even easier. Simply sauté any combination of meat and vegetables you like in a little oil, and add a few teaspoons of the paste for flavour. Thanks to the tomatoes present in the paste, it is the sweetness that is more pronounced than the heat from the peppers. If you like your stir-fry to be spicy, we recommend adding a pinch of dried chilli flakes for extra heat. This is also a good paste to use, with an extra dash of soy and chilli sauce, to make restaurant-style chicken chilli. ` 115 for 140g. Available at major grocery stores.

BLUE ELEPHANT MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE If red and green curries are the crowd-pleasing favourites of Thai cuisine, Massaman curry is the grown-up flavour. Traditionally made with meat (usually beef or lamb) and potatoes, Massaman curry gets its rich, deep flavour from the use of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and star anise. Blue Elephant’s Massaman Curry Paste provides the all-important spice mix, but in order to complete the curry, you need to add a lot of other seasoning, such as ginger-garlic paste, fish sauce, sugar, salt and vinegar. The end result is a deeply flavourful brown curry that is sure to be a hit at dinner parties. ` 205 for a 70g packet. Available at major grocery stores. AUGUST 2012

FRESH ON THE SHELF JIVO CANOLA OIL Now that heart-healthy, cholesterol busting, Omega 3-rich oils are all the rage, canola oil has made a rather timely entry into the market. Canola is a member of the Brassicaceae family that also includes cabbage, cauliflower and varieties of mustard. It is extracted from its oil-rich seed, commonly known as rapeseed. Refined canola oil is said to have among the highest content of essential Omega 3-and-6 fatty acids in cooking oils. It is also devoid of transfats and has the lowest amount of saturated fats among cooking oils. But how does it fare in the kitchen? Our taste test revealed that when heated to a high temperature, it has a strong, mustardy odour that may or may not appeal to you. However, the smell is tamed by other fragrant pastes and strong flavours, so you can easily use it in curries or stir-fries. It’s less suited to delicately flavoured dishes or tadkas, unless you don’t mind its distinctive smell. ` 160 for 1l. Available at major grocery stores.

QUAKER OATS KESAR AND KISHMISH FLAVOUR When we first came across Quaker’s Indian-flavoured oat porridge mix, we couldn’t help being sceptical about how it would taste. Kesar and kishmish belong in mithai, not oats, we thought. But the creamy and not-too-sweet porridge allayed our fears. It is easy to prepare – you just need to add the contents of the single serve sachet into a cup of milk and let it cook briefly until it reaches the desirable consistency. The mild flavours (there are real raisins but only the barest hint of saffron) and understated sweetness make this porridge a good candidate for a nutritious, power-packed breakfast. One pack for ` 10. Available at major grocery stores. Also available in other savoury and sweet flavours

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BBC GoodFood 25

need to know news, trends, shopping

Object of desire

How to order coffee

MORTAR AND PESTLE

Words JANINE RATCLIFFE, JESSICA GUNN

Market hopping

A SIDEWAYS LOOK AT FOODIE TRENDS… Apply the wrong coffee culture to the joint you’re in and you’ll suffer at best, barista incomprehension. At worst, burning coffeehouse shame. n In Italian restaurants and cafés, observe the cardinal cappuccino rule – never after 11 am. n In American-style chains, make sure you know the correct ordering sequence – size, shots, milk and drink type, eg: ‘I’ll have a grande, double shot, skinny mocha, please.’ n Resist flavoured syrups and chocolate sprinkles (especially when applied through a motif template). True aficionados seek out proper coffee art to adorn their cup of Joe (see coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide/examples).

Photograph GEOFF WILKINSON

Food processors may be an invaluable tool in the modern kitchen but they can’t quite match the old-worldly yet practical charm of a marble mortar and pestle. Whether it is to pound basil leaves and pine nuts into a grainy pesto or to crush whole spices to make the masala base for a biryani, you can use a mortar and pestle in multiple ways. The marble stone is sturdy and non-corrosive, which makes it ideal to grind spices and make chutneys in. It is also easy to wash and store. What’s best, the smooth marble ensures that the mortar and pestle doesn’t absorb odours and flavours, which is important for both hygiene and taste. This is a valuable investment, especially to cook Indian and Thai cuisines. ` 1,250. Available at Good Earth stores across the country.

COCKTAIL HOUR BOMBAY PIMMS Try this Indian take on a British summer classic, from the Southbank outpost of Dishoom café (dishoom.com). Place a slice each of lemon, lime, orange and 1 whole strawberry in a glass. Clap 5 mint and 5 coriander leaves in your hands to release the flavour and place on top. Add a dash of pomegranate juice, 10ml gin and 25ml Pimms. Top with ginger ale, churn slowly with a spoon and garnish with some fresh pomegranate seeds.

26 BBC GoodFood

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Photograph MYLES NEW

Phoenix Market City in Kurla has recently opened its doors to a brand new tenant — Debenhams, the British department store. You’ll find an excellent range of handy cookware, kitchen gadgets and utensils to help kit your kitchen out perfectly. This, its first store in Mumbai, will also provide exclusive designer products including cookware by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver as well as an exclusively crafted range of chinaware by Denby. (Tel: +91 22 61801491) AUGUST 2012

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need to know pantry basics

ON TEST Mango pickles

Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR Photographs VINIT BHATT Products courtesy FOODHALL

We put five mango achars to the test to pick out the yummiest one

LOVES

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FABINDIA ` 100/200G At first, beneath the chunks of masala-stained raw mangoes, it resembles a dry pickle that has been doing its time in a Punjabi grandmother’s home. With a generous serving of fragrant and whole, pounded spices, there is barely any visible layer of oil. The aniseed gives the pickle a unique freshness and the whole kalonji seeds and mustard seeds give it its homemade pickled flavour. Preserved in organic mustard oil, the mango pieces have a familiar raw crunch and come with the pith. This is the closest you can come to home-style pickle; we just can’t stop at one bite. When not directly eating out of the jar, we love pairing it with flaky mathris.

PRIYA ` 56/300G An old favourite, Priya’s pickle has spiced up our staid lunch of dal-chawal on many occasions. There’s no denying that it is a tad too salty for its own good but its mild fieriness and resemblance to the Tamil mango thokku won us over. The mango pieces are soft but not too mushy and are best eaten with curd rice or dal. We sorely miss a depth of texture to this pickle; the masala makes for a rather smooth paste, apart from the stray mustard seeds. The protective layer of oil isn’t too overpowering and lingers until the last piece of mango has been devoured.

Best of the rest SOUL, GORKERI ` 80/ 465G Soul’s Gujarati chutney has a lot of flavours packed in one bottle – sweet, sour and spicy. Much like the homemade version, Soul’s gorkeri has the bite of chopped mango (though it was chopped a bit too fine for our liking) and fenugreek coming through. We couldn’t wait to smear it over some theplas and khakras!

28 BBC GoodFood

KHAZANA ` 60/300G The aroma of this pickle strikes us as odd and unfamiliar. We soon find the cause – corn oil – which is also responsible for the odd taste. This was sadly one of the most disappointing pickles that we tasted. The pickle, though advertised as hot, is more sour than spicy. It is grainy and does not go down too well with us – the oil sticks to our tongue and it is tough to swallow. It tastes the most processed of the lot and nothing like you’d associate with a spicy mango pickle.

PRIYA, GONGURA ` 56/ 300G We can’t think of a more delicious use for green sorrel leaves than pickling them. Much like the Andhra ginger pickle, this Telugu staple too has sour notes followed by the more dominant taste of spice. The texture of the roughly pound spices can be detected and there is a bit of a bite that comes through with the fenugreek and mustard seeds.

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MOTHER’S RECIPE ` 54/300G A whiff of asafoetida (hing) and raw mango hits you as soon as you open the bottle. Although packed with chilli and mustard seeds, the taste of the vegetable oil is more prominent. The addition of brine makes the mango pulpier than it should be. It also has plenty of acidity-inducing raw masala, which is not the best of traits in a pickle. The spice, however, lingers on and we found it to be adequately salted in spite of the addition of brine. Best eaten with stuffed parathas.

BEDEKAR ` 40/250G True to the Maharashtrian style of pickling, Bedekar’s achar is not too spicy and has dominant tones of mustard and methi. The mango pieces are cut small and are soft but not too squishy, just like a homemade one that has been aged for a year. This pickle goes down the smoothest, with no residual aftertaste or oil deposits. It is a tad sour but that’s nothing a homemade thalipeeth can’t remedy.

MOTHER’S RECIPE, ANDHRA GINGER ` 56/ 300G This pickle evokes quite a feeling of nostalgia. We love it for taking us right back to our first Andhra meal, during which it made repeated appearances on our plate. The pickle stays true to its roots with a piquant flavour and a kick of pickled ginger, but it is not very fiery. The initial sourness of tamarind is replaced by the rather mild hit of the Andhra spices.

AUGUST 2012

BARGAINHUNTER

need to know news, trends, shopping All prices PER HEAD excluding taxes

Good Food tracks down this month’s best value foodie events, meals and deals

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` 105-A-HEAD DINNER PARTY FOR FOUR!

T Mushroom and aloo chaat salad (p 90) ` 147 T Kaikiri stew (p 99) ` 133

T Velvety mango mousse (p 106) ` 141 Total ` 421 (` 105 per head)

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` 500 UNLIMITED SANGRIA PITCHER MUMBAI

Vying for sangria supremacy among Mumbai’s many bars is the sangria pitcher at The Tasting Room. Muddled to perfection, the fruit is fresh and the wine, generous and unadulterated. So when a rare offer like this one comes along, it’s best to keep your day free, take a couple of your besties and drink like there’s no tomorrow. The happy hours last throughout the day from noon to 11:30 pm. We recommend reserving a table for a couple of hours and then considerately calling it a day to make way for the next lot of inebriated souls.

AUGUST 2012

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Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR

` 242 BREKKIE BUFFET

BENGALURU

Tired of Sunday brunches burning a hole in your wallet? We sure are, which is why we’ve decided to give early rising a chance, in exchange for sunny side up eggs, bangers and mash, waffles, pancakes and juice. Bengaluru’s Boca Grande is offering all this and more in their king-sized Sunday Breakfast that comes inclusive of taxes. Other breakfast staples include freshly baked bread, chilli cheese toast, seasonal fruit and cold cut platters. The highlight is the omelette station where you can customise your omelette with a variety of fillings such as cheese, ham, chicken, mushroom and bell peppers.

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` 299 UNLIMITED DIM SUM

GURGAON

As fun as it is to say Yum Cha, we’ve found that an afternoon spent indulging in the Chinese afternoon tea drinking tradition with dim sum is far more enjoyable. Those with a weakness for these delicate dumplings now have reason to cheer. The Oriental Pavilion in Gurgaon offers limitless dim sum to pair with its selection of Chinese teas, for just ` 299 (plus taxes). Choose from bamboo baskets filled with Pok choy and Mushroom Dumplings, Pot Fried Chicken Wontons, Pork and Mushroom Bao, Spinach and Sweet Corn Crystal Dumplings and Prawn and Basil Sui Mai.

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BBC GoodFood 29

need to know

achars

Piquantly delicious pickles are used all across India to spice up everyday meals. Good Food gets a taste of an age-old ritual that is as much an art as a science

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Words VIDYA BALACHANDER

o Indians, nothing says ‘home’ as simply and reassuringly as pickle. Whichever part of the country you might hail from, pickle is likely to have been part of your earliest food memories – as an incentive to make the staid combination of dal and rice seem more appetising; as a counterpoint to the cool comfort of curd rice or as a tasty accompaniment capable of weathering long train journeys. Pickling techniques and the finished product might vary vastly from region to region – Gujarat’s sweet chhunda mango pickle has so little in common with a hot avakkaya pickle from Andhra Pradesh that it’s hard to believe that they are made of the same fruit – but at the most elemental level, it’s clear that no matter what gulfs might separate the culinary customs of the country, pickle acts as a bridge between them. No Indian meal is complete without a smidgen of pickle. Although readymade pickles have made easy work of the painstaking process of pickle-making, in many households, it is an annual ritual that is still treated with the ceremony it rightly deserves.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING Photograph PRATEEKSH MEHRA

It’s difficult to trace the exact origins of Indian pickle, but it is connected to the ancient art of preserving food by curing it with salt or sugar. Long before refrigeration and canning made it possible to preserve foods

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spotlight Indian pickles According to food historian KT Achaya’s A Historical Definition of Indian Food, it is clear that the repertoire of Indian pickles became highly evolved several centuries ago. “A Kannada work of AD 1594, the Lingapurna of Gurulinga Desika, describes no less than fifty kinds of pickles,” states Achaya. The most commonly pickled foods included not just wild mangoes, limes, lemons, brinjals and chillies but also pork, prawns and fish.

HOW DOES PICKLING WORK?

When you watch tart, whole limes treated with little more than salt and spices, transform into mature lemon pickle after a few weeks in the sun, it may seem magical. The scientific processes that increase the shelf life of salt-treated foods also simultaneously add depth and new dimensions to their flavour. The natural process to thank for the flavour of most Indian pickles is anaerobic fermentation. When vegetables or fruits are dried, cured with salt in airtight jars and left out in the sun, halophyllic or salt-tolerant bacteria naturally present on their surface digest the sucrose in the fruit or vegetable matter to produce by-products such as carbon dioxide, acetic acid and

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Photographs DINODIA PHOTO

for long periods of time, ancient civilisations had discovered that the secret to increasing the longevity of perishable foods was to dry them in the sun and cure them with salt or immerse them in brine. In fact, according to Western history, the tradition of pickling can be traced back right to the dawn of civilisation. Cucumbers, which are native to India and are believed to have grown wild in the foothills of the Himalayas, were carried westward to Mesopotamia, where they were preserved in brine. In the 1st Century BC, Roman emperor Tiberius is said to have been a tremendous cucumber aficionado, having them at his table every day. To ensure their availability all year round, cucumbers were grown in green houses and mentions of spiced and pickled cucumbers can be found in Roman historian Pliny’s writings. This is probably why pickles have come to be associated almost exclusively with pickled cucumbers (or gherkins) in the Western world. The tradition of pickling may have also developed as a solution to the problems of food scarcity and seasonality of produce. Perhaps that is why nearly every culture in the world has a tradition of preserves and pickles – Germany has sauerkraut or sour pickled cabbage, South Korea has kimchi made of cabbage, radish and other vegetables, Morocco makes preserved lemons and the Nordic countries have a long-standing tradition of pickled herring, considered a delicacy in Europe.

lactic acid. Lactic acid is what gives yoghurt its characteristic sourness and imparts a tangy flavour to them. The acid that is produced acts as a natural preservative and prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria that could cause the pickle to go rancid. Direct sunlight or adequate ambient light provides the warmth that is required for the bacteria to go about the business of fermentation. It takes anywhere between 15 days to a month for this process.

Certain precautions need to be taken for a pickle to mature and stay fresh for several years. Most importantly, moisture is anathema to pickles. Even the slightest amount of moisture at the time of bottling and even after the pickle is mature, can invite mould to form on its surface. This is why all vegetables and fruits are thoroughly dried before they are cured with salt. It’s also why most Indian pickles are traditionally made in the dry months of summer, when humidity is low and adequate sunlight is available. Using sterile, non-reactive jars and dry ladles, good quality fruits, vegetables and other ingredients and precise proportions of sugar, salt and oil is also important for a pickle to taste right and last long. Oil is added to several Indian pickles to increase longevity — it plays the role of the preservative. Oils that stay stable over long periods of time, such as mustard and sesame oil, are preferred. The herbs and spices that are added to Indian pickles don’t just enhance the taste of the pickle. Many of them have anti-microbial properties that aid in digestion. “Cumin and green cardamom are cooling, clove and cinnamon are warming, ginger is good for colds, while raw garlic is good for circulatory ailments,” explains Usha Prabhakaran, author of Usha’s Pickle 32 BBC GoodFood

Click a pickle! If you’re craving the flavour of homemade achaar, help is just a mouse click away. Goosebumps is a website that allows you to purchase readymade, home-style pickles online, such as gor keri, a sweet pickle made with mangoes and jaggery. You can also custom make your own blend. Pinank Shah, the director of the site, says all the pickles are made by his mother-in-law, who has perfected the art over the last 11 years. Shah is also experimenting with ‘new-age’ pickles such as olive pickles and fruit pickles. Visit goosebumpspickles.com for details.

Digest, a compendium of over 1,000 pickle recipes from across India. In general, pickles should have a pH factor of less than 4.6, which indicates medium to high acidity, sufficient to kill most kinds of bacteria. While pickles made of naturally acidic fruits such as mango and lime don’t require the addition of a souring agent such as vinegar or curd, alkaline vegetables, meat and fish do require a certain level of acidity, which is usually ensured by adding amchur (dried mango powder), vinegar or lime juice.

TYPES OF PICKLES

Given the wide variety of pickles available in India, it’s impossible to fit them into neat categories. One way of organising them could be on the basis of souring agents. Regional cooking in India is influenced by the souring agents that are commonly available in those regions – for

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VINTAGE VALUE

Although most pickles can be kept for years if they are stored in the right conditions, there are some that just keep getting better with age. The best known of these is the aged Punjabi pickle made of whole limes, popularly called kala nimbu ka achaar or kala kagzi nimbu. This pickle requires no oil, simply ample sunshine. Over several months, the spices such as ajwain and black pepper that preserve the limes, give it a distinctive black colour. The tough outer rinds soften and become wispy due to the natural acidity of the limes, giving them a paper-like appearance. This pickle, which is believed to have digestive properties, AUGUST 2012

Photographs DINODIA PHOTO

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

instance, amchur is popular in north Indian cuisine, vinegar is preferred in Goa and tamarind dominates in the south. Many of these agents are also used in pickling and contribute to the subtle variations in regional styles. Take cooked south Indian pickles like the sweet-sour puli inji, for instance. The pickle made of fresh ginger gets its pucker from the use of tamarind extract (puli is Tamil for tamarind), which also contributes to its deep brown colour. Similarly, the sweet-sour Bengali favourite tetuler achar is made by cooking tamarind extract with jaggery, mustard and other spices until it reaches a thick, viscous consistency. Although not as common, curd or buttermilk is also used as a souring agent in certain south Indian pickles. Sarsaparilla, a creeper with medicinal properties, which is called mahani in Tamil Nadu, is sometimes preserved in buttermilk. In contrast, Parsi pickles such as buffena, made out of a whole, ripe mango, and the rare and seasonal garabh nu achar, made with bhing fish roe, are distinguished by the use of sugarcane vinegar brewed in Navsari in Gujarat. Similarly, fiery Goan prawn balchao gets its characteristic acidity from distilled white vinegar.

spotlight Indian pickles can last for several years without spoiling. The North East also has its own tradition of aged chutneys and relishes. In Naga cuisine, cooked soya bean (called akhuni) and fish are allowed to ferment for months in pots strung outside the house. After they are sufficiently aged, the akhuni or fish is smoked, or mixed with salt and chillies to make pungent chutneys, that take the place of pickle in meals.

vary very much. But meats such as mutton and beef are usually cooked before they are cured with spices and pickled using an acidic, souring agent such as vinegar.

THE PROBLEM OF PLENTY

We have a rich history of pickling in India, thanks to a wide variety of regional ingredients and the timehonoured tradition of making pickles

Given the huge variety of pickles available in India, it’s impossible to fit them into neat categories. One way of organising them could be on the basis of souring agents A MEATY MATTER

Given the staggering variety of vegetable and fruit pickles that are available in India, it would be easy to believe that pickling is the preserve of vegetarians. However, non-vegetarian pickle made of chicken, mutton, beef, fish and other seafood has always been popular among certain communities. For instance, East Indians and Parsis have a tradition of pickling dried Bombay duck and prawns, often using cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar. The Syrian Christians of Kerala pickle beef, while the Coorgi Hindus of Karnataka have a long history of pickling wild boar and pork using brine and spices. In addition to the popular fermented bamboo pickle (called mesu), the North East also has a tradition of pickled meats, especially pork. The process of pickling meat does not

from scratch at home. However, the easy availability of commercial pickles means some of the more exotic flavours are in danger of being forgotten. “Once common varieties of pickle such as raw jackfruit pickle and gongura (a kind of sour spinach from Andhra Pradesh) pickle are seldom encountered these days,” says author, professor and food expert Pushpesh Pant. Traditional pickles such as vadu mangai, made of baby mangoes in brine, or kair sangri pickle, made of the dried beans and desert berries found in Rajasthan, are disappearing. With so much of our culinary history at stake, it’s worth forsaking store-bought convenience for the painstaking, yet ultimately rewarding experience of making your own pickles. After all, what you will be preserving is the taste of home.

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Good Food investigates When there is such an abundance of Indian fruit grown in India, why are we increasingly turning to marked up, foreign-grown produce? Good Food finds out

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f you reflect on your childhood memories, you are likely to remember eating a plethora of Indian-grown fruit: plump and sweet oranges from Nagpur, black grapes with tart skins grown in Bangalore and if you were lucky, firm, crisp and sweet apples from Himachal Pradesh. Cut to the present day — the kinds of fruits you will encounter in most vegetable markets, 34 BBC GoodFood

Photograph PRATIMA REDDY

Words VIDYA BALACHANDER

especially in large cities, are likely to be very different. The shiny Red Delicious apples are likely to have travelled all the way from the United States, the oranges from Florida, and temperate fruits such as cherries and plums from Thailand, Australia or South Africa. Why is foreign fruit crowding out our indigenous produce and what does that say about the quality of Indian fruit?

BOUNTIFUL PRODUCE If you go purely by what you see, you may be led to believe that Indian fruit production is on the decline. But one look at the statistics and it’s immediately apparent that that is far from the truth. In fact, over the years, India’s production of fruits has steadily been on the rise. According to the Indian Horticultural Database compiled by the National

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AUGUST 2012

THE PROBLEM OF WASTAGE The reason for this shortfall – and one of the biggest problems facing India’s fruit trade – is significant wastage. “On an average, about 20 per cent of fruit is getting wasted at the harvesting stage, during transportation and during sale in the market,” says Dr K Narayana Gowda, vice-chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore. Fruits are perishable and need careful handling after being harvested, in order to survive their long journeys to markets. But the absence of efficient AUGUST 2012

infrastructure means a lot of the harvest is lost in the process. Besides, fruit production in India is still largely the preserve of small and marginal farmers, and organised retail chains that pay farmers directly for their produce are still a novel idea. “Even today, the transactions that happen between the producer and the consumer are in the unorganised sector,” explains Gowda. “Thanks to middle men, the farmer is denied his rightful due in these transactions.”

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to be stored in ideal, temperaturecontrolled conditions. But according to a study conducted in 2010 by the Central Institute for Post Harvest Engineering and Technology in Ludhiana, around 18 per cent of the fruit and vegetable production in the country, worth ` 44,000 crore, is going to waste due to the absence of cold storage infrastructure. In contrast, fruit importers have a much more organised network of cold storage facilities that allows

In simple terms, India is one of the largest producers of fruit in the world. Around 40 per cent of the world’s mangoes and 30 per cent of bananas and papayas are produced here Without the requisite money muscle or technical know how, small farmers are unable to package their produce as attractively or market them in the same way that larger farmers or retail chains with higher yields and more support systems are able to.

STORAGE WOES Besides, one of the biggest problems facing the fruit trade in India is the lack of cold storage facilities. In order for fragile fruits such as grapes and apples to stay in good condition until they reach the consumer, they need

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Horticulture Board under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and published in 2009, the total production of fruits in the country in 2009-10 was 715.16 lakh tonnes, nearly 2.5 times the production in 1991-92. By 2012, the total annual production of fruits had further risen to 775.25 lakh tonnes. In simple terms, India is one of the largest producers of fruit in the world. Around 40 per cent of the world’s mangoes and 30 per cent of bananas and papayas are produced here. We cultivate a staggering variety of fruits, including bananas, mangoes, papayas, custard apples (or sapota), guavas, grapes, pineapples, litchis and pomegranates. We cultivate more than 60 varieties of bananas, including the tiny, intensely sweet Elaichi variety, the plump yellow variety called the Rasthali, and the Kerala Nendran plaintains that are used to make chips in Kerala, among others. According to the Indian Horticultural Database, a large variety of apples, including Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, McIntosh and Granny Smith are grown in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. However, India’s consumption of fruits is far below global levels. Also, India’s exports of fruits and other agricultural products accounts for only roughly 2 per cent of the total global trade.

Photograph MARINA PISSAROVA/123RF

need to know food issues

them to store seasonal fruits in good condition and ensure their availability all through the year. This is how your supermarket is able to stock imported apples, oranges and purple grapes all year round. This easy availability affects the demand for seasonal delicacies such as apples from Jammu & Kashmir or Himachal Pradesh, which are only available for about five months of the year, from early winter to spring. The casualties of this high stakes business are those fruits that have been traditionally valued in the BBC GoodFood 35

need to know food issues country but are now being edged out by more ‘glamorous’, profitable and perennially available fruits such as apples and oranges. For instance, fruits such as jackfruit and jamun are rarely available outside of street markets, mostly sold by handcartpushing vendors. Even in states where they are traditionally grown, these fruits have been relegated to a second-class status.

LOCAL RESURGENCE The falling demand for jackfruit among consumers is what prompted Santhigram, a community-based voluntary organisation in Kerala, to organise the first National Jackfruit

Festival in Trivandrum in June 2011. The festival featured a number of dishes made from jackfruit, including jackfruit payasam, pickle and ice cream, and products such as jackfruit flakes and unripe jackfruit flour. It drew a crowd of nearly 25,000 exhibitors and consumers. “Jackfruit is a highly versatile fruit. Each jackfruit can be utilised in five or six different ways, starting from when it is tender to the unripe fruit to the sweet, mature fruit. Even the seeds are edible,” says Shree Padre, award-winning farmer and journalist who is also closely associated with what he calls “the resurgence of interest in jackfruit in Kerala and

Karnataka”. In these two states, nearly 30 to 40 local jackfruit festivals have been conducted over the last couple of years. Individual farmers and cooperatives are being trained on how best to add value to the fruits with products such as ready-to-eat tender jackfruit, which made its debut at the National Jackfruit Festival. “A silent, grassroots movement to promote the jackfruit is taking shape in south India,” says Padre. Until we acquire the infrastructure to better handle, store and market indigenous produce, similar movements based on taking pride in homegrown fruits, are required to preserve their diversity in our country.

GOING BANANAS

Photograph © SEUX PAULE/HEMIS/CORBIS

In a country with such astonishing variety in bananas, it may seem absurd to fear that we may one day run out of them. But if global cultivation trends are anything to go by, there’s reason to worry for us as well. Around the world, banana farmers are growing only the popular Cavendish variety, ignoring other varieties. Cavendish bananas are long, yellow and look blemish free, although they are indistinct in taste. In the words of American natural history writer Dan Koeppel, who has written a book on the fruit called Banana: The Fate of a Fruit That Changed The World, “Cavendish is the fruit equivalent of a fast-food hamburger: efficient to produce, uniform in quality and universally affordable.” But as Koeppel reports in his book, the Cavendish variety is being threatened by a virulent disease that is sweeping across the world. Since all bananas come from the same gene pool, none of the plants have resistance to the soil-borne fungus that causes the disease. Hence, it is entirely possible for the world’s crop of Cavendish bananas to be completely wiped out by the disease. This is the most urgent reminder that we need to conserve fruit diversity in India.

36 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

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Fine dining- a click away! S hopping these days has become as easy as the click of a button. Clothes, accessories, mobile phones -name it and it’s available online. With such a plethora, could buying fine dining ingredients online be left far behind? Suku Shah set up Olive Tree Trading in 2001 to import, distribute and market quality products in the food and beverage industry, with an emphasis on promoting products that could enhance healthier lifestyles. Years down the line, the company has now set up its online store, which makes shopping even simpler. Customers can now easily buy

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breakfast cereals, Silk soymilk, biscotti and even customized orders for Japanese products - the range is exhaustive. The products are of the finest quality and imported directly from the producers factories. They are then stored at Olive Tree Trading’s warehouse outside Pune, ready to be delivered to over six hundred cities in India. With a minimum order value of Rs 1500, there is no cash against delivery. With Olive Tree Trading making shopping so easy and reliable, your search for international products has come to an end! Log on to olivetreetrading.com for more.

Glassware for gourmets B

orosil’s unique Gourmet range is for those who believe cooking is an art. After years of research, the company has launched its versatile range of Gourmet products, a twist on its microwaveable range. All Gourmet products are specially hand blown, a process which makes the glass thinner and more transparent, and looks extremely elegant. The Gourmet range is 100 per cent flame proof – all Gourmet products can be heated on a flame or hot plate, and can also be taken out from the freezer and put directly on the flame without fear of the

glass cracking. For all you foodies, here’s a tip. Use the Gourmet Cook & Serve to make biryani — the layers of biryani will be visible through the crystal clear glass and will add visual delight to your already delicious cooking (log onto youtube.com/ user/BorosilAndYou for video recipes) Follow it up with individual servings of dessert in the Baby Gourmet — alternate layers of crumbled brownie with ice-cream to make a quick, delicious (and impressive) dessert! Borosil offers lots of options within the Gourmet range — the

Gourmet bowl set, the Gourmet Pot and a set of Gourmet Cook and

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Store containers. Being a Gourmet Chef has never been easier!

drink up night out

COFFEE KICK

These booze-laced, coffee-fuelled cocktails are decadently delish

VKBC² Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY Put 30ml vodka, 15ml Kahlua, 15ml Bailey’s, 15ml espresso and a dash of cream along with a few cubes of ice in a shaker and shake well. Sprinkle a bit of coffee powder and serve chilled in a martini glass.

Coffee martini Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY Put 45ml vodka, 15ml Kahlua and 15ml espresso along with a few cubes of ice in a shaker and shake well. Garnish with coffee beans and serve chilled in a martini glass.

Coffee hazelnut Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY In a warm wine glass, mix 300ml hot, brewed coffee, 30ml chocolate liqueur and 30ml hazelnut liqueur. Top with a sprinkling of cocoa powder.

Spanish coffee Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY Add 22.5ml brandy and 7.5ml coffee liqueur to a snifter and top off with coffee. Stir and add some whipped cream to top. Recipes HEMANT MANDHARE, BARTENDER, RED ZEN AT COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT, MUMBAI

Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY Recipe MARY CADOGAN Make up a small jug drinking chocolate of really good quality. Make 50ml strong espresso. Add the espresso to a glass, adding sugar to taste. Add an equal amount of chocolate and a slug of whisky. Whisk some single cream until frothy, pour over the mocha so that it sits on the top. Drink and enjoy.

38 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling ANTONIA GAUNT Food styling JENNY WHITE

Bicerin

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need to know books

books & cooks Check out our top reads this month Words MEHER MIRZA

Recipe adapted from THE ICECREAMISTS by Matt O’Connor.

Mummy ka Magic: Never-Fail Kiddie Treats This book is based on the show of the same name hosted by chirpy former model Amrita Raichand. There’s a smattering of unexciting recipes such as Farfalle in Tomato Sauce, Fried Idlis, Vegetable Lasagne and Curd Rice. We were intrigued, however, by the mention of Puppy Dog Cookies - was a hapless puppy swept off the street and baked into a tasty teatime treat? (Hope not). We were also puzzled by why we were asked to use a fish mould to bake a chicken pie. Quibbles aside, the book is quite a resource for time-starved moms. We found the Crispy Chicken delicious (although decidedly unadventurous) and the Wholewheat Banana Yoghurt Pancakes particularly wholesome and satisfying. Available from Popular Prakashan for ` 250

100 Best Fresh Soups Parragon Books’s 100 Best Fresh Soups is perfect for those intemperate monsoon evenings. The soups are divided into Classic, Hearty, Spicy, Light and Refreshing and Luxury sections. This one is a straightforward cookbook: no celebrity chef angle, no chitchat, just recipes of soups with lots of lovely photographs. We cooked our way through the ‘Refreshing’ Genoese Fish Soup, which was rather filling with its wine, prawns and fish. Then onto the Mushroom and Sherry Soup, with two of my favourite things; mushroom and sherry! Finally, I tried the ‘Spicy’ Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu, which was not spicy but had delicately balanced flavours. But before you grab a copy, be warned – there seem to be more non-veg recipes than veggie ones here. Available from Parragon Books for ` 395

The Icecreamists- Matt O’Connor Everything about The Icecreamists screams cool — cheeky ice cream names (Lady Marmalade, Priscilla Cream of the Dessert and The Vanilla Monologues), punk fonts and design, the opening section with its Ten Commandments of Cool (Thou shalt never refreeze), the saucy anecdotes…you get the drift. Based on the edgy London ice cream store of the same name, this one’s definitely not for kids. There’s a recipe for Baby Googoo, the infamous breast milk ice cream actually served in the shop and Sex Bomb Cocktail, filled with a potent mix of libido-inducing ginkgo biloba, arginine and guarana, flambéed with absinthe. We recommend you try the slightly less lethal The Savoy Chill. Available from Octopus Books, Hachette Publishing for ` 1,800

The Savoy Chill Pour 500ml boiling water and 125g caster sugar into a bowl, add 2 Earl Grey teabags and stir. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then add the juice of 1 lemon and stir again. Cover and refrigerate, ideally overnight until chilled. Remove tea bags and pour into an ice cream machine. Churn. Then use a spoon to scrape the sorbetto into a freezer-proof container with a lid. Freeze until it reaches the correct scooping texture (at least 2-3 hours). Decorate each portion with a little lemon zest before serving.

40 BBC GoodFood

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The Food and Cooking of India - Mridula Baljekar Mridula Baljekar takes a culinary trip from the north down to the south of India in her latest book, The Food and Cooking of India. Although it sounds authoritative, the book is nowhere near as comprehensive as, say, Pushpesh Pant’s India Cookbook. No matter. Baljekar talks novice cooks through seemingly complex Indian recipes, with plenty of step-bystep photographs. There are more than 150 recipes in here, but for a cuisine as varied as ours, that’s just skimming the surface. Available from Anness Books for ` 1,358 Yes Chef - Marcus Samuelsson Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia, adopted by Swedish parents, won Top Chef Masters, was the youngest chef ever to get a threestar review from New York Times, won a James Beard award, and now owns the award-winning Red Rooster in Harlem. However, his upward trajectory was tempered by a few hiccups; most famously, Gordon Ramsay called him a “black b***”. Samuelsson is no sordid tale-teller though. His book is also a lesson in how to succeed in a very stressful environment — show up on time, don’t shoot your mouth off and work bloody hard. Available from Random House Publishing for ` 1,207 You can buy all this month’s books online at flipkart.com and landmarkonthenet.com.

AUGUST 2012

need to know food shows

What’s on

Tune in to this month’s best food TV ON THE PLATE RACHEL ALLEN’S DINNER PARTIES

TV TASTING

RACHEL ALLEN

Having a dinner party can be as stressful as it is fun. How do you choose a menu of dishes that is sophisticated yet easy to execute? Irish celebrity chef Rachel Allen makes it a lot easier with the recipes featured on her show, Rachel Allen’s Dinner Parties. Simple yet stylish and using the freshest of ingredients, they are sure to impress your guests.

Baked aubergines with tomatoes, basil and pine nuts Serves 4 n 1 hour + baking n EASY aubergines 2 large, salt to taste, black pepper to taste, olive oil 4 tbsp + extra for drizzling, onion 1, peeled and finely sliced, garlic cloves 3, peeled and crushed, ripe tomatoes 650g, peeled and chopped, chilli flakes a pinch, caster sugar 1 tsp, basil leaves 4 tbsp, chopped or torn, mozzarella 1 ball, torn into pieces, Parmesan cheese 25g, grated (optional), pine nuts 4 tbsp, lightly toasted n Preheat the oven to 180°C. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, and using a teaspoon scoop out the flesh, leaving a 5mm border around the edge intact. n Chop the flesh, then place in a sieve over a bowl to drain, adding a good pinch of salt to draw out any bitter juices. n Place the aubergine halves on an oiled baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook for 15 minutes. n Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic, and cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then until the onion is soft. Add the drained aubergine flesh, the tomatoes, chilli flakes and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook over a low heat for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is reduced. Add the chopped basil and season to taste. n Spoon the tomato sauce into the par-cooked aubergines. Top with torn mozzarella or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the aubergine is cooked at the sides and the mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve. Rachel Allen’s Dinner Parties airs on weekdays in August at 12:30 pm on BBC Entertainment. AUGUST 2012

TASTE TEST FAT MAN AND 13 BRIDES

Words VIDYA BALACHANDER According to television anchor and consummate foodie Bikramjit Ray, “Indians are obsessed with food, family and marriage.” When it comes to weddings, Indian families pull out all the stops, often reserving closely guarded community recipes and elaborate dishes for the wedding buffet. Ray sets out to explore this aspect of Indian food in his new show, with a funny twist. He tells us about his passion for food and finding an entertaining way to engage with it on the show. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW SHOW. The new show is called Fat Man and 13 Brides. The premise of this show is that I will meet girls from different communities, who will show off their cooking skills. The families will talk about marriage traditions. The tagline of the show is, “Shaadi ek bahana hai, mujhe to sirf khana hai.” SO DO YOU ACTUALLY GET HITCHED ON THE SHOW? The comic element of the show is the fact that it involves me trying to get married. But that does not happen. We have been very careful in the way we choose families. We make sure that they understand that there is no marriage on the cards. But it’s a great way for them to showcase the community’s cuisine. WHICH CUISINES DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST? I love the use of coconut and spices in south Indian food. We shot an episode in Pondicherry where they cooked Tamil-Creole food using vegetarian elements, which was fabulous. I enjoyed Coorgi food. I also loved the native cuisine of the Jewish community of Kerala – it is really interesting. Fat Man and 13 Brides goes on air on August 18 at 9 pm on NDTV Good Times.

SNAPSHOT FOOD LOVERS’ GUIDE TO THE PLANET

It’s no secret that food is the common thread that binds the diverse cultures of the world. It is often our first point of contact with a new country – experiencing a country with the palate, if you will. See how food, travel and culture are intrinsically interlinked on Food Lovers’ Guide to the Planet, a James Beard and Emmy award-winning series that airs on the National Geographic Adventure channel. From food traditions around the world to new trends such as farm to fork dining, and from interesting aspects of food science to straightforward travelogues on foodie haunts such as Italy, Spain and Vietnam, the show covers a vast amount of culinary ground. A must watch for food lovers. Food Lovers’ Guide to the Planet airs on Sundays at 5 pm on Nat Geo Adventure.

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BBC GoodFood 41

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eat in

47 pages of Indian treats, from fiery rasams and Bihari specials to contemporary Indian salads

IN THIS ISSUE

T Spicy and tangy flavoured rasams, p 64 T Manish Mehrotra’s Bihari menu, p 72 T Vicky Ratnani's hip Indian salads, p 82 T The five colours of Indian curry, p 92 TIndian desserts gone global, p 102

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A week’s worth of stylish yet easy meals

INGREDIENTS CHECKLIST

Photograph DAVID MUNNS

SHOPPING BASKET chicken thigh fillets 4 yoghurt 280g coriander leaves 1/2 a bunch onions 4 ginger 1 knob green chillies 2 garlic cloves 2 1/2 vegetable stock 1350ml almonds 8 courgette 3 shallots 2 white wine 150ml lemons 3 sage a bunch capers 1 tbsp aubergines 2 tomato 400g basil a bunch Parmesan cheese 30g mixed greens 50g potato 400g eggs 4 spring onions 10 stalks Cheddar cheese 75g red chillies 1 dry breadcrumbs 75g white fish fillets 260g

44 BBC GoodFood

Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling CAROL TENNANT Food styling VICTORIA ALLEN

meals for `700 mustard 1/2 tbsp French beans 130g parsley a bunch smoked salmon 50g whole chicken 1.6kg carrot 1 tarragon 4 sprigs bay leaves 2 tomato puree 2 tsp apricots 6 muscovado sugar 1 tsp mayonnaise 100g cottage cheese 125g ripe mango 1

STORE CUPBOARD ground cumin cardamom ground turmeric vegetable oil garam masala olive oil curry powder rice butter

`69

TOTAL F3 R 7 MEALO S

MONDAY Smoked salmon kedgeree

TUESDAY Bengali fish parcels Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY

Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY butter 1 tbsp onion 1 small, halved and sliced curry powder 1 tsp basmati rice 150g chicken or vegetable stock 300ml eggs 3 smoked salmon 50g, torn into pieces parsley a small bunch, chopped lemon 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges n Heat the butter in a pan. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt on fairly high heat until golden and caramelised. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the stock, bring to a gentle simmer then put on a lid and cook for about 10-12 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. n Meanwhile, drop the eggs into boiling water for 8 minutes, rinse under cold running water, then shell. Stir the salmon, parsley and lemon juice through the rice and divide between 2 dishes. Quarter the eggs and serve on top of the rice with lemon wedges. n PER SERVING 562 kcals, protein 27g, carbs 64.6g, fat 23.5g, sat fat 9.6g, fibre 2.3g, salt 3.36

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white fish fillets 2 x 130g skinless fillets turmeric 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp, ground wholegrain mustard 1/2 tbsp ginger 1-cm chunk, peeled and sliced garlic clove 1/2, peeled coriander 1/2 a small bunch, chopped green chilli 1, seeded and sliced hung curd 100ml French beans 150g, to serve basmati rice 100g, to serve lemon wedges to serve n Rub the fish with the turmeric, cumin, mustard and some seasoning. Put the ginger, garlic, coriander and most of the chillies (save a few slices) in a food processor and whizz together. Add the curd and some salt and whizz again. n Spread most of the yoghurt mixture over both sides of each piece of fish (keep back a couple of tbsp). Take 2 sheets of foil, then sit a fillet in the middle of each. Seal to make parcels, leaving a little room for air. n Cook in the oven at 220°C for about 8 minutes. n Sprinkle the cooked fish with the remaining chillies and serve with French beans, basmati rice, the remaining curd mixture and some lemon wedges. n PER SERVING 272 kcals, protein 31.8g, carbs 3.5g, fat 14.6g, sat fat 2.9g, fibre none, salt 0.25g. AUGUST 2012

Recipe JENNIFER JOYCE Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling VICTORIA ALLEN Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE

eat in everyday

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Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph GARETH MORGANS Styling CYNTHIA INIONS Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE

THURSDAY Spicy potato cakes with chilli and coriander Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY

WEDNESDAY Chicken pasanda Serves 2 n 50 minutes + marinating n EASY skinless chicken thigh fillets 4, quartered yoghurt 4 tbsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 2 tsp cardamom pods 4, split and seeds crushed turmeric powder 1 tsp oil 1 tbsp onion 1, finely sliced ginger 2cm piece, grated green chilli 1, sliced garlic clove 1, crushed chicken stock 100ml almonds 2 tbsp, ground garam masala 1 tsp 46 BBC GoodFood

n Put the chicken, yoghurt and spices in a bowl, mix and marinate for at least 1-2 hours. n Heat the oil in a pan then cook the onions for about 10 minutes until really softened and golden. Add the ginger, chilli and garlic and cook for another few minutes until fragrant. n Tip in the chicken and marinade, then cook, stirring until the chicken starts to colour. Add the stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. n Stir 4-5 tbsp of the cooking liquid into the ground almonds then add everything back to the pan. Add the garam masala and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Serve with naan, yoghurt and green chillies. n PER SERVING 575 kcals, protein 54.3g, carbs 15.9g, fat 33.3g, sat fat 6.4g, fibre 2.7g, salt 0.9g

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potatoes 400g, peeled and cut into chunks egg yolk 1 coriander a handful, chopped spring onions 5, sliced salt and pepper to taste lemon 1, zested Cheddar cheese 75g, grated red chilli 1, seeded and chopped breadcrumbs 75g vegetable oil for shallow frying n Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and leave to dry for 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes and add the egg yolk, coriander, spring onions, some salt and pepper, the lemon zest, Cheddar cheese and chilli. Mix well and shape into 6 medium cakes. n Put the breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll the cakes firmly in the breadcrumbs. Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the cakes on both sides. Serve with mango chutney and a green salad. n PER SERVING 473 kcals, protein 22.9g, carbs 63g, fat 16.1g, sat fat 5.1g, fibre 4.2g, salt 1.08g AUGUST 2012

Recipe JENNIFER JOYCE Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling VICTORIA ALLEN Food styling JENNIFER JOYCE

eat in everyday

VEG IT by replacing the egg yolk with more breadcrumbs

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Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph MAJA SMEND Styling CYNTHIA INIONS Food styling SAL HENLEY

SATURDAY Italian baked aubergines Serves 2 n 1 hour 30 minutes n EASY

FRIDAY Zucchini risotto with crisp capers and sage Serves 2 n 45 minutes n EASY butter 2 tbsp zucchini 2-3 small, sliced diagonally olive oil 2 tbsp shallots 2, finely chopped arborio rice 200g white wine a glass vegetable stock 950ml lemon 1/2, zested and juiced sage a small bunch capers 1 tbsp (try Surfine available at gourmet stores) n Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a deep, wide frying pan. Add the zucchini and some seasoning, fry for a few minutes on each side until golden. Scoop out and drain 48 BBC GoodFood

aubergines 2 smallish, halved lengthways olive oil 2 tbsp + extra to drizzle garlic clove 1, thinly sliced tomatoes 400g, chopped basil a small bunch Parmesan cheese 3 tbsp, grated on kitchen paper. Wipe out the pan. n Heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the shallots and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in the rice and heat through for a minute until shiny. Pour in the wine and let it bubble, stirring until it evaporates. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed into the rice before adding more. Keep adding stock until the rice is tender with a tiny bit of bite left. This should take 30 minutes. n Chop half the sage and stir into the rice with the zucchini, lemon juice and zest, plus the remaining butter and heat through. n Fry the capers and the rest of the sage in a little hot olive oil so they frizzle up. Serve on top of the risotto. n PER SERVING 608 kcals, protein 12.6g, carbs 4.5g, fat 44.6g, sat fat 7.8g, fibre 4.3g, salt 0.5g

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n Heat the oven to 190°C. Score the aubergine flesh in a crisscross pattern but don’t go all the way through. Sit scored-side up, snugly in a baking dish, season really well and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes. n While the aubergine is baking, cook the garlic in olive oil until soft. Tip in the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Stir in most of the basil. n After 30 minutes, take off the foil and pour the sauce over the aubergines. Scatter over the Parmesan then bake for another 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve sprinkled with the rest of the basil. n PER SERVING 233 kcals, protein 9.1g, carbs 15.4g, fat 15.3g, sat fat 3.5g, fibre 14g, salt 0.4g AUGUST 2012

Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph MAJA SMEND Styling CYNTHIA INIONS Food styling SAL HENLEY

eat in everyday

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 49

As a change from rice, try serving this with couscous mixed with chopped coriander.

SUNDAY Coronation chicken Serves 6 n 2 hours 35 minutes + cooling n A LITTLE EFFORT whole chicken 1.6kg onions 2, small carrot 1, roughly sliced tarragon 4 sprigs bay leaves 2 oil 1 tbsp curry powder 4 tsp tomato purée 2 tsp apricots 6, quartered, soft and readyto-eat 50 BBC GoodFood

muscovado sugar 1 tsp lime juice 1 tbsp mayonnaise 100g mixture of yoghurt and cottage cheese 250g spring onions 6 coriander leaves 20g ripe mango 1, chopped, stoned, peeled and sliced arugula 100g, to serve n Put the chicken in a large pan, then pour in enough cold water to just cover. Roughly chop one of the onions, drop into the pan with the carrot, tarragon

FOR A LIST OF STORES THAT STOCK GOURMET INGREDIENTS, TURN TO P 153

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and bay leaves. Cover, bring to the boil, then lower to a gentle simmer for about 1 3⁄4 hours or until the chicken is cooked (the legs will fall easily away from the body). Remove from the heat, but leave the chicken in the liquid to cool for about 3 hrs. When cold, lift the chicken out of the stock then strain (skim off any fat from the stock) and keep 200ml for the sauce. This can be done a day ahead and chilled. The excess stock can be frozen for later use. n Finely chop the second onion. Heat oil in a small saucepan; tip in the onion and fry until softened and pale golden, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in the reserved chicken stock, then stir in the tomato purée. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. At the same time, put the apricots in a small pan with enough water to just cover them, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 tbsp of the liquid. Purée the apricots in a small blender with the reserved liquid then press through a sieve (you should get about a tbsp purée). Remove curry sauce from the heat then stir in the sugar. Strain through a sieve, pressing as much through as you can with a wooden spoon, then stir in the lime juice and apricot purée and leave until cold. n Mix together the mayonnaise and the yoghurt and cottage cheese mix, then stir in the cold curry sauce. Season to taste with a good grinding of pepper. Cut the spring onions into long, slim slivers, then set aside. If you want them to curl, put into a bowl of iced water while you finish the salad. n Remove the skin from the chicken. Strip the meat off the bones in chunky pieces, remove the breasts separately and thickly slice. Gently toss the chicken with the curried sauce, the coriander and most of the mango. Scatter the arugula onto a platter. Spoon the chicken mix on top, tuck in the rest of the mango and finish with a pile of spring onions. n PER SERVING 402 kcals, protein 35.2g, carbs 15g, fat 23g, sat fat 5g, fibre 3g, sugar 14g, salt 0.53g AUGUST 2012

Recipe ANGELA NILSEN Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling JO HARRIS Food styling ANGELA NILSEN

eat in everyday

Advertorial

Borosil MELANZANE PARMIGIANA

Serves 4 35 minutes EASY V

aubergine 500 gms, cut into fine roundels corn flour 4 tbsp salt and pepper to taste olive oil 3 tbsp mozzarella cheese 200 gms, grated

kitchen

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE spring onions 2, finely chopped garlic paste 1 ½ tsp tomato purée 700 ml oregano ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste chilli flakes ½ tsp or to taste n Mix the corn flour with salt and pepper.

Add enough water to mix to a thick and smooth paste. Heat the oil in a pan. Dip the aubergine slices in the corn flour paste and fry till crisp. Remove to a plate and keep aside.

n To make the sauce, add the spring

onions to the remaining oil in the pan. Fry lightly till light brown. Add the garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Add tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper. Add chilli flakes and stir well. Add the remaining corn flour paste, if any. Cook for 10 minutes or till the purée is thick. Remove from heat.

n Grease an ovenproof Borosil baking dish. Put a little sauce to cover the entire base of the dish. Arrange the fried aubergine slices to form a layer. Pour a little tomato sauce to cover the aubergine slices. Sprinkle some grated cheese over it. Repeat the layers, finishing with grated cheese to cover the entire surface of the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C for 20 minutes or till the cheese has melted.

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Send in your recipe, age and address to BBC Good Food, Worldwide Media, Response 2nd floor, Times of India Building, Dr D N Road, WorldMags.net Fort, Mumbai - 400001, you can also mail your entries to [email protected]

eat in lunchbox

Smarter dabbas

Carry a taste of home in your lunchbox with these easy recipes Recipes PERVEZE MIRZA Styling and photographs NEETI MEHRA

Corn bhel Serves 1 n 5 minutes n EASY Combine 100g boiled sweet corn with a little chopped tomato, cucumber, coriander leaves and chopped chilli. Season with salt and pepper. n PER SERVING 129 kcals, protein 4.70g, carbs 29g, fat 1.40g, sat fat 0.30g, fibre 5g, salt 0.4g

Sprouted moong crunch

sprinkling of coriander leaves and chopped green chilli, a squeeze of lime, roasted peanuts and 1/4 green mango and tomato, chopped finely. Mix in a little sweet chutney. Serve with a little sev and crushed puris. n PER SERVING 413.50 kcals, protein 18.65g, carbs 65.90g, fat 6.95g, sat fat 2.25g, fibre 10.30g, salt 0.4g

garam masala. Add a small grated tomato and keep stirring till dry. Fry 2 onions, add 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, add the rice and lentils and fry for approximately 2 minutes. Add the veggies and mix well. Pour in double the quantity of water as the dal-rice mixture combined, add salt to taste and 1 tbsp ghee. Once the water starts boiling, keep simmering till cooked. n PER SERVING 333 kcals, protein 11.90g, carbs 69.05g, fat 0.60g, sat fat 0.10g, fibre 7.10g, salt 0.2g

Veggie khichdi Serves 2 n 25 minutes n EASY

Serves 2 n 10 minutes n EASY Sauté 100g sprouted green lentils (moong). Sprinkle a little water to soften them. Add salt, remove from the flame and add 1 boiled potato, chopped, a

Soak 100g rice and 50g split green lentils (moong) for 30 minutes. Meanwhile stir fry 100g mixed, chopped veggies along with a dash of turmeric, coriander, cumin and

Cauliflower parathas Serves 2 n 25 minutes n EASY You can finely chop up last night’s cauliflower bhaji to make the cauliflower parathas.

Grate and sauté 200g cauliflower. Sprinkle a little coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Let it cool. Make chapatis with a dough made of 100g atta, a little water and a splash of oil. Stuff the cauliflower mixture on one chapati, spread evenly and place another chapati on top, sealing the edges tightly. Roast on a tawa with a little oil. Serve with boondi raita. n PER SERVING 219 kcals, protein 9.55g, carbs 43.30g, fat 1.95g, sat fat none, fibre 8.70g, salt 0.2g

Light carrot pachdi Serves 1 n 10 minutes n EASY Whip 1/2 cup hung yoghurt with salt. In a small kadai, heat 1 tbsp oil, throw in some mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 5-6 chopped curry leaves, 1/2 chopped green chilli and a sprinkling of coriander leaves, chopped. Wait for the seeds to crackle, then add 1 small grated carrot. Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes, then empty on top of the yoghurt. n PER SERVING 209 kcals, protein 5.40g, carbs 12g, fat 14.50g, sat fat 0.80g, fibre 2.60g, salt 0.4g 52 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

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Ready in 30

Try these ready-in-a-flash weeknight dishes that taste divine

n Meanwhile, cook the noodles following pack instructions, but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute. Refresh in cold water and drain very well. n Transfer the pork to a chopping board and rest for 5 minutes. Set a large non-stick frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Cut the pork in half lengthways, then thinly slice. Tip into the pan, with the prawns, noodles and remaining marinade. Toss together for 2-3 minutes until hot. n PER SERVING 293 kcals, protein 27g, carbs 32g, fat 6g, sat fat 1g, fibre 4g, sugar 7g, salt 1.7g

Marinated tofu with ginger broth

VEG IT with tofu

Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY

Singapore noodles

54 BBC GoodFood

Serves 4 n 30 minutes n EASY

mixed veggies 600g, stir-fried prawns 100g, cooked

teriyaki sauce 3 tbsp (try Ayam available in gourmet stores) Chinese five-spice powder 1⁄2 tsp Madras curry powder 2 tsp pork tenderloin 300g, trimmed of any fat egg noodles 140g sunflower oil 1 tbsp

n Mix the teriyaki sauce, five-spice and curry powders. Add half to the pork, turning to coat, and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. n Heat oven to 200°C. Remove pork from the marinade and put on a small baking tray lined with foil. Roast for 10 minutes.

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n Mix the soy, sugar and vinegar and half the ginger. Slice the tofu into thick strips. Put the tofu between a few sheets of kitchen paper then sit a heavy chopping board on top and leave for 10 minutes to release some of the liquid. n Heat a non-stick pan and dry-fry the tofu on both sides until golden. Press down gently with a spatula as you fry to release some of the water. After frying, add to the bowl with the soy mix and leave for 10 minutes. n Put the rest of the ginger, garlic and chilli in a pan with the stock. Bring to a simmer, add the greens and cook for 5 minutes. Add the noodles and tofu with its marinade. Heat through then finish with a splash of sesame oil. PER SERVING 541 kcals, protein 26.3g, carbs 71.1g, fat 16g, sat fat 3g, fibre 5.6g, salt 4.2g AUGUST 2012

Recipe JUSTINE PATTERSON Photograph JON WHITAKER Styling JENNY IGGLEDEN Food styling JUSTINE PATTERSON

soy sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp (try Ayam available at gourmet stores) ginger 4-cm piece, peeled and shredded firm tofu 350g garlic clove 1, sliced red chilli 1, sliced vegetable stock 750ml pok choy or other greens 150g, sliced noodles 150g, boiled sesame oil

Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph LARA HOLMES Styling POLLY WEBB-WILSON Food styling KATE CALDER

eat in everyday

Dry-frying tofu before marinating gives a much firmer texture and helps soak up flavour.

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 55

Tikka-style fish Serves 6 n 25 minutes n EASY

Turmeric pulao Serves 6 n 25 minutes n EASY basmati rice 400g olive oil 4 tbsp cumin seeds 1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp onions 2, halved and sliced turmeric 1 tsp red or green chillies 2, deseeded and thinly sliced n Thoroughly rinse the rice until the water looks completely clear. Drain, then 56 BBC GoodFood

tip into a large pan of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 6 minutes until just tender, but check after 5 minutes. Drain well, cool and chill. n Heat the oil in a large wok and fry the spices until they start to pop. Add the onions, then cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender and golden. Stir in the rice, turmeric and chilli, and cook for 1-2 minutes more. n PER SERVING 323 kcals, protein 6g, carbs 60g, fat 8g, sat fat 1g, fibre 1g, sugar 4g, salt 0.01g

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n Slash the skin of the whole fish, if using, on each side with a sharp knife. Mix the ginger and garlic, season with salt, then rub all over the fish. n Mix the yoghurt with the oil, spices and seasoning. Use to coat the fish inside and out, then chill until ready to cook. n Cook straight on the barbecue rack (or on foil if you are afraid of it sticking) for 6-8 minutes each side for the whole fish, or 3-4 minutes for the steaks. Cooking time will depend on how hot your barbecue is when you start. Alternatively, you can grill the fish for a few minutes under a hot grill. n PER SERVING 266 kcals, protein 39g, carbs 4g, fat 11g, sat fat 2g, fibre none, sugar 1g, salt 0.67g AUGUST 2012

Recipe SARA BUENFELD Photograph LIS PARSONS Styling and food styling DAVID MORGAN

whole red snapper 2, about 900g each or fish steaks 6 root ginger 2 tbsp, finely grated garlic cloves 4, finely grated or crushed yoghurt 6 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp turmeric 2 tsp chilli powder 2 tsp cumin seeds 3 tsp

Recipe SARA BUENFELD Photograph LIS PARSONS Styling and food styling DAVID MORGAN

eat in everyday

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 57

Serves 2 n 30 minutes n EASY broccoli 250g, cut into florets cauliflower 250g, cut into florets crème fraîche or hung curd 100g (try President available at gourmet stores) Cheddar cheese 50g grated + extra chives a small bunch, chopped

n Steam the broccoli and cauliflower until just tender, about 5-6 minutes. Mix the crème fraîche, cheese and chives and toss with the vegetables. Pile into 2 small ovenproof dishes and top with a handful more cheese. Grill until golden. n PER SERVING 331 kcals, protein 21.6g, carbs 8.3g, fat 23.7g, sat fat 13.4g, fibre 5.5g, salt 3.8g

REALLY REALLY EASY

Recipe JANINE RATCLIFFE Photograph MICHAEL PAUL Styling RACHEL DUKES Food styling ALICE HART

Cauliflower, broccoli and Cheddar gratin

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eat in everyday

Crab and pea risotto with basil Serves 2 n 25 minutes n EASY

Recipe JANE HORNBY Photograph DAVID MUNNS Styling CYNTHIA INIONS Food styling LIZZIE HARRIS

butter 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp onion 1 small, finely chopped Arborio rice 150g garlic clove 1, crushed red chilli 1/2 tsp , finely chopped or dried chilli flakes a pinch white wine 100ml vegetable stock 700ml, at a simmer green peas 75g mascarpone cheese 2 tbsp (optional) lemon 1, zested and cut into wedges white crabmeat 100g (try Bumblebee available at gourmet stores) basil a handful n Heat the butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide, shallow pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the rice, garlic and chilli, stir for 2 minutes, then splash in the wine and let it bubble away. n Pour in a third of the stock then simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is absorbed into the rice. Repeat twice until the rice is tender and creamy – about 15-20 minutes in all. n Tip in the peas for the final minute or two, then take the pan off the heat and swirl in the mascarpone, lemon zest and a squeeze of juice. Cover the pan and leave for 5 minutes. n To serve, fold in the crabmeat and some torn basil leaves, then season. Serve with more basil and lemon wedges. n PER SERVING 473 kcals, protein 19.1g, carbs 70.4g, fat 13g, sat fat 3.7g, fibre 4g, salt 4.28g

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Delicious way to up your veggie intake

Bean enchiladas Serves 4 n 30 minutes n EASY olive oil 1 tsp onions 2, chopped carrots 280g, grated chilli powder 2-3 tsp (mild or hot, according to your taste) tomatoes 800g, chopped pulses 800g, drained tortillas 6, small (try Old El Paso available at gourmet stores) natural yoghurt 200g Cheddar cheese 50g, finely grated

Fusilli with glorious green spinach sauce

Recipe CAROLINE BREWSTER

Serves 4 n 20 minutes n EASY fusilli pasta spirals or any small pasta 400g spinach 225g, blanched garlic clove 1 mascarpone 250g juice 1⁄2 large lemon Parmesan cheese 30g, grated + extra to serve pine nuts 55g, lightly toasted

60 BBC GoodFood

n Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile put half the spinach in a food processor with the garlic, mascarpone, lemon juice and Parmesan, then whizz to a smooth sauce. n Drain the pasta thoroughly and return to the pan over low heat. Stir in the sauce, pine nuts and remaining spinach, until the spinach has just wilted. Season and serve with extra Parmesan sprinkled over. n PER SERVING 770 kcals, protein 20g, carbs 80g, fat 43g, sat fat 21g, fibre 5g, sugar 7g, salt 0.53g

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n Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onions and carrots for about 4-5 minutes until soft. Add a splash of water if they start to stick. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the tomatoes and pulses and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well. n Heat grill to high. Spread a spoonful of the bean chilli over a large ovenproof dish. Lay each tortilla onto a board and fill with the bean chilli. n Mix the yoghurt and cheese together with some seasoning, then spoon over the enchiladas. Grill for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad. n PER SERVING 430 kcals, protein 23g, carbs 60g, fat 13g, sat fat 4g, fibre 15g, sugar 17g, salt 1.36g AUGUST 2012

eat in everyday

One serving of these supplies almost your whole day’s fibre requirements. As well as being important for digestion, fibre keeps you fuller for longer and stabilises blood sugar levels.

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 61

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eat in modern veggie

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eat in modern veggie

Love rasam? You’ll flip for our flavoured versions that tweak this fiery tomato classic from the south ever so deliciously Recipes NAREN THIMMAIAH Photographs SUDEEP GURTU

‘‘

Ask folks from the south of India what their comfort food is and the answer is most likely to be rasam. This tangy-spicy and simple dish is famous for its rejuvenating properties. It’s a soup for some, a meal with rice for many or a palate cleanser before the main course. Little wonder then that rasam is popular all over the country. For this feature I have shared my recipe for basic rasam along with other exciting variants to suit everyone’s palate – green mango, pepper and pineapple rasam.

‘‘

Naren Thimmaiah, Executive Chef, The Gateway Hotel, Bengaluru

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Goddu (no-dal) rasam Serves 8 n 15 minutes n EASY Simple but tasty, the sharp taste of this no-dal rasam will leave you asking for more.

Tomato rasam Serves 8 n 45 minutes n EASY This is the classic rasam, a winner for all seasons! split pigeon peas (toor dal) 1 cup oil 2 tbsp mustard seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp curry leaves 10 tomatoes 8 salt to taste turmeric powder 1 tsp rasam powder 2 tbsp (see recipe on p 68) asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp jaggery 2 tsp coriander leaves small bunch, chopped 66 BBC GoodFood

n Cook the dal and keep it aside. Heat a pan, pour oil and add mustard, cumin and curry leaves. n Boil the tomatoes and peel the skin. Grind them to make a paste. n Now add the ground tomato paste, salt, turmeric powder, rasam powder, asafoetida and jaggery and boil for about 15 minutes. n Next, add the cooked dal to the boiling tomato water and season with coriander leaves. Allow it to boil for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. n PER SERVING 146.63 kcals, protein 6.08g, carbs 19.93g, fat 4.23g, sat fat 0.28g, fibre 4.18g, salt none

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ghee 2 tbsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin 4 tbsp dried red chillies 4 curry leaves a few tamarind paste 2 tbsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) 1/2 tsp tomatoes 4, diced pepper powder 1 tbsp salt to taste

REALLY REALLY QUICK

n In a vessel, add ghee and mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add half the cumin. n Add the red chillies and curry leaves. Now mix in the tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Add the remaining cumin, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, tomatoes, pepper and let it boil. When it bubbles, remove from fire. Serve hot with steamed rice. n PER SERVING 33.75 kcals, protein 0.80g, carbs 4.54g, fat 1.24g, sat fat 0.21g, fibre 0.84g, salt none AUGUST 2012

eat in modern veggie

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Milagu (pepper) rasam Serves 8 n 30 minutes n EASY This masala-filled, fiery rasam is certain to rid you of those bad colds. Drinking it plain is a heady experience, though not for the faint of heart. tamarind balls 2, lemon-sized oil 2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp curry leaves 12 salt to taste turmeric 1 tsp asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp

Thengai paal (coconut milk) rasam Serves 8 n 15 minutes n EASY How can any South Indian dish be complete without coconut? The simple addition of coconut milk to this rasam brings out a plethora of flavours. ghee 4 tbsp mustard seeds 2 tsp curry leaves 2 sprigs rasam powder 8 tsp (see recipe on p 68) red chilli powder 4 tsp REALLY tomatoes 5, chopped REALLY EASY coconut milk 8 cups salt to taste coriander leaves 1 cup 68 BBC GoodFood

n Heat some ghee in a pan or kadai. Throw in the mustard seeds, wait till they pop and then add the curry leaves. Now mix in the rasam powder and chilli powder. n Stir well and tip in the chopped tomatoes. Sauté for some time until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. n Now add diluted coconut milk and heat it, stirring occasionally and making sure it doesn’t split. Add salt to taste. n Add the coriander leaves and let the mixture continue boiling. Remove from fire. Serve the coconut milk rasam with white rice. n PER SERVING 594.63 kcals, protein 5.58g, carbs 16.08g, fat 59.16g, sat fat 51.68g, fibre 5.63g, salt 0.1g

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THE RASAM POWDER black pepper 2 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp cumin powder 2 tsp red chillies 6 split pigeon peas (toor dal) 2 tsp n Soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Then squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice. n Fry the mustard seeds, cumin powder and curry leaves in oil. n Add the tamarind water, salt, turmeric and asafoetida and allow to boil. n Grind the rasam ingredients together to make a coarse powder. Add this to the boiling mixture. Serve the rasam hot with steamed rice. n PER SERVING 25.50 kcals, protein 0.65g, carbs 2.73g, fat 1.50g, sat fat 0.07g, fibre 0.81g, salt none AUGUST 2012

eat in modern veggie

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BBC GoodFood 69

eat in modern veggie

The cooling property of raw mangoes makes this dish perfect for a light lunch. Simply serve with steamed rice.

70 BBC GoodFood

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eat in modern veggie

Mango rasam Serves 8 n 45 minutes n EASY The sourness of the raw mango is tempered by the pungency of the ground masala, all of which comes together to give this rasam its uniquely tart flavour. raw mangoes 4, boiled water 2l pepper 6 tsp cumin seeds 6 tsp oil 2 tbsp green chillies 6 salt to taste jaggery 40g mustard seeds 2 tsp, fried dried red chillies 6, fried curry leaves 10g, fried coriander leaves 10g, chopped n Strain the mango pulp from the boiled mangoes. Add the pulp to the water and bring it to a boil. n Dry roast the pepper and cumin seeds and grind them into a powder. n Add the oil and fry the chillies. Make it into a paste. n Add the ground chilli paste, powdered pepper and cumin, salt and jaggery to the boiling rasam. Stir well. n Top with fried mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Garnish with coriander and serve hot. n PER SERVING 119.50 kcals, protein 1.11g, carbs 24g, fat 4.10g, sat fat 0.20g, fibre 2.35g, salt none

Pineapple rasam Serves 8 n 45 minutes n EASY A wedding speciality, this unique, sweet rasam is distinct in its flavour and its naughty nuances play hide and seek on one’s palate. split pigeon peas (toor dal) 1/2 cup tomatoes 4 ginger 2-inch piece curry leaves 1/2 cup coriander leaves 1 cup pineapple 1 (medium size), chopped tamarind paste 2 tsp AUGUST 2012

green chillies 6, slit rasam powder 3 tbsp (see recipe on p 68) salt to taste turmeric powder 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp + a pinch for tempering pineapple syrup 2 tsp oil 4 tbsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp sugar 1 tsp n Cook the toor dal and mash it finely. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and keep it aside. n Now finely chop the tomatoes, ginger, half the curry leaves and 1/4 cup of coriander leaves. Add these chopped items to the pineapple pieces (keep some aside for garnish) and boil the mixture in 1 cup of water. Blend it

using a juicer-blender. Add the extract to tamarind paste along with the green chillies, rasam powder, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida. n Put the rasam back on the heat. When it comes to a boil, add the mashed toor dal and let it bubble. n Remove from the flame. Add 1 tsp of pineapple syrup. Garnish with the remaining pineapple pieces, the remaining chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves. n To make the tadka, add oil to a hot pan. When hot, add mustard seeds and when they splutter, add cumin and a pinch of asafoetida. Immediately add it to the rasam. n PER SERVING 138.63 kcals, protein 2.31g, carbs 15.85g, fat 7.45g, sat fat 0.43g, fibre 2.25g, salt 0.1g

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BBC GoodFood 71

eat in weekend menu

a taste of

Bihar

There’s more to Bihari food than the humble sattu. Super chef Manish Mehrotra gets all nostalgic as he proudly showcases the vibrant food of his beloved native state Recipes MANISH MEHROTRA Photographs SHIRISH SEN

When people talk about Bihari cuisine, they usually mention litti chokha and sometimes sattu. While these are undoubtedly Bihar’s most famous dishes, there are many others that are equally delicious. I was very excited to showcase Bihari food, something I have grown up eating. I have recreated these classics along with my childhood favourites like lai ka laddoo and ghugni kachori.

Props courtesy FABINDIA, THE SHOP, ZAZA, FCML HOME

Manish Mehrotra, Executive Chef Tamarai (London), Indian Accent (New Delhi) and Oriental Octopus (New Delhi, Noida and Lavasa)

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eat in weekend menu

Litti chokha with tamatar-khajur chutney (recipe on p 76)

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ghee 1/2 cup, melted sattu mixture for litti 1/2 cup (see recipe on p 76) oil for deep frying

Ghugni kachori

MENU FOR 8 T Ghugni kachori T Kaddoo phool pakoda and aam ki chutney

T Litti chokha with tamatar khajur chutney

T Sarson wale aloo T Khatta meetha badam sitaphal

T Parwal ki mithai T Lai ka laddoo

74 BBC GoodFood

(Black chickpea curry with flaky dal kachori) Serves 8 n 45 minutes n A LITTLE EFFORT This dish always takes me back to my school days in Patna. I still remember a small shop outside the school gate run by a very soft-spoken man named Basant serving fried kachori with watery black chana curry. Using the kachori as a puri to stuff with chana is the best way to eat this dish. THE GHUGNI Bengal gram/ black chickpeas (kala chana) 2 cups ghee 8 tbsp cumin seeds 2 tsp onions 4, chopped roughly green chillies 5, cut lengthwise turmeric powder 2 tsp salt to taste garlic paste 2 tbsp coriander powder 4 tbsp red chilli powder 1 tsp THE KACHORI refined flour (maida) 4 cups salt 1 tsp

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n To make the ghugni, wash and soak the chana overnight. n Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and stir for a few seconds. Add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions turn pink in colour. n Add the chana and fry for 5 minutes. Add turmeric, salt and garlic paste. Stir-fry on medium low heat for about 5-7 minutes. n Add coriander powder and red chilli powder and fry on medium high heat, till you can see the oil separating from the curry. n Add enough water to make a gravy and put on the lid. Wait for 4-5 whistles, then lower the heat and cook for about 6-7 minutes. n Meanwhile, make the kachori by combining the first 3 ingredients. Knead into firm dough using a little water and keep kneading very well for 5-7 minutes. n Divide the dough into 24 equal parts and keep covered under a wet muslin cloth. Roll out each portion of the dough into a circle of 50mm. n Place a little sattu filling in the centre of the circle. Surround the filling mixture with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling mixture. n Seal the opening tightly and remove any excess dough if necessary. Roll each filled portion into a circle of 60mm diameter ensuring that the filling does not spill out. n Gently press the centre of the kachori with your thumb. n Deep fry on low heat in hot oil till golden brown on both sides. n The kachoris should puff up like puris. These take a long time to fry as the crust is thick and needs to be cooked on the inside also. n Serve the chana with the hot kachori. n PER SERVING 520.63 kcals, protein 15.81g, carbs 84.30g, fat 12.94g, sat fat 1.88g, fibre 13.39g, salt 0.4g

AUGUST 2012

eat in weekend menu

Kaddoo phool pakoda and aam ki chutney (recipe overleaf)

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Kaddoo phool pakoda and aam ki chutney

Litti chokha with tamatar-khajur chutney

(Pumpkin blossom pakoda with green mango chutney) Serves 8 n 20 minutes n EASY

(Traditional ash-roasted litti, smoked aubergine mash, cherry tomato and date chutney) Serves 8 n 1 hour n A LITTLE EFFORT

This unique twist on a vegetable pakoda is perfect for the rainy months. Since it uses pumpkin blossom, it is lighter than most vegetable pakodas. You could also use squash and other vegetable blossoms to make this dish. The refreshing green mango chutney works as an accompaniment as well as a palate cleanser.

Nothing spells comfort food more to me than ghee-soaked litti and chokha (aubergine bharta). Simple and satisfying, it works well as a main or a snack. The sattu, used as a filling, can get a bit heavy to digest but it is a healthy option if you go easy on the ghee. Make a big batch and refrigerate.

THE KADOO PHOOL PAKODA chickpea flour (besan) 1 cup water 1 cup onion seeds (kalonji) 2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp dry roasted gram flour (sattu) 1/2 cup pumpkin blossom (kadoo phool) 200g ghee/oil for frying THE AAM KI CHUTNEY mint leaves 2 bunches coriander leaves 1/2 bunch raw mango 2 small, sliced green chillies 4, chopped salt 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp, roasted n To make the aam ki chutney, place the first 4 ingredients in a blender and make a smooth paste. Adjust the seasoning with salt, sugar and roasted cumin powder. n To make the pakodas, mix together the chickpea flour, water, onion seeds, red chilli powder and sattu. Keep aside and allow the mixture to rest for at least 2 hours. n Heat the ghee/oil in a kadai and lower the flame. Dip the kaddoo phool into the batter and deep fry till golden brown. n Drain the excess oil from the pakodas and serve with the green mango chutney. n PER SERVING 69.75 kcals, protein 4.91g, carbs 19.14g, fat 8.31g, sat fat 0.56g, fibre 3.01g, salt 0.6g

76 BBC GoodFood

THE LITTI wheat flour (atta) 4 cups yoghurt 8 tbsp water 1 cup ghee to soak

The litti itself was easier to make than it seemed from reading the recipe, though a little time consuming. The accompaniments were just right – the chokha balanced the ghee-soaked littis well. The chutney was excellent – I used less oil and replaced the sugar with 1 tsp of jaggery. This made the chutney slightly piquant. Chandrama Mohanty is an avid foodie living in Mumbai

THE FILLING roasted gram flour (sattu) 2 cups garlic 4 tsp, chopped ginger 2 tbsp, chopped green chillies 1 tsp, chopped coriander leaves 4 tbsp, chopped onion (kalonji) seeds 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 1 tsp lemon juice 5 tsp mango pickle in mustard oil 6 tsp, puréed salt to taste THE CHOKHA aubergines 2 tomatoes 6 onions 2, finely chopped green chillies 5, finely chopped garlic cloves 5, finely chopped mustard oil 4 tsp salt to taste THE CHUTNEY oil 4 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp tomatoes 10, chopped green chillies 4, chopped salt to taste dates 75g, chopped cumin seeds 1 tsp, roasted and powdered raisins 6 tbsp

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jaggery to taste, grated sugar 1/2 cup n To make the litti, mix all the filling ingredients with the sattu. Add a little water to make a crumbly mixture as a moist mixture can create cracks in the litti. Keep aside. n Add yoghurt to the flour. Mix lightly with some water and knead it into a stiff dough. Make ball-shaped littis out of the dough (about 2.5-inch to 3-inch diameter in size) using your hands. n Stuff 2-3 tsps of the sattu filling in the centre of each ball, then wrap the dough all around the filling till it is completely enclosed from all sides. n When all the littis are stuffed, preheat the oven to 190°C and put all the littis on a piece of foil. Bake till one side is brown and black and charred spots appear on the litti’s surface. n Then turn it over and bake for a few more minutes until the other side is brown as well. Take it out and dip in pure ghee or butter. n To make the chokha, roast the aubergines and tomatoes over a low gas flame. Keep the tomatoes aside after 6-7 minutes and continue roasting the aubergine, turning it over till its outer surface turns blackish and flaky. Immediately place it in cold water. n After 5 minutes, remove the aubergine from the water and peel off its burnt skin. Now mash the tomato and aubergine thoroughly in a bowl. Add the onion, green chillies, garlic, salt and oil. Mix well and keep aside. n To make the chutney, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the tomatoes, green chillies and salt. n Now add the dates, cumin, raisins and 1 cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes. n Mash the tomatoes a little and add the jaggery and sugar. Add a little water if required. Cook until the jaggery has dissolved and blended well with the tomatoes. n Serve the litti and the chokha with the chutney while still warm. n PER SERVING 591.50 kcals, protein 18.19g, carbs 110.28g, fat 9.89g, sat fat 0.84g, fibre 18.90g, salt 0.5g AUGUST 2012

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Khatta-meetha badam sitaphal (Sweet and sour pumpkin with roast almonds) Serves 8 n 30 minutes n EASY Sweet and sour pumpkin with almonds goes very well with sattu-filled puris, hot phulkas or even with fresh pav. Although in most parts of India, custard apple is known as sitaphal, in Bihar, it is the pumpkin that is known as sitaphal. red pumpkin 2 kg ghee 8 tbsp asafoetida (hing) 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 tsp, pounded fennel seeds 2 tsp, pounded cumin seeds 2 tsp, pounded ginger 2-inch piece, julienned green chillies 2, chopped black salt 2 tsp salt to taste turmeric powder 2 tsp garam masala 4 tsp coriander powder 6 tsp red chilli powder 2 tsp sugar 4 tsp dried mango (amchoor) powder 6 tbsp coriander 4 tsp, chopped

Sarson wale aloo (Potato wedges in raw mustard oil) Serves 8 n 30 minutes n EASY Bihari food takes a little inspiration from Bengali cooking with the use of mustard oil in certain dishes. These potatoes cooked in mustard oil are easy to make and are great in taste. The flavour is so good that you don’t need any chutney or pickle to accompany the dish. It can be eaten with either chapatis or rice. mustard seeds 4 tsp potatoes 8 medium, cut into wedges tomatoes 6, chopped salt to taste mustard oil 4 tbsp kasundi (Bengali mustard chutney) to taste (available at speciality Bengali grocers) turmeric powder 1 tsp 78 BBC GoodFood

red chilli powder 2 tsp garlic cloves 10, crushed water 2 cups n Dry grind the mustard seeds in the chutney grinder, or pound them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. In a kadai, heat the mustard oil, add garlic and when it turns golden add the ground mustard. Set the heat to low. n Let the mustard fry and release its aroma for only about 30 seconds to a minute. Make sure it does not burn. Add potato wedges and mix well. n Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder, kasundi and little water. Cook covered on medium heat till potatoes are done, about 30 minutes. n PER SERVING 116.75 kcals, protein 2.04g, carbs 9.25g, fat 7.36g, sat fat 0.80g, fibre 2.40g, salt none

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n De-seed and chop the pumpkin into 2-3 cm cubes. Keep aside. n Heat the ghee in a kadai and add the asafoetida, fenugreek, fennel and cumin seeds. n When the seeds crackle, add ginger, green chillies, black salt and sauté till lightly coloured. n Add salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, chilli powder and sugar. Mix well. n Toss in the pumpkin and sauté on a high flame till it looks glossy. n Cook on a slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes. Add amchoor powder, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. n Taste for seasoning — it should be a mixture of sweet and tangy. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with puris. n PER SERVING 156.50 kcals, protein 4.06g, carbs 32.39g, fat 2.55g, sat fat 0.86g, fibre 5.68g, salt 0.5g AUGUST 2012

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To save time, instead of making the filling from scratch one can buy milkcake or burfi from a mithai shop and use it as the stuffing.

Lai ka laddoo (Popped amaranth and sugar laddoos) Serves 8 n 30 minutes n EASY My earliest childhood memories are of eating four of these laddoos with cold milk as a breakfast cereal everyday. They came at a measly price of 10 paisa for one laddoo. Amaranth or rajgira is now being marketed internationally as the new super-food, but in India it has been a part of our daily diet for years.

Parwal ki mithai (Khoya-stuffed pointed gourd) Serves 8 n 40 minutes n EASY This is a seemingly unusual use of a vegetable in a dessert but the parwal, when stewed in sugar syrup, loses its vegetable taste and adapts beautifully. Once you get past your initial skepticism about using a green veggie as a dessert, you’ll love it! pointed gourd (parwal) 500g thin sugar syrup 6 cups khoya 2 cups (available at your local sweet shop or dairy) sugar 1 cup green cardamom powder 1/2 tsp almonds 24 pistachios 24 saffron strands a few (wetted with a drop of water) gold leaf (varq) to garnish 80 BBC GoodFood

n Peel the parwal, make a slit lengthwise and remove the core. n Blanch in hot water for 2 minutes. Cook the parwal in sugar syrup till it becomes soft. Drain and cool. n To make the stuffing, sauté the khoya in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat till it becomes soft. Add the sugar and sauté till light golden in colour. n Add green cardamom powder, almonds and pistachios to the khoya and mix. Transfer the mixture onto a plate and cool. n Stuff the stewed parwal with the khoya mixture and chill thoroughly. Garnish with saffron strands and gold leaf. n PER SERVING 517.75 kcals, protein 11.63g, carbs 106.48g, fat 8.29g, sat fat 1.05g, fibre 2.16g, salt none

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amaranth 1 cup (available at your local grain store) sugar syrup (left over from stewed parwal from recipe on left) 1 cup pistachio 1 tbsp, chopped n Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add a handful of amaranth. Cover it with a lid and allow it to pop. Do this in batches. n Heat the sugar syrup. Add it spoon by spoon to the popped amaranth but only add as much as is required to bind the laddoos. n Add the chopped pistachio and mix well. Moisten your hands and make ladoos quickly because if the mixture becomes cold, the laddoos will not bind. n Allow the laddoos to cool and store them in an airtight container. n PER SERVING 145.63 kcals, protein 3.75g, carbs 28.98g, fat 2.09g, sat fat 0.46g, fibre 2.38g, salt none AUGUST 2012

eat in weekend menu

For a healthier version of the laddoo, use jaggery instead of sugar

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eat in weekend

MODERN INDIAN SALADS

Salads get a punchy spin with our Indian-inspired winners that could give the Caesars and the Waldorfs of the world a run for their lettuce

Recipes VICKY RATNANI Photographs PRATEEKSH MEHRA Styling input NEETI MEHRA

Props courtesy GOOD EARTH, THE SHOP, LE MILL, SANCTUM, FABINDIA

I think salads are personal interpretations of what’s fresh and available. The combinations here are based on my imagination and are a mix of local flavours – ethnic, yet with a contemporary twist and very easily put together in any home kitchen. Welcome to the world of modern Indian salads! Vicky Ratnani, Head chef, Aurus, Mumbai

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Watermelon, pineapple, beansprouts and feta crumble (recipe on p 91)

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Chargrilled Kerala spiced prawns Serves 6 ■ 20 minutes ■ EASY This is a cool salad of cooked prawns with a slaw of white radish and raw mango lightly tossed in a coconut emulsion. You can substitute the prawns with chicken, fish, paneer or tofu. arugula leaves 30g carrot 60g raw mango 60g white radish 60g Indian gooseberry (amla) 30g spring onions 15g prawns 450g cucumber 180g fresh coriander leaves 15g THE PRAWN MARINADE ginger paste 30g garlic paste 30g red chilli powder 3g lime juice 3 tsp black salt (kala namak) 1/2 tsp cumin powder 6g, roasted olive oil 15ml

Rajma, kabuli chana, green beans and papdi with tamarind-jaggery vinaigrette

tomato juice 90ml green chilli 2, chopped hummus 3 tbsp, to serve pita chips 20, to serve

Serves 6 ■ 20 minutes ■ EASY These locally available ingredients put together create a distinct, unique taste. Bound by a chickpea purée and a tamarind-jaggery dressing, this salad definitely packs a punch.

THE DRESSING jaggery 60ml tamarind pulp 60ml mustard oil 3 tsp salt to taste pepper to taste

kidney beans (rajma) 120g, cooked chickpeas 120g, cooked tomatoes 60g, diced lemon pickle 3 tsp, chopped French beans 120g, blanched broad beans (papdi) 20g, blanched sweet corn 100g, blanched coriander 15g, chopped olive oil 30ml salt to taste pepper to taste

■ Mix together the kidney beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, pickle, beans, sweet corn, coriander, olive oil, salt, pepper, tomato juice and green chilli. ■ Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing and add to the salad. Serve chilled along with a dollop of hummus and pita chips. ■ PER SERVING 393.17 kcals, protein 11.50g, carbs 53.97g, fat 15.90g, sat fat 1.87g, fibre 11.67g, salt 0.5g

84 BBC GoodFood

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THE COCONUT DRESSING olive oil 15ml mustard seeds 3g whole cumin seeds 3g curry leaves 8-10 onion 3 tsp, finely chopped garlic 3 tsp, finely chopped ginger 3 tsp, finely chopped chilli 3, finely chopped lime juice 45ml coconut milk 300ml salt to taste pepper to taste ■ Wash and pick the arugula leaves. Dry and set aside. ■ Cut the carrot, raw mango and white radish into thin strips. Julienne the cucumber into thin, long ribbons. Slice the gooseberry very thinly into rounds. Peel and trim the spring onions and slice thinly. ■ Marinate the prawns with the ginger, garlic, red chilli powder, lime juice and black salt. Add salt and roasted cumin powder. AUGUST 2012

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green chilli 3 tsp, chopped coriander leaves 6g chaat masala 3 tsp black salt (kala namak) 3 tsp olive oil 15ml THE MARINADE hung curd 150g mustard oil 30g ginger-garlic paste 30g red chilli paste 15g Kashmiri red chilli powder 3 tsp garam masala powder 3 tsp black salt a pinch fenugreek (kasuri methi) 6g lemon juice to taste cumin powder 6g coriander powder 6g THE RAITA beetroot 180g olive oil hung curd 1/2 cup black salt a pinch chaat masala 2 tsp dill 3 tsp, chopped coriander 3 tsp, chopped

■ Cook for 3 minutes on the grill or sauté in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes with olive oil. Do not overcook. ■ To prepare the dressing, heat some olive oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once they splutter, add the onions, ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for a minute or so. ■ Deglaze the pan with lime juice. Add coconut milk and simmer for two minutes. ■ Cool and blend the dressing. Season it with salt and pepper. ■ Toss the arugula, the vegetables and the prawns with the cooled dressing. Garnish with fresh coriander. ■ PER SERVING 247.17 kcals, protein 12.70g, carbs 10.70g, fat 17.63g, sat fat 11.35g, fibre 2.70g, salt 0.3g 86 BBC GoodFood

Seared salmon and mango chaat Serves 6 ■ 25 minutes + marinating ■ EASY Tandoori-flavoured salmon chunks with the sweetness of silky Alphonso mangoes make for a remarkable salad. High in Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, it scores on the health front as well. The beet yoghurt is just the proverbial icing on the cake. salmon 300g red bell pepper 150g, roasted Alphonso mangoes or any other sweet, ripe mango 150g coconut cream (malai) 60g raw mangoes 30g

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■ Cut the salmon into neat cubes. Whisk all the ingredients together for the marinade. Marinate the salmon for 30-40 minutes. ■ Cut the red bell pepper and the mango into cubes. Tear the malai into strips. Slice the raw mango into paperthin slices using a mandolin slicer. ■ Roast or boil the beetroot until soft. Peel and purée along with the olive oil, hung curd, black salt, chaat masala, dill leaves and coriander. Blend to a smooth, silky purée. ■ Pan sear the salmon for 2 to 3 minutes until pink but not totally cooked. ■ Toss with the fresh coriander, chopped chillies, coconut malai, peppers and diced mango. ■ Spoon the red beet raita over along with sprigs of coriander, dill and a drizzle of black salt, chaat masala and olive oil. ■ PER SERVING 582.50 kcals, protein 26.43g, carbs 27.43g, fat 41.43g, sat fat 15.50g, fibre 5.75g, salt 1.9g

AUGUST 2012

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Goan sausage-pav panzanella (recipe overleaf)

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peppers and colocasia in olive oil for 2 minutes. ■ Add the diced tomatoes, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. ■ Transfer the contents of the pan into a mixing bowl, add the bread croutons, chopped parsley and fresh coriander. ■ Toss and serve warm or at room temperature. ■ PER SERVING 322.17 kcals, protein 18.68g, carbs 30.87g, fat 14.32g, sat fat 2.78g, fibre 2.33g, salt 0.5g

Surti fafdaa with broccoli dip Serves 6 ■ 15 minutes ■ EASY Made with besan flour, Surti fafdaas can be bought from any farsan shop. The crispy snack tastes great with a yoghurt dip, accompanied with fried broccoli florets, olives and cherry tomatoes. If this isn’t thinking out of the box, what is?

Goa sausage-pav panzanella Serves 6 ■ 30 minutes ■ EASY This is my variation of the famous Tuscan bread salad. The flavours of red wine vinegar blend beautifully with the sausage and taste great when paired with a good brew. Cheers patrao! spicy Goa sausage 300g red bell pepper 45g green bell pepper 45g yellow bell pepper 45g onion 60g, diced tomato 60g, diced colocasia root (arbi) 150g pav (bread) 240g clarified butter (ghee) 30ml olive oil 45ml 88 BBC GoodFood

red wine vinegar 60ml (try Cirio available at gourmet stores) salt to taste pepper to taste parsley 6g, chopped coriander leaves 6g, chopped ■ Peel the skin off the Goa sausage and chop into chunks. ■ Dice the bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. ■ Boil the colocasia in salted water until cooked. It should be firm but not mushy. ■ Cool, peel, slice and set aside. ■ Cut the bread into large croutons. Drizzle over with the ghee. ■ Bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes until crisp and golden brown. ■ Sauté the Goan sausage, onions, bell

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hung curd 110g fresh cream 60ml salt to taste pepper to taste red chilli powder 2 tbsp green chilli oil 3 tsp (bashed green chillies steeped in oil) cherry tomatoes 150g black olives 6 broccoli florets 180g, fried basil leaves 5-6 fresh coriander leaves 3 tbsp, chopped ■ To the hung curd, add in the cream and season to taste with salt, pepper, red chilli powder and green chilli oil. ■ Quarter the cherry tomatoes and cut the black olives into small pieces. Add to the yoghurt along with the sautéed broccoli florets. ■ Garnish with basil and coriander leaves. ■ Serve the dip along with the fafdaa or vegetable crudités or any variety of chips. ■ PER SERVING 118.50 kcals, protein 4.75g, carbs 7.33g, fat 7.62g, sat fat 3.75g, fibre 1.07g, salt 0.2g AUGUST 2012

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Mushroom and aloo chaat salad (recipe overleaf)

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Mushroom and aloo chaat salad Serves 6 ■ 40 minutes ■ EASY This salad can be enjoyed hot, chilled or at room temperature. The vinegar and chilli add zing. It can even be used as a filling for a sandwich or a wrap. red onion 1/2, sliced yellow bell pepper 1/2, sliced red bell pepper 1/2, sliced garlic cloves 2, peeled and sliced green chilli 1, sliced new potatoes 8, cooked and cut in half button mushrooms 8 caps, stem removed olive oil  1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp chilli powder big pinch thyme leaves 1/2 tsp parsley 1 tsp, chopped coriander leaves 2 tsp salt to taste pepper to taste

90 BBC GoodFood

■ Sweat the sliced onions, bell peppers and sliced garlic in olive oil. Add the green chillies, potatoes and button mushrooms and sauté for a minute. ■ Deglaze with balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with the chilli powder, salt and pepper. ■ Add the freshly chopped herbs. Serve chilled to allow the flavours to marinate properly. ■ PER SERVING 204.5 kcals, protein 3.9g, carbs 42.62g, fat 2.55g, sat fat 0.38g, fibre 4.48g, salt none

Hariyali chicken salad with tomato kasundi dressing Serves 6 ■ 35 minutes ■ EASY Hariyali, or fresh herbal flavours, pair well with the southern-spiced, stir-fried tindli and the earthy, lemony edge of the artichoke. boneless chicken breast 600g artichoke bottoms 2.2kg

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olive oil 3 tbsp asafoetida (hing) a big pinch mustard seeds 1 1/2 tsp curry leaves 8-10 green chillies 3, chopped Kashmiri red chillies 3 large cumin seeds 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 3 tbsp tindli 120g, cut lengthwise into 4 THE MARINADE coriander leaves 90g ginger 15g, peeled garlic 15g, peeled green chillies 3 spinach purée 3 tbsp lemon juice 3 tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest a pinch green bell pepper 30g salt to taste mustard oil 1 1/2 tsp THE DRESSING tomato 60g, chopped tomato juice 90ml olive oil 60ml coriander leaves 60g kasundi mustard paste 3 tbsp (available at speciality Bengali grocers) sugar 1 tsp mustard oil 3 tsp white vinegar 15ml ■ Wash and pat dry the chicken breast. Blend all the ingredients for the marinade. ■ Marinate the chicken and the artichoke bottoms for 10 minutes. ■ Cook on a pan or bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. ■ Heat the oil, add the asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, Kashmiri red chillies and cumin. ■ Fry until all the flavours are released. Add the tindli and lemon and stir-fry for a minute. Take off the heat and rest in a bowl. ■ Slice the chicken and artichoke and add to the tindli. Let it rest to infuse the flavours. ■ Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and serve with the chickentindli salad. ■ PER SERVING 493.83 kcals, protein 33.33g, carbs 32.48g, fat 23.15g, sat fat 2.77g, fibre 8.15g, salt 1.3g AUGUST 2012

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Watermelon, pineapple, beansprouts and feta crumble Serves 6 ■ 15 minutes ■ EASY Here, I have paired a traditionally comforting fruit chaat with super-foods like moong sprouts. The garam masala and black pepper crusted feta cheese gives a rich, salty taste to the sweet and sour combination of the fruits. This unique blend is tossed in an amchur and ajwain dressing.

■ Season with salt, pepper, amchur powder, black salt and carom seeds. Add the olive oil and spring onions. ■ Crumble the feta cheese, add the garam masala and cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. ■ Top the fruits with the garam masala feta crumble. ■ PER SERVING 205.50 kcals, protein 6.28g, carbs 22.07g, fat 11.42g, sat fat 3.92g, fibre 3.38g, salt 0.5g

watermelon 300g pineapple 300g pomegranate 90g moong sprouts 50g salt to taste pepper to taste mango powder (amchur) 1 tsp black salt (kala namak) 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) 1/2 tsp olive oil 3 tbsp spring onions 150g, sliced THE CRUMBLE feta cheese 120g garam masala 3 tsp cracked black pepper 1 tsp ■ Wash and peel the fruits. Cut the melon and pineapple into chunks. Peel the pomegranate and mix the moong sprouts along with the other fruits.

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The great Indian

curry It’s got the planet in a spice-crazed swoon. Cook — and drool — along with us as we celebrate the sensational Indian curry in all its punchy hues

Props courtesy GOOD EARTH, FAB INDIA, THE SHOP

Recipes MEHER DASONDI Photographs PRATEEKSH MEHRA

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The culinary legacy of Indian curry dates back to medieval times when the Mughal aristocracy patronised the khansamas (royal cooks) and bawarchis. From the basic salan to the aromatic kalia, or the rich korma, the cooks strove to innovate and build the gastronomic heritage of curries ranging in textures and flavours. Indian curries vary from region to region in their taste, colour, texture and aroma. Cooking Indian curries often involves a combination of several methods. These include baghar or tempering, bhunao – a combination of stewing and stirfrying, which is starkly different from dum (which involves ‘cooking in its own steam’). Frying to dhuan involves smoking to enhance the flavour whereas bhunana comprises roasting on a tawa, kadai or even in a tandoor. I have categorised the curries according to five basic colours. These include red, where tomatoes

form the base; brown, derived from browned onions and masala and white, wherein the colour is obtained from badam or kaju paste or a combination of char magaz or pumpkin seeds, or from the freshness of ground coconut and coconut milk. Yellow curries get their colour from the addition of saffron while green ones are replete with the freshness of vegetables like palak, methi, coriander or mint, either on their own or in combination. - Meher Dasondi, ex-chef and former professor at Sophia Polytechnic’s culinary department in Mumbai

MUST-TRY CURRIES ✴ Chicken narangi do pyaaza ✴ Dhabe ka gosht ✴ Prawn caldeen ✴ Shahi mirch bhara paneer ✴ Safed maas ✴ Kaikiri stew ✴ Aloo paneer nazakat korma ✴ Watermelon curry

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brown

Chicken narangi do pyaaza Serves 8 ■ 40 minutes + 1 hour for marinating ■ EASY I have flavoured the Chicken do pyaaza with Malta oranges and fresh orange juice to give it a sweetly tangy yet distinctly pungent flavour by using a combination of brown onions and shallots. chicken 800g, boneless salt a pinch ginger-garlic paste 100g cinnamon 1-inch piece cloves 4 cardamom 4 ghee 120g onions 300g, sliced baby onions 300g, halved chilli powder 20g turmeric powder 20g tomatoes 200g, finely chopped yoghurt 160g cashew paste 60g Malta oranges 8, 4 juiced and 4 diced garam masala powder 5g aniseed (saunf) powder 10g ginger powder 5g ginger 20g, julienned lime wedges to garnish mint sprigs to garnish ■ Dice the chicken and marinate with salt and ginger-garlic paste. Keep aside for an hour. Temper the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom in ghee. Add sliced onions and baby onions. ■ Add chilli powder, turmeric and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and sear well. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the chicken is done, about 25 minutes. ■ Add in the yoghurt, cashew paste and orange juice. Add garam masala powder, saunf and ginger powder. Serve hot garnished with the ginger juliennes, orange dices and mint sprigs accompanied with lime wedges. ■ PER SERVING 769.65 kcals, protein 80.60g, carbs 37.01g, fat 31.85g, sat fat 10.15g, fibre 7.55g, salt 0.4g

94 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

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Dhabe ka gosht Serves 8 ■ 30 minutes ■ EASY Photograph SUDEEP GURTU This is pretty much a regular north Indian curry, pungent and flavourful. mutton 1kg yoghurt 160ml chilli powder 10g turmeric 6g cumin powder 10g coriander powder 10g salt as required bay leaf 2 cloves 8 cardamom 6 pods

mustard oil 100ml onion 300g, finely chopped garlic 20g, finely chopped ginger 40g, finely chopped tomatoes 200g, finely chopped green chillies 8, finely chopped garam masala 6g coriander leaves to garnish ■ Marinate the mutton in yoghurt with red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Temper the bay leaf, cloves and cardamoms in oil.

■ Add onions and fry until golden brown. Add chopped garlic and half the ginger. ■ Add mutton and fry for 10 minutes. Add in tomatoes, green chillies and cook till the oil separates. Pour water as required and simmer until meat is done. Add garam masala and salt. ■ Garnish with ginger, coriander leaves and green chillies. Serve with warm rotis. ■ PER SERVING 433 kcals, protein 36.29g, carbs 11.14g, fat 25.99g, sat fat 6.06g, fibre 2.85g, salt 0.1g

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yellow Prawn caldeen Serves 8 ■ 20 minutes ■ EASY This wonderfully textured Goan prawn curry with okra is cooked in a coconut base. Its yellowish colour comes from the addition of turmeric. prawns 1kg okra 300g coconut oil 50ml onions 250g, chopped ginger 30g, finely chopped garlic 15 g, finely chopped green chillies 6, finely chopped tamarind 40g THE COCONUT PASTE coconuts 2 coriander seeds 20g cumin seeds 15g peppercorns 10g turmeric 10g ■ Shell and devein prawns. Wash carefully. To make the coconut paste, grind all the ingredients. Cut the okra into dices and sauté in a teaspoon of oil. Heat the remaining oil in a pan, sauté chopped onions, ginger, garlic, chilies and tamarind lightly. Add coconut paste and cook for a few minutes. ■ Pour in water and allow to simmer. Add prawns and okra and cook for about 10 minutes or until done. Serve hot with steamed rice. ■ PER SERVING 377.50 kcals, protein 21.55g, carbs 22.36g, fat 24.15g, sat fat 20.71g, fibre 8.73g, salt none

96 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

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Shahi mirch bhara paneer Serves 8 ■ 30 minutes ■ EASY This paneer dish is made of Bhavnagri chillies stuffed with paneer, swimming in a saffron-flavoured cashew curry. Bhavnagri chillies 250g paneer 300g ghee 80g cumin seeds 6g onions 120g, finely chopped tomatoes 100g, finely chopped salt a pinch cream 200ml saffron 1g sugar 10g lime juice a few drops garam masala powder 6g THE MASALA onion 400g, boiled cashews 120g, crushed sesame seeds 20g poppy seeds (khus khus) 10g cumin seeds 15g coriander seeds 10g green chillies 8 ginger-garlic paste 10g ■ Deseed chillies and deep fry for a minute. Grate the paneer. Sauté cumin seeds in a little ghee. Add onions and sauté. Now add the tomatoes and paneer. Season to taste with salt. Fill into the chillies and keep aside. ■ Grind the masala ingredients and fry lightly until slightly browned. Pour water to get the consistency of a curry. Add cream, salt and saffron. Let it simmer well. Add sugar, lime juice and garam masala. Add the stuffed chillies at the last moment and serve with hot parathas. ■ PER SERVING 268.13 kcals, protein 10.61g, carbs 18.88g, fat 17.29g, sat fat 4.90g, fibre 3.71g, salt none

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white

Safed maas Serves 8 ■ 1 hour + marinating ■ MODERATELY EASY This robustly spiced Rajasthani dish is a meaty almond curry that is usually prepared with game meat but it tastes just as good with mutton. THE MASALA PASTE poppy seeds (khus khus) 15g green chillies 6 peppercorns 6g cinnamon 1-inch piece, ground cardamom pods 6, ground cloves 4 almonds 50g THE MUTTON onions 400g, finely chopped ginger-garlic paste 80g mutton 1kg yoghurt 160ml vinegar 30ml black cardamom 4 bay leaves 2 ghee 120g salt a pinch tomatoes 120g, diced eggs 2, boiled and diced ■ Grind the onions and ginger-garlic paste as well as the masala paste. ■ Marinate the meat with the yoghurt and vinegar and keep aside for 2 hours. ■ Temper black cardamom and bay leaves in ghee. Add the onion paste and fry for 3-4 minutes. Now add the masala paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add meat and fry for a few more minutes. ■ Add water and salt and cook till the meat is tender, about 40 minutes. When cooked, add the tomato and garnish with dices of boiled egg. ■ PER SERVING 442.39 kcals, protein 40.85g, carbs 12.01g, fat 24.81g, sat fat 9.10g, fibre 2.49g, salt 0.3g

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Kaikiri stew Serves 8 ■ 30 minutes ■ EASY The white Kaikiri stew from Kerala has vegetables cooked in a delicate coconut curry enhanced further with the flavour of coconut oil.

Make sure you grind the coconut to an absolutely fine paste. If the curry appears grainy, add a tsp of rice flour / maida / cornflour paste. You could also add some coconut milk at the end to enhance the creaminess of the curry.

coconut 1, ground green chillies 4 white gourd 400g baby onions 200g carrot 200g French beans 200g potatoes 200g coconut oil 40ml mustard seeds 10g water 3 cups salt as required ■ Grind the coconut and chillies together. Chop the vegetables into cubes and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and temper the mustard seeds. Add vegetables and fry for a minute. Combine the coconut paste with 3 cups of water. Add it to the vegetables. ■ Simmer till vegetables are cooked. Season to taste. Serve with rice, chapatis or appams. ■ PER SERVING 287.50 kcals, protein 4.74g, carbs 20.48g, fat 22.05g, sat fat 19.56g, fibre 7.69g, salt 0.1g This was the first time I tried a Keralastyle dish and it turned out very well. I used white pumpkin and also added 1 tbsp of rice flour mixed with 2 tbsp of water to thicken the gravy a little. I usually prefer my dishes to be spicy so I added some pepper powder at the end. I served it with hot puris but I’m sure the stew would taste great with appams as well. Pinky Gaikwad is a food lover and keen cook who lives in Mysore.

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green

cloves 4g black cardamom 2 ginger-garlic paste 40g chilli powder 14g turmeric powder 6g coriander 2 tsp cumin powder 14g salt a pinch spinach 4 bunches, puréed garam masala 6g THE KOFTAS potato 160g paneer 500g raisins 200g coriander leaves 2 tsp, finely chopped green chillies 4 salt as required juice 1 lime cornflour 40g flour and water slurry 1 cup breadcrumbs 200g oil to deep fry

Aloo paneer nazakat korma Serves 8 ■ 35 minutes ■ MODERATELY EASY This korma has koftas in a spinach curry that has been spiked with fenugreek leaves for a richer taste and texture. 100 BBC GoodFood

THE CURRY onions 400g mustard oil 120g tomatoes 240g ghee 30g black cumin seeds (shah jeera) 2 tsp fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) 2 tbsp cinnamon 1 stick

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■ Roughly chop the onions, fry them in half the oil until golden brown and then purée them. Also purée the tomatoes, but do it separately. ■ Combine a little oil with the ghee and ‘bhunao’ the shah jeera and whole spices. Add onion paste and tomato purée. Cook for a few minutes. ■ Add ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander cumin powder, and salt. ‘Bhunao’ the masala for 3 minutes. Add the spinach purée and garam masala powder. Pour water to adjust the consistency. ■ To make the koftas, boil and grate the potatoes. Grate the paneer. Chop and combine the raisins, coriander leaves and green chillies. Then combine the potato and paneer. Add salt and lime juice. Divide both mixtures into 8 portions each. ■ Stuff raisin mixture into the paneer mixture and mould it into a round shape. Dust with corn flour. Dip in flour slurry and roll in breadcrumbs. ■ Deep fry the koftas in oil and place them in the korma. Serve with parathas. ■ PER SERVING 526.63 kcals, protein 17.80g, carbs 76.43g, fat 19.17g, sat fat 2.05g, fibre 9.25g, salt 0.3g AUGUST 2012

eat in entertaining

red

Watermelon curry Serves 8 ■ 25 minutes ■ EASY This is my attempt at recreating a classic Rajasthani curry that uses diced watermelon and pulp — it tastes rather unusual, but is very delicious nevertheless. watermelons 2 cinnamon 1-inch piece cloves 4 cardamom 4 pods ginger-garlic paste 10g mustard seeds 6g ghee 50g red chilli powder 14g turmeric powder 6g salt as required garam masala 6g juice 1 lime ■ Skin, cube and deseed the watermelons. Purée half the cubes. ■ Temper the whole spices and the ginger-garlic paste with the mustard seeds in ghee. ■ Add the watermelon purée and bring to a simmer. ■ Add the chilli powder, turmeric and salt and continue to simmer. Add the watermelon cubes, and finally the garam masala powder and lime juice. Serve hot with saffron rice. ■ PER SERVING 92.63 kcals, protein 2.13g, carbs 21.31g, fat 0.88g, sat fat 0.04g, fibre 1.96g, salt none

A delicious curry that’s just waiting to be tried out in your kitchen. You’ll love its delicate yet spicy flavours.

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 101

Meetha gone Mod If you like your meetha with a twist, Anjum Anand’s Indian-inspired desserts are sure to hit the sweet spot

102 BBC GoodFood

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AUGUST 2012

eat in show-off

Vermicelli with orange cream Serves 4 n 25 minutes n EASY Annually, on the occasion of a large party, my mother would prepare traditional sweet vermicelli. As a child, I remember helping my grandmother’s sister to make them fresh on her flat roof in New Delhi. Sadly, the art of making fresh vermicelli has largely been forgotten today. Nonetheless, this dessert is delicious, lighter and fresher than the traditional one. ghee 3 tbsp raisins 15g vermicelli 125g, very thin strands sugar 65g water 230ml THE ORANGE CREAM cream 90ml sugar 3 tsp almonds 15g, blanched and sliced lengthways or halved or flaked orange rind 1 1/4 tsp n Whisk together all the ingredients for the orange cream until the whole thing thickens into soft peaks. Place in the fridge until ready to use. n Heat the ghee in a medium sized, non-stick saucepan. Add the almonds and raisins and fry until the almonds have coloured a little. Add the vermicelli and stir fry until they have darkened and look slightly fried, around 3 minutes, stirring often. n Add the sugar and stir well for 2-3 minutes to start melting it. Stir in the water, cover immediately and cook over the gentlest flame for 4 minutes. Check to see if the strands are soft. If not, cover and cook for another minute or so and if necessary add a tbsp of water. Turn off the heat and let them steam for 3-4 minutes. n Using a fork helps separate the strands a little to make them fluffy. Top with a spoon of cold orange cream, garnish with extra nuts and serve. n PER SERVING 266.25 kcals, protein 4.73g, carbs 47.13g, fat 6.15g, sat fat 2.40g, fibre 1.75g, salt none AUGUST 2012

Carrot kheer Serves 6 n 2 hours + chilling n EASY I’m not sure words alone will convince you that a chilled, subtly-flavoured dessert of creamy thickened milk with floating soft threads of sweetness contrasted with a crunch of nuts may be the perfect, light dessert to a lovely warming meal. But, most Indian desserts are based on lentils, grains, vegetables and rice and, of course, they are lip-smacking. In the same way, carrot cake may seem unpalatable to those who have never tried it, the proof is in the tasting. full-fat milk 1l carrots 250g, peeled and grated sugar 3-4 tbsp saffron strands a pinch green cardamom powder 1/3-1/2 tsp pistachios 2 tbsp, chopped

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almonds 2 tbsp, toasted and flaked caramelised pine nuts to serve n Heat the milk in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan, stirring and scraping the base with the spoon very often to make sure the milk does not catch and burn. If you are standing near the gas range you can increase the heat and stir constantly but if you are busy in the kitchen (please do not stray too far) keep it on a low flame. Keep cooking until it reduces by about 1/3. This takes about 25 minutes depending on your pan and the heat. n Add the carrots and continue cooking for another 40 minutes or until they are soft and the milk is as thick as you like it. You will need to keep up the stirring though. Stir in the sugar, saffron and cardamom powder, cook for another two minutes and taste for sweetness. (Chilling any food dulls its BBC GoodFood 103

eat in show-off sweetness so you may need to add a little more than you would deem necessary.) n Cool and then place in the fridge, covered with cling film as milk absorbs other flavours from the fridge. n When ready to eat, serve in bowls sprinkled with the nuts. n PER SERVING 281.67 kcals, protein 10.22g, carbs 28.60g, fat 15.10g, sat fat 4.45g, fibre 3.37g, salt 0.1g

Sweet saffron yoghurt (shrikhand) Serves 6-8 n 30 minutes + resting n EASY Shrikhand is a fantastic amalgamation of thick creamy yoghurt, musky saffron, aromatic green cardamoms and nuts for texture. It is served cold and is satisfying enough to be a

104 BBC GoodFood

dessert without any need for cream or butter. I generally like to serve some seasonal soft fruit with it; cherries or pomegranates make a wonderful accompaniment as they have a complex flavour without overpowering the subtle flavours. The yoghurt will vary in its degree of tartness depending on its freshness, so add sugar to taste. full-fat yoghurt 1.25 cups saffron threads 1/2 tsp milk 1 tbsp green cardamom powder 1/4 tsp, freshly ground icing sugar 4-6 tbsp, or to taste (depends on the tartness of the yoghurt) unsalted pistachios 3 tbsp, chopped almonds 3 tbsp, flaked or sliced pomegranate seeds a couple of handfuls to serve (optional)

n Line a large sieve with a double layer of good kitchen roll. Place over a large bowl and pour in the yoghurt. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge. Leave overnight but you do need to drain the accumulated whey after the first hour to make sure that it does not at some point start to come up the sides of the sieve. n Heat the milk and add the saffron and leave to infuse for 20 minutes, helping it along by crushing with a spoon or rubbing between your fingers. You should have a nice, deep ochre colour. n Sift in the sugar and stir in along with the saffron milk, cardamom powder and most of the nuts. n Chill and serve garnished with the remaining nuts and pomegranate. n PER SERVING  266.14 kcals, protein 11.96g, carbs 27.20g, fat 11.86g, sat fat 0.66g, fibre 1.66g, salt none

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AUGUST 2012

eat in show-off

Musk melon rasayana Serves 6 n 10 minutes + chilling n EASY This wonderful fruit, when ripe, is delicious and works beautifully in this South Indian-inspired dessert. This is a light and refreshing dessert. Serve it with some shaved ice or granita if you like. musk melon 1, peeled and cut into small dices fresh or canned coconut milk REALLY REALLY 300ml (not too thin) EASY sugar 3 tbsp (may vary with the sweetness of the melon) pomegranate seeds a handful flaked coconut 2 handfuls, toasted flaked almonds 2 handfuls, lightly roasted in the oven until just changing colour shaved ice to serve n To make the rasayana, place the melon, coconut milk and sugar into a shallow bowl. Using a potato masher, lightly crush the melon dices so that they are no longer regular but still retain some shape and have imparted their peachiness into the coconut. Stir in the pomegranate seeds. Chill. n If serving with shaved ice or granita, take the ice block out of the freezer and rake with a fork. n Place 2 tbsp of the ice into the bottom of the serving bowls or cocktail glasses and top with the rasayana. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and coconut and serve. n PER SERVING 258.83 kcals, protein 3.30g, carbs 23.72g, fat 18.77g, sat fat 15.05g, fibre 2.90g, salt none

AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 105

eat in show-off n Cut the cheeks off the mango and remove the juicy flesh. Peel the skins and purée till smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, if the mangoes are without acidity of their own. n Heat the sugar and water together until dissolved and then boil it, for about 4-5 minutes. n Meanwhile, place a bowl with the egg whites on a wet cloth or sponge to avoid the bowl from moving. Beat the egg whites until stiff then add the hot sugar with one hand while whisking on the other (an electric whisk is best) until thick and glossy. n Place the gelatin in a small saucepan and cover with water. Allow to soften for five minutes. Remove the water and squeeze out any excess then place it back in the pan with 2 tbsp of water. Heat until dissolved and stir in the mango purée and mix well. n Whip the cream till soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the cream into the mango then spoon over the rest along with the egg whites and gently fold them both into the mango. n Spoon into a large bowl or individual glasses and leave to set in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Top with a little spoon of freshly whipped cream and a few chopped pistachios for garnish. n PER SERVING  226.40 kcals, protein 2.60g, carbs 44.40g, fat 5.28g, sat fat 2.22g, fibre 1.64g, salt none

Velvety mango mousse Serves 4-5 n 40 minutes + setting n EASY When mangoes were in season, my mother often served a large mound of jelly-like mango mousse at her parties. It was only ever made with Alphonso mangoes, which were the ideal variety for the mousse. My version takes just 10-15 minutes to make and can be created a day before. 106 BBC GoodFood

Alphonso or any other ripe mangoes 450g flesh (2 large or 3 medium small) lime/lemon juice 1 tsp (depending on whether the mango is sharp or not) sugar 7 tbsp water 4 tbsp egg white 1 large gelatin sheets 2 (optional) double cream 180ml (available at your local dairy) pistachios handful, to garnish

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Recipes and photographs compiled from INDIAN FOOD MADE EASY by Anjum Anand, photographs ©VANESSA COURTIER, published by Quadrille; ANJUM’S NEW INDIAN by Anjum Anand, photographs © VANESSA COURTIER, published by Quadrille and ANJUM’S EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE by Anjum Anand, photographs ©LISA LINDER, published by Quadrille

AUGUST 2012

eat out Seven biryani speciality restaurants reviewed, plus Punjab Grill’s Salmon Tikkas

IN THIS ISSUE

T In search of the perfect biryani, p 108 T Pro vs Punter at Delhi’s Yeti, p 116 T Off the eaten track, Friends Union Joshi Club, p 120 T Make Punjab Grill’s Salmon Tikkas in your own kitchen, p 123

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eat out restaurant spy

The owner of Haji Noor Mohammed Biryaniwale, Haji sahib with his degh

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eat out restaurant spy

on trial

biryanis

We put seven restaurants famed for their biryanis to the test

HOW WE DID IT Hearty, fragrant and usually meaty, biryani is a rich, gourmet dish, redolent of exotic spices and boasting a great depth of flavour. The restaurants featured in this selection aren’t the epitome of fine dining, but are local favourites that are best known for their biryanis, whether they are of the mild, Awadhi style, the fiery Dindigul style or the aromatic Hyderabadi kacchi-style (where, the meat and rice are cooked together in their raw state as opposed to the pukki style where the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered). Although the menus of these restaurants also include other dishes, they are most famously associated with their biryanis.

Haji Noor TMohammed

Biryaniwale,

New Delhi

Travelling the distance for a great meal always made a certain ‘gastronomadic’ sense to me. It’s about going where the action is. In the case of Delhi, you go to the Walled City via Turkman Gate, standing here circa 1645. Walking through the gate is like entering another era. The fading glory of carved wooden façades outshines the gaudy bangles on sale in newer shops. Heady floral scents waft out of ittar shops but I’m sniffing out Elaichiwali Gali, home to Haji Noor’s famed biryani eatery. It’s a largish hole in the wall, with no frills at all. The grimy benches can seat 15 at most, and pride of place is reserved for a massive copperbottomed degh from which Haji sahib or his grandson Sikandar ladle out biryani by the plate (eat in) or by the kilo (takeaway).

with garlic, chillies, pepper and achaari masala. It makes my tongue tingle without numbing it to the other flavours. The greasy dish is served with Dahi Ki Chutney, made with onions, tomatoes and green chillies.

n ORIGINS

Haji Noor’s style is a variation of the Awadhi tradition. The rice and meat are cooked separately. Then, the meat goes into the degh first while the rice is laden on top. All of it is then cooked again, on dum. The rice and meat are mixed at the time of serving.

n WHAT TO DRINK

Nothing. Unless you carry in some of the delicious sherbet or sattu (a

refreshing drink made with roasted gram and barley) that is sold in the alley outside.

n INSIDER TIP

Haji sahib prepares three deghs of dum biryani each morning. All 210 kilos of it is sold out by 2 pm. They plan to reintroduce the beef korma soon, which was their other speciality until a decade ago. Given the quality of their meat, it should be another crowd puller.

Quality: 8/10 Choice: 5/10 Provenance: 9/10 Atmosphere: 5/10 Value: 9/10 Total: 36/50

— Mudita Chauhan-Mubayi

n DETAILS

Haji Noor Mohammed Biryaniwale, Elaichiwali Gali, Turkman Gate, Asaf Ali Road, Delhi. Timings: 9 am–2 pm. Biryanis ` 30 onwards.

Below: Haji Noor’s succulent mutton biryani

Photographs SAURABH SISODIA

n THE BIRYANI Rice and meat glisten on my plate, robustly red with a hint of rose essence (kewra). The meat slides off the bone, melting on my tongue. The rice—slightly overdone that day—is redolent with spices like cardamom, clove and nutmeg and pepped up AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 109

eat out restaurant spy

New Delhi

It is not as well known outside its immediate locality as, say, Karim’s is, but Purani Dilli is headed for its place in the sun. No artificial flavourings (like kewra or screw pine), no lashings of pure ghee. Just no-fuss surroundings in the heart of South Delhi, good biryani and down-toearth prices. Purani Dilli is the most prominent of the restaurants that make up a fascinating ‘Khau Galli’ that is reminiscent of the Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi, without the grit and gore. None of the restaurants are known for their décor: they’re all eat-and-run places, much like those in Old Delhi. Purani Dilli is clean and respectable. There are only two kinds of biryani here: mutton and chicken. Sorry, vegetarians. The former is only available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; the latter is available every day of the week.

n THE BIRYANI One half portion of biryani is enough for a hearty eater. It is served with sliced raw onions, a rather watery green chutney I didn’t try and an equally watery raita that didn’t inspire much confidence. The biryani is made in the typical Lucknowi style, but with a punch of spicy red chilli powder that would not be used in Lucknow. 110 BBC GoodFood

The Purani Dilli biryani is all about delicacy of flavour and robustness combining in a proportion that cannot but appeal to your taste buds. It is one of those deceptively simple dishes where everything depends on the stock, rich in the flavour of simmered chicken bones. No added flavours mar the simplicity of the biryani, which is the palest golden of hues. The restaurant calls it Zaffrani Chicken Biryani but it’s nothing of the sort. In any case, you could not possibly sell a generous half-plate for ` 115 if it did include saffron. Looked at from one angle, Purani Dilli ought to have a greater variety of biryanis. On the other hand, while the rest of the city is playing to the gallery, this little eatery is making its own statement for authenticity. I’d chalk up a point or three to them.

Left to right: The spartan interiors of Purani Dilli; Zaffrani chicken biryani. Facing page: Wahid’s owner, Mr Abid Qureshi with the degh of biryani

n ORIGINS

The biryani at Purani Dilli would fall broadly into the category of Lucknowi biryani. It is light, flavourful, minimally spiced and is based on stock. It differs from the true Lucknow variant by having red chilli powder — something the classic Lucknow biryani would never have. It is probably because the Delhi version is more full-bodied than the classic Awadhi prototype.

n WHAT TO DRINK

Only soft drinks and mineral water are served. No other kind of beverage is sold — or tolerated — on the premises.

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n INSIDER TIP No gravy is served along with the biryani, and to be honest, none of the kormas, niharis and haleems the restaurant specialises in would enhance the delicate flavour; they would only serve to drown it. Do eat it on its own; there’s enough oil in it to keep the dish from being dry and the long- grained rice, obviously soaked before being cooked according to the Persian tradition, makes it soft and fluffy.

n DETAILS

Purani Dilli, 371, Main Road, Zakir Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi. Tel: +91 11 26983371/ 99112 01206. Timings: 12 pm-3 pm and 6.30 pm11.30 pm. Biryanis ` 115 onwards.

Quality: 7.5/10 Choice: 4/10 Provenance: 7/10 Atmosphere: 5/10 Value: 7.5/10 Total: 31/50

— Marryam H Reshii

AUGUST 2012

Photographs SAURABH SISODIA

TPurani Dilli,

eat out restaurant spy

TWahid,

Lucknow

What the chola bhatura is to a true-blue Punjabi, biryani is to the Lucknowi. It is all-season fare that instantly brings back fond childhood memories. Wahid is a Lucknow institution that has been on every biryani lover’s itinerary since its inception in 1955. The main competition for Wahid comes from the much older Tunde Ke Kebab. The name has stuck on long after the original owner, so much so that now it has become synonymous with galauti and kakori kebabs. But Wahid scores over Tunde with the variety of food that it offers and its unbeatable biryanis. While Tunde offers only kebabs, Wahid’s menu features Biryani, Mutton Korma, Awadhi Korma, Mutton Masala, Mutton Mince and Kebabs. Wahid now has four branches but the flagship restaurant continues to be the Aminabad property. The décor is Spartan. There are portraits of the former Nawabs of Awadh but pride of place is occupied by the AUGUST 2012

‘new nawab’ — the thespian Dilip Kumar, in deep conversation with the proprietor, Abid Qureshi.

n THE BIRYANI The kitchen doles out endless plates of Mutton Biryani — Wahid’s signature dish. Cooked in the traditional Lucknowi style, the biryani is subtly spiced and has the most succulent meat that falls right off the bone. It is served with mutton gravy, which is cooked before being assembled for the biryani. The aroma of the kewra and saffron essence really comes through along with the spice mix. Qureshi is not about to divulge the secret of his masala base but he does inform us that the biryani uses a blend of 55 herbs and spices. The biryani on its own is subtly flavoured but to truly enjoy its meaty flavours, it is best eaten with the accompanying gravy. The Chicken Biryani has a milder taste with the chicken being moist and well cooked. Much like the mutton biryani, it is best eaten with the accompanying gravy.

n ORIGINS At Wahid, the Lucknowi style of biryanis dominates as opposed to the Hyderabadi style where both the meat and rice are cooked together in their raw state and called kacchi biryani. Lucknow (Awadhi) biryani is a form of pukki biryani where the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered and cooked. It is eaten with gravy or yoghurt.

Quality: 7/10 Choice: 5/10 Provenance: 7/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Value: 7/10 Total: 33/50

— Nasir Abid

n WHAT TO DRINK

The biryanis come with a standard beverage order of bottled water and aerated colas.

n INSIDER TIP

The pièce de résistance at Wahid apart from its legendary biryani is the kheer. This rice pudding comes served in clay cups and just melts in your mouth.

n DETAILS

Wahid, opposite Gopal House, near Novelty Cinema, Lalbaug, Lucknow. Outlets at Aminabad, Nazirabad and Gomtinagar. Tel: +91 522 2611878/ 6527961 Timings: 11 am-10 pm. Biryanis ` 60 onwards.

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BBC GoodFood 111

eat out restaurant spy of the country. His secret recipe was handed down over generations and today his grandson has created one of the largest brand names of the south — Dindigul Thalpakatti. We visited one of the nine branches, the one in Besant Nagar by the beach. It seats 130 and has simple, neat interiors and professional service. In true south Indian style, food is served in stainless steel crockery and the plates are shaped like banana leaves.

n THE BIRYANI Biryani is the signature dish here; there are six kinds to choose from apart from the famous chicken and mutton versions. The Mutton Kola Biryani (with keema mutton balls) is a favourite here. I order the Mutton,

n ORIGINS The key ingredient that differentiates its biryanis from others across the country is the rice. The grain used here is called Parakkam Sittu. It is high-quality Seeragasamba rice that is small in size. This rice is sourced exclusively from Dindigul. Instead of using ingredients such as saffron, which are synonymous with Lucknowi and Nawabi biryanis, a special blend of cinnamon, clove and cardamom forms the base of the biryani. This also explains the biryani’s dark brown colour.

n WHAT TO DRINK

One of Madurai’s specialities, called Jigar Thanda, is made proficiently here. It is a combination of milk, cream, almonds and cardamom. Definitely rich, but worth a try.

n INSIDER TIP

TDindigul Thalapakatti,

Clockwise from above: Chicken Biryani made with Seeragasamba rice; Dindigul Thalapakatti’s menu; Its modest entrance

112 BBC GoodFood

Chennai

In the late 1950s, a young lad in Dindigul, a small town near Madurai, decided to make and sell biryani for a living. This traditional, turban clad (thalapakatti in Tamil), self-proclaimed chef dished out the first boneless mutton biryani in the southern parts

Chicken and Vegetable Biryanis. The rice base is the same for all three. What distinguishes one from the other is the infusion of the juices from the meats and vegetables. I like the subtlety of the flavours and the generous amounts of boneless meat and vegetables. Cinnamon and cloves delicately flavour the food, and the chilli doesn’t overpower the palate. This kind of biryani is not moist and is hence paired with the restaurant’s unique creation called Dalcha (made with toor dal and mutton bones, aubergine and potatoes) and an onion raita. They go together perfectly in terms of taste and texture, with the crunchy raw onion giving it a little bite. The vegetable biryani has an accompanying spicy korma but possibly the Egg Curry in a spicy onion-tomato gravy pairs better.

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Mutton Sukka – small boneless pieces of meat fried with curry leaves and pepper – is a good accompaniment to the mildly flavoured biryani. Another ace dish here is the Karandi Omelette. This is made in a ladle and stuffed with meat or vegetables. Though dry, it proves that egg and biryani pair exceptionally well together.

n DETAILS

Dindigul Thalapakatti, No 36, II Main Road, No 35N, 5th Avenue, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Besant Nagar, Chennai. Tel: +91 44 42016640/41/44. Timings: 12 pm-11 pm. Branches at Parrys, Velachery, Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam, DLF IT Park, Ramavaram, Ashok Nagar and T. Nagar. Biryanis ` 115 onwards; accompaniments ` 125 onwards.

Quality: 7/10 Choice: 8/10 Provenance: 8/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Value: 7/10 Total: 36/50

— Lakshmi Baliga AUGUST 2012

TCafé Bahar, Hyderabad

If you mention biryani in Hyderabad, the Pavlovian response is either Paradise or Hyderabad House. Café Bahar is more of an underground hit, its cult credentials spread by word of mouth. The ‘Café’ in Café Bahar alludes to the ground floor that still serves chai and Osmania biscuits, puffs and luridly coloured cakes. Diners wishing to go to the restaurant section are directed behind the café, past the paan and takeaway counters and up a flight of stairs to the A/C and Family Room. The aroma of biryani hits you from the bottom of the staircase, and the wait for a table heightens your appetite. Inside, the ambience is similar to that of a thali joint: the tables are functional and shared, while the lighting, an orange-red, imparts an otherworldly glow. Waiters hustle in organised chaos but display the warmth associated with Hyderabad, not easy to find anymore.

Photographs NISHAT FATIMA

n THE BIRYANI Befitting a restaurant famous for its biryani, Café Bahar offers plenty of choice, including veg, egg and fish besides the more traditional mutton and chicken. There are also the Special Mutton and Special Chicken offerings – Special because each biryani is topped with three pieces of Chicken 65 and an egg. Yes, even the mutton one. We order the Veg Biryani, the Fish, and the Double Mutton and are promptly informed that this is a meal for six. We persist. The biryanis arrive in steaming, heaped copper bowls of rice; the Double Mutton has Chicken 65 and egg. All are served with the standard sides of Mirchi ka Salan and Dahi ki Chutney. A quick look is enough to confirm the rice is perfect – long-grained and separate. We begin with the Fish Biryani, an uncommon restaurant offering. Not promising. The fish is batter-fried, then mixed with the rice. There’s little taste of AUGUST 2012

eat out restaurant spy either biryani or fish in the rice. We try it with the Mirchi ka Salan, but it is too thin and the Dahi ki Chutney too watery. The Veg Biryani is a step up. The vegetables – potato, carrot, cauliflower and beans – though undercooked, impart their flavour to the rice, which also has a hint of milk. We hit the jackpot with the Double Mutton Biryani. It’s mild but flavourful, with hardly any oil. The meat is soft, though not pink, and we find ourselves having seconds.

n ORIGINS

Hyderabad is famous for its Kacche Gosht ki Biryani in which raw rice and raw meat are cooked together. Most biryanis in the city today though, are of the pukki variety, where semi-cooked rice is layered with a mutton/chicken korma. The best of these is the Bade Degh ki Biryani, made in huge pots, which is served at weddings and restaurants. This is the type Café Bahar serves.

n WHAT TO DRINK

In the summer, Café Bahar serves a special lassi, a dessert drink mixed with powdered cashew nuts and strawberry ice cream. For the rest, it has only a basic menu of soft drinks.

n INSIDER TIP

Neither ice cream nor the cloyingly sweet Qubani ka Meetha quite hit the spot after a heavy meal and a better option is to round off your meal with paan. The paan shop downstairs serves a sweet paan filled with gulkand that doubles up as dessert.

n DETAILS

Top: Café Bahar’s wholesome Special Chicken Biryani. Bottom: The efficient service at Café Bahar

Café Bahar, Multi-Cuisine Restaurant A/C and Family, H.No. 3-5-815, Hyderaguda, Hyderabad. Tel: +91 40 23243798. Timings 11 am-12 am. Biryanis ` 80 onwards; curries/ sides ` 80 onwards and desserts ` 30 onwards.

Quality: 7/10 Choice: 8/10 Provenance: 8/10 Atmosphere: 5/10 Value: 10/10 Total: 38/50

— Nishat Fatima

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eat out restaurant spy The underdog of the biryanis, the Paneer Tikka Biryani is surprisingly delicious. Generous chunks of paneer are coated with birista and the rice is fragrant with the khade (whole) masalas. With a few hits and misses, it’s safe to say we’d rather take home Jaffer Bhai’s flavour-packed biryani handis by the kilo than the carefully portioned half plates at the restaurant.

n ORIGINS

only hope for. Though stemming from the same roots, this branch is not to be confused with the city’s Delhi Darbar. A rift in the family business in 2002 caused Jaffer Bhai to branch out and start the Marine Lines outlet. Dressed in red and woody tones, the restaurant’s décor is functional, with bench and sofa seating.

Bhai’s TJaffer Delhi Darbar, Mumbai

Anyone who’s anyone in this country seems to have an opinion on the best biryani. If you’ve been living in Mumbai long enough, you’ll know the city’s top contenders for this claim juggle between Bandra’s Lucky Restaurant and Jeff Caterers, Grant Road’s Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar and the newest kids on the block – Arsalan and Kakori House. While we can’t deny that on some days nothing perks us up better than a greasy helping of Jeff’s mutton biryani, it has been Jaffer Bhai’s recipe for succulent mutton, encased within fried onion speckled basmati rice that has got us through many a wedding or dinner party. Touted as the ‘Biryani King of Mumbai’, Jaffer Bhai’s success is the kind most restaurateurs today can 114 BBC GoodFood

n THE BIRYANI We begin our meal with half portions of Mutton, Chicken and Paneer Tikka Biryani. The Mutton Biryani is just how we remember it – moist, fatty bits of mutton glistening with ghee mixed in the masala rice. Perfectly spiced and flavourful, the only let down is the lack of birista (fried onions) in our serving. Individual servings are dished out from a gigantic handi of biryani set on a wood-fired flame, so make sure you ask your server to dig deep for a generous helping of the masala. Our Chicken Biryani pales in comparison with an almost insipid flavour. We can’t taste any of the fragrant spices. To make matters worse, our Boondi Raita is sweet, which makes for a rather odd pairing. It is, however, rescued by the gingerlaced Dal Makhani, which in all its creamy glory lends some flavour to the rice.

Clockwise from left: Jaffer Bhai’s functional décor; The restaurant’s fragrant Mutton Biryani; Patrons lined up outside Shiraz in Kolkata; Plates of greasy biryani — mutton, chicken and vegetable

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Jaffer Bhai’s dum-cooked kacchi biryani has its roots in the Hyderabadi style of cooking. With yoghurt and birista as its base, the meat and the rice are cooked together in their raw form. No saffron or rose essence (kewra) is used here and the meat is the central character of this carefully orchestrated dish. The Jaffer Bhai dish, contrary to the style of the Hyderabadi biryani, uses potatoes but proprietor Hassan Mansuri insists this is an addition made only for the city’s diners.

n WHAT TO DRINK

The beverage menu is sparse and functional. Whatever eases the intake of grease is available – cold drinks, fresh lime soda and lassi. Don’t expect beer or liquor here.

n INSIDER TIP

Regular patrons swear by Jaffer Bhai’s Dum Pukht Biryani, a flavourful Hyderabadi creation that comes with saffron and green chillies and is cooked on dum. Order a handi of this biryani at home for a relaxed Sunday lunch.

n DETAILS

Jaffer Bhai Delhi Darbar, 195/197, Patthe Bapu Rao Marg, Grant Road (E), Mumbai. Tel: +91 22 23875656/ 97/ 98. With branches across Mumbai. Timings: 11.30 am-12 am. Biryani ` 80 onwards.

Quality: 6/10 Choice: 7/10 Provenance: 7/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Value: 7/10 Total: 33/50

— Kainaz Contractor AUGUST 2012

TShiraz,

eat out restaurant spy

Kolkata

The moment we enter Shiraz, we see an open kitchen with skewers of marinated meat all hanging in a line, waiting to be placed in the hot tandoor. The restaurant seats approximately 120 people. The noise levels of satisfied diners sitting in orderly rows are balanced by the calm waiters who converse minimally and answer questions in monosyllables. Shiraz is air-conditioned but its modest and fuss-free décor welcomes all and there is usually a wait to get in. There are no fancy napkins, formal plating or wine lists here, just good, wholesome food.

n THE BIRYANI The Mutton Biryani is served in a simple white plate piled high with rice and a succulent piece of mutton alongside a Chicken Chaap. The dish is quite dry and not too heavy on spices and masala. It is balanced by the very oily Chicken Chaap—a leg piece of the bird marinated and grilled with spices, then dunked into a pool of oil. It is the Mutton Chaap, however, that takes the prize for staying true to the cuisine of Awadh, which is rich in spices such as saffron and cardamom. The mention of a Special Chicken Biryani is rather intriguing and I discover that the Special Biryani offers two pieces of meat as opposed to the lone piece served with a regular order. We try the vegetarian biryani as well. Though well cooked, it is no match for its meaty counterparts.

doesn’t enhance the flavour of the biryani at all.

n INSIDER TIP

At the entrance stands a refrigerator stacked with firnis in earthen bowls. These boast of the perfect level of sweetness. If the wait for one seems too long, the takeaway option lets you enjoy the dessert in the comfort of your home.

n DETAILS

Shiraz Golden Restaurant, 135 Park Street, Kolkata. Tel: +91 33 22866806/6795. Timings: 12 pm-11.30 pm. Biryanis ` 120 onwards; Special Biryani ` 180 onwards; Firni ` 30.

Quality: 8/10 Choice: 7/10 Provenance: 8/10 Atmosphere: 3/10 Value: 9/10 Total: 35/50

— Manjri Agarwal

Photographs MANJRI AGARWAL

n ORIGINS

The biryani is prepared in the traditional Awadhi or Lucknowi way of making the pukki biryani by layering cooked rice and meat and cooking them dum style till the flavours mingle completely.

n WHAT TO DRINK

It is clear that the restaurant focuses primarily on food. Skip the array of soft drinks and fresh lime soda for the healthier option of water. The soda AUGUST 2012

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provspunter

Does your average diner agree with what the restaurant professionals think? Good Food reader Nikhil Sandhu and TV presenter Bikramjit Ray review Yeti - The Himalayan Kitchen in New Delhi

THE RESTAURANT

YETI Nestled in Delhi’s bustling Hauz Khas Village, Yeti- The Himalayan Kitchen, is a favourite for Tibetan and Nepali cuisine that goes well beyond the conventional momo and thukpa fare. This fuss-free restaurant offers a mélange of delicious snack platters ranging from shapta (buffalo meat) to phokso (goat meat) and vegetarian dishes such as Crispy Spinach and Wai Wai Noodles. Yeti’s signature dishes include the Buff Momos, Non-veg Tibetan Platter, Mushroom Datchi and the Nepali thali. n Yeti - The Himalayan Kitchen, 50 A, 2nd Floor, Hauz Khas Village, Hauz Khas, New Delhi. Tel: +91 11 66487668/431. Daily 12.30 pm - 11 pm. Average spend for two: ` 1,500 (without alcohol) excluding VAT and service charge.

Pushy table turning? No Regular water offered? No Veggie options? Yes

116 BBC GoodFood

THE PRO

Print and television journalist Bikramjit Ray is a food writer who has anchored, researched and produced an awardwinning television show called Secret Kitchen.

THE PUNTER

Nikhil Sandhu is a content strategist in the mobile sector. Travel, photography, movies and football are his favourite pastimes.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

THE SERVICE

From the moment we enter Yeti, we feel we have left behind the streets of New Delhi and walked into a Nepali eating-house in Kathmandu’s Thamel area. The exposed brick walls with beams running above add to the hilly, cosy feeling. The seating is comfortable, the menu quite extensive and no reservations are taken — seating is on a first-come first-served basis. The restaurant seats around 40 and has a large area where you can sit and wait for your table. We arrive on a Saturday afternoon for lunch.

The restaurant itself is compact and the service is quick and cheerful. The waiters are well informed, though sometimes a little intimidated by too many questions. That said, they do help us with whatever we want with minimal fuss and don’t really bother us when we want to be left alone.

Yeti, though conveniently located at the far end of Hauz Khas Village, requires you to climb to an upper floor before you can indulge in Nepali, Tibetan or Bhutanese cuisine. The place is reminiscent of what you will see when you visit these territories — it has prayer flags and also a rather intimidating wooden carving of Ganesh with pointy tusks. The restaurant is almost full when we visit on a Saturday afternoon, barring a huge seating area.

Two different waiters take our orders and my guess is that since we are there at noon, the staff is not at full strength; ergo the waiters, though pretty knowledgeable, have their hands full.

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eat out restaurant reviews

Piro (Spicy potatoes)

Tingmo (Tibetan bread)

Thukpa

THE FOOD

THE VERDICT

THE BILL

The menu is a spread of Nepali, Tibetan and Bhutanese cuisine. The food is simple and fulfilling, the flavours honest. We begin with a couple of starters. The Nepali Aloo Sadeko is simply an aloo sabzi tossed with turmeric, cumin seeds and bits of chilli among other spices. The Chicken Momos are plump and warm with just the right amount of blandness that is balanced by the spicy chilli sauces served with them. Unfortunately the restaurant doesn’t offer pork momos, just chicken, vegetable or buffalo meat ones. The Crispy Pork with Honey we dig into next is sweet, tangy and the meat is of excellent quality. However, it tastes more like something you would find in a Chinese restaurant. All the main courses come with their own bread, called tingmo, Tibetan steamed bread that tastes like a Chinese bao. I opt for the Nepali Thali as I firmly believe a thali is the best way to suss out a place when you eat there first. My non-vegetarian one has quite a few winners. The absolutely delicious and light Rai Ko Saag, with crunchy mustard greens, is delicious as is the Chicken Curry served with heaps of coriander which takes me back to wholesome dak bungalow cooking. There aren’t many dessert options but Hauz Khas Village has enough choices, so skipping it here is a great idea. Besides, the generously portioned food fills you up adequately.

Yeti is a restaurant worth several visits. The food is simple and well presented and most importantly, tasty. While I would not call the place spectacular, it has some good, honest cooking, something a lot of new places these days seem to lack.

Ray’s bill for two including two starters, one main course, one thali and two beers was ` 1,500 plus taxes.

FOOD: 7/10 ATMOSPHERE: 6/10 SERVICE: 7/10 TOTAL: 20/30 Go again? Certainly.

We decide to skip the traditional starters of momos and thukpa and opt Yeti is quite a good Sandhu’s bill for two including two for a Non-Veg Platter. We order a Veg Platter as well which includes Aloo experience. The staff is platters, three mains and four fresh Sadeko (sautéed potatoes), Waiwai Sadeko (noodles), Chana Bhuteo, and knowledgeable and the limes was ` 2,469 including taxes. tingmo (Tibetan bread). The taste is sedate, with the Aloo Sadeko strongly menu full of surprises, FOOD: 8/10 reminiscent of north Indian food. We love the Wai Wai Sadeko! The Nonespecially for those who ATMOSPHERE: 8/10 Veg Platter consists of Sukuti Sadeko (sautéed buffalo meat), Phokso are trying Himalayan SERVICE: 8/10 (sautéed goat lights), Macha Tareko (fish fried in mustard oil) and Bhatmas cuisine for the first time. Ra Chuira (spicy soya bean). The Sukuti Sadeko is by far the best buffalo TOTAL: 24/30 meat I have had in New Delhi, tender and almost perfect. The Phokso is a little chewy, but delicious nonetheless. The fish is, well, just fish. Nothing ? For Go again? much to write home about. For the non-veg main course, we get Sliced taurantnext s e r a w ’s It is definitely worth Pork and Vegetables. The pork is very well made, with revie d Food Want cteoto become Goorod review of anayding a visit. just enough spicing and enough for two people. The veg a chan email a 200-w d, with the he m. main course we try is the Mushroom Datchi accompanied e w r, it e w is t ev d@ pun ld nt you’v goodfoo by steamed rice. We feel that the rice, though customary, restauraPunter’, to bbc details. You cou t s c v a t o on ‘Pr should be replaced by the tingmo, as the former doesn’t h your c co.in wit cky one! properly complement the thick cheese gravy. e lu

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On a platter

Friends Union Joshi Club Tucked away in one of Mumbai’s oldest districts, Friends Union Joshi Club offers a home-style thali that’s steeped in history Words VIDYA BALACHANDER Photographs VIKAS MUNIPALLE

Friends Union Joshi Club has its share of lunch loyalists

120 BBC GoodFood

Y

ogesh Purohit has an uncanny memory for dates. He remembers, for instance, that the crumbling wooden building in which the restaurant he co-owns has been situated for more than 80 years, was demolished on April 17, 1988. After the building was renovated and the restaurant reappointed to look like the frill-free thali joint it is today, it reopened for business on May 28, 1990. How does he have such a head for numbers? “It’s the advantage of not studying,” explains Purohit, who joined the family business of dishing out home-style thali meals, straight after high school, at the age of 17. Against the backdrop of Mumbai’s bustling Kalbadevi area and framed by Purohit’s precise memory, the historic legacy of one of the city’s oldest restaurants is thrown into sharp relief. It isn’t very clear how Friends Union Joshi Club came to acquire its long-winded name. Legend goes that the restaurant was founded in 1941 by freedom fighter Govindram Shankarji Joshi, who intended for it to be a way of organising meals for his fellow Congressmen. As the ranks swelled and more members subscribed to the eatery’s monthly meal service, Joshi Bhojanalaya as it was known then, acquired the status of a ‘club’. (Under British rule, an eatery needed to have at least 30 members in order to acquire a licence and be called a club). But the present co-owner, who runs the place along with his brother Ashok, says his father bought over the business from

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AUGUST 2012

eat out off the eaten track a Gujarati gentleman called Suresh Joshi. No matter which version of the story is true, one fact is clear: the restaurant started off as a bhojanalaya (or khanaval in Marathi), where migrants to the city came looking for pocket-friendly nourishment. By the time Purohit’s father, who was in the business of renting eateries and running them for the original owners, took over Joshi Bhojanalaya, it had already acquired a loyal following for its authentic Gujarati thali. Purohit, who started his handson training in the business when he was 8 or 9 years old, remembers that although the offerings on the plate were not quite as varied when he was younger, the dishes had the same ‘ghar ka swaad’ that he endeavours to deliver today. The carefully calibrated yet colourful thali you get today is a far cry from the dal-roti-sabzi staples that the restaurant dished out in its early days. If you think of the thali as a theatrical ensemble, the central cast is made of four kinds of vegetable dishes, two types of dal, fluffy, homestyle rotis and rustic, rich and biscuity wheat flour bhakris with a generous lashing of ghee. No matter which day you go – or for what meal – you are sure to be served these, in a variety of permutations and combinations. For instance, two of the four sabzis are always made of green vegetables such as ladyfinger, bottle gourd or doodhi, cabbage, cauliflower and ivy gourd (tendli or tindola), among others. Of the other two sabzis, one is always potato-based while the other is made of sprouts. Similarly, a variety of dals are on offer through the week. The classic Gujarati tuvar dal, more sweet than savoury, is constant through the week while the second, a spicy dal, is made of tuvar dal, moong dal, urad dal or a combination of chana and moong dal. On one day, you may find nutty bajra rotis on the menu, and on another, flaky puran polis filled with a sweet chana dal mixture. The sweet dish of the day, which changes daily and includes popular favourites AUGUST 2012

The sign of times gone by

The colourful spread of dishes varies daily

WHAT WE LIKE The small, biscuit-sized bhakris are crumbly and melt in your mouth. Dunk these in the sweet dal for an interesting combination of textures and flavours. In addition to regular rotis and bhakris, try the different rotis that are prepared specially for each day of the week.

Yogesh Purohit has had handson training in the business

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BBC GoodFood 121

eat out off the eaten track such as rasagulla and basundi, is not included in the price of the thali. But ` 20 is a small price to pay especially for the aam ras, which is available daily all through summer. Then come the accoutrements that sit on the periphery of the round thali but contribute significantly to the symphony the meal creates on your palate. Whether it’s a small, sweetish kachori or a springy dhokla, a smidgen of spicy pickle, a small mound of green salad with a sliver of lime to squeeze on top or a glass of cool, coriander-flecked buttermilk to wash down your meal, these bit players occupy pride of place on the thali.

‘‘

a dal fry.” Since Purohit took over the business, the price of the thali has seen a tenfold increase but it is still one of the cheapest you will find today in Mumbai. Perched on one of the spartan cushioned benches, peering out of the tall street-facing windows of the restaurant, on to the crowded streets below, it’s easy to see why keeping prices down is a sound business decision on Purohit’s part. Once considered the very heart of Mumbai, its narrow lanes crammed willy-nilly with small businesses, wholesale steel and cloth markets and residential buildings, Kalbadevi is no longer

The unhurried service is one of the highlights of a meal here

Since Purohit took over the business, the price of the thali at Friends Union Joshi Club has seen a tenfold increase but it is still one of the cheapest you will find in Mumbai

‘‘

When it comes to the world of Gujarati thalis in Mumbai, where a small number of established restaurants jostle to ply customers with a dizzying array of choices, the Friends Union Joshi Club thali is modest in scale and ambition. There is a small yet well-made selection of dishes on offer every day. Even if you visit during the peak lunch hour, you can enjoy an unhurried meal, with waiters coaxing you to eat just one more roti or to try some more of the special sabzi, rather than having a number of small katoris flying at you at a terrifying pace. Most importantly, oil and ghee are used sparingly, so you can have a meal here and still clock in a full day’s work, without slumping into a food coma. Purohit says the decision to go easy on the grease is a strictly pragmatic one. “We are not fond of using oil because it is the most expensive commodity,” he says. “We have to play the game in ` 130, whereas most restaurants would charge you the same amount for just

the real estate goldmine it once was. While still the location of choice for an array of businesses, its residential buildings are crumbling, with oldtime residents following the city on its outward march. “The kind of people who now frequent my restaurant are businessmen from across the country who come looking for a quick, home-cooked meal,” says Purohit. “Logically, it doesn’t make sense to charge them ` 200 or ` 300 for a meal. People with money don’t prefer to come to Kalbadevi nowadays.” Yet it’s precisely because it offers a slice of Mumbai that’s rapidly receding from view that you should go to Friends Union Joshi Club. Don’t go seeking creature comforts like air conditioning or a thali that bedazzles you with variety and flair. But go for value for money nosh that comes with an extra serving of nostalgia for a city as it once was. Address: Society No 381, First floor, A Wing, Narottamwadi, Kalbadevi Road, Kalbadevi, Mumbai. Tel: +91 22 22058089

The thali offers a variety of tastes at a reasonable price

These thalis have been in use since 1964

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eat out restaurant recipe

Signature dish Punjab Grill

Jiggs Kalra, who has earned the sobriquet of ‘The Czar of Indian Cuisine’ first established Punjab Grill in 2008 in New Delhi. Its Mumbai outpost, headed by Chef Gurpreet Singh draws inspiration from the traditional cuisine of Punjab and its bordering regions of Amritsar, Multan and Patiala. The sprawling, one-year-old fine dining restaurant in Juhu offers an eclectic range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian barbecues and houses a lounge as well.

Chef Gurpreet Singh shares his recipe for a tandoori dish with a modern twist

Salmon tikka Serves 4 n 45 minutes n EASY salmon 1kg red wine vinegar 6 tbsp (try Cirio available at gourmet stores) garlic paste 2 tbsp ginger paste 2 tbsp fennel seeds 1 tsp star anise 1 salt to taste hung curd 150g cream 2 tbsp Cheddar cheese 30g, grated and mashed mustard oil 2 tbsp carom seeds (ajwain) 1/2 tsp paprika powder 3/4 tsp dill 1 sprig, chopped honey 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp salt to taste mango powder (aamchur) to garnish black salt (kala namak) to garnish fenugreek leaf powder (kasoori methi) to garnish

n Whisk the curd in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Evenly rub the fish with this marinade and reserve for 15 more minutes. n Skewer the cubes, keeping a little space between each one; keep a tray underneath to collect the drippings.

n Roast in a moderately hot oven for 5-6 minutes or on a charcoal grill for the same time. Garnish with a sprinkling of aamchur, black salt and kasoori methi. Serve immediately.

n Clean and pat dry the salmon and cut into 2 1/2-inch cubes. Mix the vinegar, ginger and garlic paste, fennel seeds, star anise and salt and evenly rub the fish cubes with this paste. Keep aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

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eat away Fabulous foodie destinations in India. Take your tastebuds on a trip!

IN THIS ISSUE

T Eat like a local in Kolkata and Darjeeling, p 126 T Delhi’s multicultural food offerings, p 132 T Budget & Blowout Chennai, p 137 T Postcard from Bengaluru, p 140

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EAT LIKE A LOCAL

Kolkata and Darjeeling Writer Christine Manfield dishes about the city of joy and its stunning culinary legacy

Kewpie’s tomato chutney Serves 8 n 20 minutes n EASY

Text, recipes and photographs adapted from TASTING INDIA by CHRISTINE MANFIELD, Photographs by ANSON SMART. Published by LANTERN, PENGUIN BOOKS.

B

engali food is elegant, richly flavoured and textured. Lightness of touch is the key, and great stress is placed on how spices are ground and how much water is used to make them into a paste, with the finesse of the paste being paramount. Panch phoran is Bengali five-spice mix, and its flavours define the Bengali kitchen. Many dishes are characterised by the astute use of mustard seeds (brown and yellow) tempered in mustard oil with dried chilli and curry leaves; white poppy seeds (khus khus) are used in equal measure. Fish plays an integral role in Bengali cooking, to the extent that fish curry is considered inseparable from the Bengali temperament. The city’s coastal position and inland waterways produce abundant supplies, with freshwater fish being more highly sought-after than seawater fish. We are lucky enough to be in Kolkata for the start of the hilsa season. Related to the herring family, these small, silver bony fish are known as ilish in local dialect, and their arrival has everyone excited. During their short season, they appear at every meal: we have hilsa for lunch the first day, check it out at the fish market, have it for lunch again the second day and then twice more for dinner.

126 BBC GoodFood

In the days of colonial rule, the British initiated the tradition of tiffin – little snacks to nibble on – and it has become an essential component of Indian culinary culture. At the same time, the British memsahibs taught and encouraged their house cooks to make cakes and breads, setting the precedent for sweets and desserts. Kolkata is now synonymous with sweets. Sandesh is perhaps the most renowned local sweet. Its name is the Bengali word for ‘message’ and it is held in special regard. Originally produced in the private kitchens of the wealthy, it is now made by professional confectioners. We also taste mishti doi, the highly revered sweet curd that every Bengali is brought up on. Made from reduced milk, combined with caramelised jaggery (palm sugar) and curd, then set in small earthenware cups or vessels, it’s rich and luscious.

A delicious fresh relish from Kewpie’s Kitchen, where it is served as an accompaniment to almost everything. Christine Manfield is one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs and cookbook writers. An inveterate traveller, Manfield regularly hosts gastronomic tours to destinations like India, Morocco, Spain and Turkey.

EASY BENGALI MENU TKewpie’s tomato chutney TTatul Ilish Bhaja TAlur dom TBati chorchori TRasagullas

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mustard oil 1 tsp panch phoran 2 pinches (recipe below) tomatoes 250g, chopped salt 2 tsp ginger 1 tbsp, julienned chilli powder 1/2 tsp seedless raisins or sultanas 1 tbsp, soaked in water and drained sugar 3 tbsp THE PANCH PHORAN cumin seeds 2 tsp brown mustard seeds 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 tsp nigella seeds 2 tsp n Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai or wok. Add the panch phoran and fry over medium heat until it stops spluttering. n Add the tomato and stir to coat with the spices. Mix in 2 tsp salt, then cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. n Add the ginger, chilli powder and raisins and stir to combine. n Stir in the sugar and 1 cup (250ml) water. n Simmer for 10 minutes until the tomato is cooked and the chutney has thickened. n Season with salt to taste and allow to cool before using.

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eat away west bengal

A bustling local market in Kolkata Alur dom

Kewpie’s tomato chutney Picking tea in Darjeeling

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Sorting tea at Glenburn Tea Factory

Tatul ilish bhaja (Fried tamarind fish) Serves 6 n 20 minutes n EASY Choose whole fish, then ask for it to be gutted, scaled and cut across the body into 4-5 cm thick slices. This preparation can be served with other dishes at a shared table — it is equally delicious with paratha or steamed rice. turmeric 2 tbsp, ground salt 2 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp tamarind juice 1 tbsp hilsa fish slices 6x10g vegetable oil 50ml dried red chillies 4

MINI ESCAPE DARJEELING n Our travels also take us to Glenburn Tea Estate, near the hill-station town of Darjeeling. The area around Darjeeling is blessed with a climate and topography that is perfect for cultivating tea, and its estates produce some of the finest teas in the world. The mist-shrouded mountains are covered in the distinctive velvety hummocks of tea plantations. It’s impossible not to get caught up in the infectious passion of Sanjay, the estate manager at Glenburn Estate’s tea factory. He describes the subtle nuances of tea using the sort of language usually reserved for fine wines or olive oils. He talks about terroir like a vigneron, explaining that the role of the tea maker is to coax the flavours of the earth from the leaf. He is thoroughly engaging and — as we learn the difference between the grades of tea, from STGFOP (superfine tippy golden flowery orange pekoe) to GBOP (golden broken orange pekoe) and OF (orange fanning, or dust, often used in teabags) — we are held captive by his charm and knowledge. n Touring the factory, with its enormous airing and drying rooms, we watch as women grade and sort tea leaves — a monotonous but painstaking task. We appreciate all the work that has gone into producing such exquisite teas as we sit and taste freshly brewed pots of first and second flush, monsoon and autumn flush teas, comparing their flavour notes. Finally, we sample the delicate elixir of silver needles, the champagne of teas — a white tea whose tiny needles are taken from the bud of the plant. Sanjay shares our table at dinner and conversation is lively and centred around food, tea, wine, life, books and the eternal quest of capturing flavour. 128 BBC GoodFood

n Mix the turmeric, salt, chilli powder and sugar with enough plain water to make a thick paste. n Add the tamarind liquid and mix. n Roll the fish slices in the paste until they are thoroughly coated. n Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the dried chillies. n Fry the slices over a high heat for 3 minutes or until golden on one side, then flip over and fry the other side for two minutes. Serve hot.

Alur dom (Curried potatoes) Serves 8 n 40 minutes n EASY A remarkable dish starring the humble yet versatile potato. Try it with grilled fish – or, for a carb overload, have it with rich, flaky puris. ghee 4 tbsp bay leaves 2 cinnamon stick 2cm piece, broken into small pieces green cardamom pods 4, crushed cloves 4 tomatoes 3, deseeded and diced small potatoes 1kg, boiled and peeled salt 1/2 tsp THE SPICE MIX coriander 1 tbsp, ground cumin 3 tbsp, ground

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black pepper 1 tbsp, freshly ground turmeric 1/4 tsp, ground salt 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp n To make the spice mix, thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container and use as required. n Mix 4 tbsp of the prepared spice mix in a bowl with a little water, enough to make a paste. n Heat the ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves for a minute. Add the spice paste and fry for 2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant but not burning. n Add the tomato and cook for 20 minutes or until mushy. n Pour in 1 cup (250ml) water and bring to a boil. n Add the potatoes and boil for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer until most of the water has been absorbed. n Season with salt and serve.

Bati chorchori (Steamed vegetables) Serves 4 n 30 minutes + 30 minutes for marinating n EASY This dish came about through thriftiness, with cooks using vegetable stems that would normally be thrown away. You can use cauliflower, potato, aubergine, white radish and peas. Or perhaps okra, pumpkin and bitter gourd. You need to cook the vegetables in a pan that holds them snugly, with a small gap at the top and a tight-fitting lid. Traditionally, a brass bowl or bati is used. turmeric 1 tsp, ground chilli powder 1/2 tsp mustard powder 2 tsp salt 1 tsp mustard oil 4 tbsp assorted vegetables 450g, diced into 2-cm pieces onion 2 tbsp, minced small green chillies 5, split lengthways n Combine the turmeric, chilli powder, mustard powder, salt and mustard oil in AUGUST 2012

eat away west bengal

The simple joy of drinking tea from a clay cup

Tatul ilish bhaja

Bati chorchori

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BBC GoodFood 129

eat away west bengal At the local fish market

a bowl. Add the vegetables, onions and green chillies, tossing to coat with the spiced oil. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes. n Transfer the vegetables and marinade to a large, heavy-based saucepan or casserole. n Cover and cook over a gentle heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. The vegetables will cook in their own juices. n Remove from the heat and serve with hot, puffed puris.

Rasagullas (Curd-cheese balls in rose syrup) Makes 8 n 40 minutes n EASY One of the definitive Bengali sweets and a popular dessert in Kolkata, these are served at birthdays and wedding anniversaries. curd cheese 120g coarse semolina 60g

Rasagulla in rose syrup

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE n As meals are prepared, they are placed on the table one at a time and eaten in sequence, with rice. There is apparently a strict adherence to the six primary tastes — bitter, salty, pungent, sour, sweet and astringent — hence the order, to appreciate the distinct flavours. n I learn about the way a Bengali meal is constructed during an afternoon at the home of local cook and food writer Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta. The owner of Kewpie’s restaurant, Rakhi is a veritable fount of knowledge when it comes to Bengali cooking. n Rice is served first, drizzled with warm ghee, and with lime wedges, chopped chilli and salt on the side. Shukto follows, then dal and fried vegetables. Fish is up next, beginning with some that are lightly spiced, then on to heavier flavours and textures. Out comes shellfish, before chicken and mutton. Sweet and sour chutneys and crisp wafers act as a finalé to the savoury dishes before the meal is completed with a sweet mishti doi. Eating like this everyday can be a marathon, and such a feast is reserved for special occasions or visiting guests.

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baking powder 1 tsp whole almonds 8, blanched caster sugar 85g rose water 1 tsp n Mix the curd cheese with the semolina and baking powder. Knead into a soft dough and roll into 8 small balls. Push an almond into the centre of each ball and close over. n Heat 260ml water and the sugar in a saucepan and boil for 10 minutes to make a light syrup or until the mixture is pale golden. n Pour one-third of the syrup into a heatproof container and add the rose water. Set aside and allow to cool. n Keep the remaining syrup simmering over a low heat. Gently add the curd balls to the syrup and poach for 15 minutes, turning with a slotted spoon so they cook evenly. They will expand as they cook. n Remove the rasagullas from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place in serving dishes. Spoon the cooled rose syrup over the top and serve.

eat away west bengal

Kolkata’s inimitable Indian Coffee House

MINI-GUIDE KOLKATA AND DARJEELING KOLKATA

n EAT Dubbed ‘the street that never sleeps’, Park Street is Kolkata’s most popular dining district, replete with restaurants, coffee houses and pubs. Stop at Nizam’s (Hogg Street, New Market) for a chicken kathi roll, renowned as one of India’s best. With stuffed omelettes for breakfast, or cakes and pastries at any time, eating at the

old-fashioned Flury’s (flurysindia.com) is like living in an endearing time warp. At Kewpie’s (kewpieskitchen.com), you can dig into traditional Bengali specialities. Indian Coffee House (15, Bankim Chatterjee Street) is a literary meeting place and landmark, crowded with students and intellectuals. Aaheli (peerlesshotels.com) serves traditional Bengali specialities such as chingri malai curry. Bhojohori Manna (Tel: +91 33 24545922) is a lunchtime favourite with locals. The Jumbo Chingri Malai Curry is sensational as is the fried bhekti. n STAY Opposite the zoo and 10 minutes from the city centre, Taj Bengal hotel (tajhotels.com) offers outstanding service — some rooms even come with their own ‘cyber butler.’ For total pampering, request one of the larger rooms or suites on the club floors. n DO Step into K C Das (11A, Esplanade East) for the best rasagulla in the city.

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Another noteworthy sweet shop is Ganguram (46C, Chowringhee Road) – try the sandesh, rasagulla and mishti doi.

DARJEELING

n EAT The Nepalese thali and momos are good reasons to go to Penang (Laden La Road). At Dekevas (51, Gandhi Road), you get robust Tibetan food – bring an appetite! Glenarys (The Mall) is a two-storey place serving pastries and cakes downstairs in the tea house. Upstairs is more restaurant style, serving Indian and local dishes. n STAY A colonial estate house with exceptional views, generously proportioned rooms and wonderful home-cooked food, Glenburn Tea Estate (glenburnteaestate.com) makes you feel totally at home. Clinging to the mist-shrouded ridge, Windamere Hotel (windamerehotel.com) is an original heritage house of the Himalayas. Ask for one of the four suites, which come replete with fireplaces.

CITY ON THE PLATE

Multiculti Delhi Think beyond butter chicken. Cosmopolitan Delhi is bursting at the seams with speciality restaurants offering virtually every cuisine on the planet Words ANOOTHI VISHAL

For decades, the canteens running out of various state bhawans have been New Delhi’s best-kept secret — though, of course, those like the Andhra Bhawan canteen are now part of the city’s culinary lore. The Assamese restaurant chain Jakoi runs one of the city’s lesser-known canteens at Assam Bhawan (Tel: +91 11 24108605) in Chanakyapuri. This is the place to go to for light tengas (sour fish in tomato gravy), fried fish, mutton, lentils and pithe (an Assamese sweet dish). There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, and during the pleasant Delhi winters the latter is preferable as you can plonk yourself down on comfortable cane armchairs. Assamese cuisine usually follows a course-by-course pattern much like Bengali food — you begin with the astringent khar items and move on to the lentils, fish and mutton, each eaten with small mounds of rice. The best bet here is to order a thali with a meal for two coming up to approximately ` 700. Dilli Haat, an open-air food plaza and crafts bazaar, is another popular place for more unusual regional cuisines, although in recent years, the food at the stalls has become ‘Delhiised’ and you now find bastardised momos and chow mein all around instead of authentic regional stuff. At the Tashi Delek stall (Tel: +91 98111 27087) however, try the thukpa (a meaty Tibetan noodle soup). For years, south Indian food in Delhi meant tiffin items—dosas, idlis, vadai. And the place to get

these would have been Sagar Ratna (sagarratna.in) in Defence Colony, where the legendary Jayram Banan (whose rags-to-riches story, from a runaway kid to India’s most successful restaurateur reads like a film script) would stand outside the door, welcoming his patrons inside. But today, for authentic curries, puttus (a steamed rice preparation), pulusus (a gravy dish from the Andhra region), gassis et al, head to Zambar at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj (Tel: +91 11 66487668 Ext: 505). Exfilmmaker Arun Kumar took up the mantle of chef here a year and half ago and has since transformed the menu, peppering it with home-style, authentic recipes picked up from extensive travels across peninsular India. Try the shark puttu — this is one of the few places in Delhi that actually manages to source the shark from Tamil Nadu. The puttu comes as part of a platter with fish curry, a vegetable dish, appam and Malabari parotta (` 925 for the entire thing). Karimeen polichatu (` 875), whole fish wrapped in a banana leaf, is also a must try; it tastes just the way it would in Kerala. Gunpowder (gunpowder.co.in) in Hauz Khas Village has its own boho charm with a fantastic view. It serves delicious home-style appams with stew, avial and red pumpkin curry. For meatier flavours from the north like ristas (meatballs cooked in gravy) and tabak maaz (fatty ribs cooked in milk) as well as delicately cooked greens like haak, try the Kashmiri wazwaan at Chor Bizzare (chorbizarre.

com). The quirkily designed restaurant offers pan-Indian food but it’s the Kashmiri offerings that are a particular favourite. While the wazwaan is on order only (minimum 8 people), there is a Kashmiri tarami (thali) available everyday at the restaurant with 12 dishes for ` 675 plus taxes. The full wazwaan experience, of course, could go up to a huge 12 course meal (36 dishes) for ` 1,800. If you wish to sample AfghanUzbeki rice preparations or mutton dumplings with a yoghurt-lentil sauce on top — an Afghan speciality,

Below: Head to Yeti for Tibetan and Nepali fare; Gung’s stylish interiors Facing page, clockwise: Elma’s tea house is hidden away in the narrow lanes of Hauz Khas Village; Cupcakes at Elma’s tea house; Behind the scenes at Elma’s; New Delhi’s latest French restaurant, Rara Avis

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Photograph ANOOP NEGI

EAT

Photograph ANOOP NEGI

Photograph ANOOP NEGI

Photograph ANOOP NEGI

Photograph ANOOP NEGI

eat away local knowledge

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Photograph ANOOP NEGI

try the Afghan Darbar restaurant in Lajpat Nagar (Tel: +91 98992 22022), a locality where many migrants from Afghanistan have found a home. Prices are reasonable with a meal for two costing about ` 600. The dominant culture in Delhi, despite its cosmopolitanism, is still Punjabi, which is why it is odd that you do not really find great Lahori/ Amritsari dishes too easily here. One restaurant where you can sample food from the undivided Punjab is Singh Sahib at Hotel Eros in Nehru Place (hilton.com/ErosNehruPlace). Go there for legendary dishes such as Meat Beliram and perfectly charroasted bhatti da murg. Meal for two is approximately ` 3,500. If you are an expatriate, you are unlikely to miss the food in your home country too much what with Delhiites experimenting more than ever with international flavours. Gung in Green Park (Tel: +91 98712 95093) is great if you want a taste of Korean — grills cooked on the table, glass noodles with beef, chicken in hot pepper sauce and of course several types of 134 BBC GoodFood

kimchi. There’s traditional low seating, hostesses dressed in Korean garb and even karaoke! A meal for two works out to approximately ` 3,500 but is well worth it. Delhi’s all-time favourite is, of course, Chinese. But now, with palates getting increasingly sophisticated, you are more likely to come across specialised cuisines rather than Chindian Manchurian. RED (radissonblu.com/noida) is one of the most underrated Singapore-style restaurants in the city. The affable chef Raymond Sim makes anything from Singapore style crabs to delicious coffee-flavoured pork ribs. Meal for two is approximately ` 3,000. If you dig Greek food, head to It’s Greek To Me (B-6/4, Commercial Market, Safdarjung Enclave, Hauz Khas) for souvlaki and dolmades (vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat), chicken stuffed with olives and feta

Clockwise from below: Try the tagine at Sevilla; Gunpowder’s south Indian delicacies; Barbecued meat at Wildfire; French food at Rara Avis; The romantic interiors of Sevilla; Chez Nini’s chefproprietor, Nira Singh; Its baked goodies

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all washed down with ouzo. Spanish tapas are best eaten at the beautiful Sevilla at the Claridges Hotel in Delhi (claridges.com/ the-claridges-newdelhi). Grab a seat outdoors on a balmy evening and make it a fun night out with jugs of sangria. A meal for two is approximately ` 5,000. For something new, try the Brazilian churrascaria, Wildfire, at Hotel Crowne Plaza in Gurgaon (Tel: +91 124 4534000). This is a carnivore’s haven — you can barbecue your choice of meat that arrives grandly on the table skewered with swords. Waiters suggest the best dips to go with the tenderloin or poultry or fish. A meal for one costs approximately ` 2,500. At Café 2 2 Tango in Hauz Khas Village (+91 95605 44944), you get to dig into Latin American delights such as Ceviche Tres Maneras and Chiquito Tres Hamburguesas. However, it is French cuisine that is currently the trendiest of them all. Chez Nini (Tel: +91 95602 11223) is the latest to have opened up at upcoming high street destination Meherchand Market, just off Lodhi Road. It serves delicious bakery items among other things. Try the petit gateaux — Red Velvet Cupcake and Lemon Cupcake — as also their Sticky Toffee Pudding. The lovely Pain Au Chocolat will make you nostalgic for Paris. A meal for two costs approximately ` 2,000. Run by its French and Indian owners, Rara Avis (Tel: +91 11 41085544) serves no-fuss French fare which is fast catching the fancy of AUGUST 2012

eat away local knowledge Dilliwallahs. Try the leek tart and the Scottish salmon and also the terrine de Jerome made from rabbit. Meal for two: ` 2,000. Elma’s tearoom in Hauz Khas Village (Tel: +91 11 26521020) is absolutely wonderful. Named after the owners’ dog and done up in a style reminiscent of an old English country home, this restaurant serves fabulous cakes and bakes, including superb lemon, carrot and red velvet cakes — not necessarily ‘English’ but fresh and wholesome nonetheless. Everyday specials range from a surprisingly good shepherd’s pie to the best French onion soup you can find in Delhi. And the tea is always a delight, served in floral crockery imported from London (which ironically is made in India, but only available in the UK). Tea and snacks for two could come for as little as ` 600. Yeti (Tel: +91 11 43333618) is the place to head to for gyuma, the fatty Tibetan sausage and butter

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multi-function and fan assisted gas ovens in classic colours. Bertazzoni presents a famous product called the Bertazzoni Professional series; a 122 cm super-wide electric range cooker is an uncompromising statement of power and prestige in your kitchen which is now available in India. The cook top has six gas burners and a stainless-steel electric teppanyaki griddle. The Bertazzoni traditions of imagination and fine engineering come alive with brilliant new Built-in appliances that the boutique has to offer, which include Built-in coffee machines, Built-in electric ovens/Combi microwave/Steam oven, Built-in induction Hob, Built-in 5 burner hob and more.

eat away local knowledge

tea, to wash it down with. We also recommend the Pork with Sesame Seeds. There are other more familiar Chinese-esque dishes. Yeti makes for a fairly enjoyable experience at just about ` 1000 for two. The new restaurant in town, Dzukou (Tel: +91 9873306174), serves Naga food and overlooks the lake. Try the Pork Anishi (pork cooked with dried yam leaves) for ` 249, boiled veggies, sticky rice and the akhune chutney (made of fermented soya beans).

SLEEP

Delhi has some of the best hotels in the country. The Park at Connaught Place (theparkhotels.com) is a quirkily designed hotel, centrally located, with a great pool and spa. Or you can stay at the plush ITC Maurya in Chanakyapuri. It has some of the best restaurant brands in India, including Bukhara and Dum Pukht, the Awadhi speciality restaurant (itchotels.in/luxury-hotel). For a quieter neighbourhood, try the boutique charms of The Manor in leafy Friend’s Colony (themanordelhi.com).

SHOP

For mithai and namkeen, visit Ghantewala (ghantewala.com), the oldest sweet shop in India that traces its origins to the Mughal times (it opened in 1790), and which was said to be a favourite of Bahadur Shah Zafar 136 BBC GoodFood

as well as of the Indian soldiers who fought in the Battle of 1857. You can take home traditional, ghee-laden dishes such as sohan halwa (made from sugar, clarified butter and dried fruits), balushahi, dal ke samose and kachoris.

DO

A chaat trail in Chandni Chowk in the old city. Shahjahanabad’s chaat is distinctive and you will not find these flavours anywhere else. The dahi wade

Clockwise from top left: Authentic south Indian food at Zambar; Its Moplah biryani; Try the idlis in a pouch

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(they are referred to by their Gujarati name, not dahi bhalla) at Shankar’s (Tel: +91 98919 56445) outside the Raymond store at the mouth of Nai Sarak are delicious; the yoghurt is plain, not sweet and is flavoured with just a dash of saunth. The 70-year-old man who dispenses these has been sitting at the same spot for years; he is something of an urban legend now. Natraj (Tel: +91 98111 67400), set up in 1940, is equally famous for its dahi bhalla. Bishen Chaat Bhandar (Tel: +91 98183 64070), set up in 1920, near Bank of India, has just fruit chaat (made with every conceivable fruit available in the season) and aloo chaat in his repertoire. Both come laced with a blend of secret, homemade spices. Third-generation owner Nand Kishore says as many as 20-25 spices go into this blend. In another lane, Rewariwalle’s (Tel: +91 98100 69737: the shop is actually called Sagar Mal Brijbhushan, after the patriarch) bedmi puri comes accompanied by a spicy potato curry flavoured with bitter yet tangy methi dana chutney, also homemade. And in Hauz Quazi, the renowned Ashok Chaat Bhandar (Tel: +91 9811467238: there are two of them, on either side of the road) serves up golgappas filled with deliciously spicy flavoured water and the elusive kalmi bade. Here again, we are told, about 20 masalas go into the blend. The recipe, alas, is a secret. AUGUST 2012

eat away city break

Chennai

There’s more to Chennai than its much loved idlis, vadais and masala dosas Words KALPANA SUNDER

MUST DO

HOTEL

DRINK

DINNER

LUNCH

BUDGET

AUGUST 2012

BLOWOUT

Chennai is no longer just the poster city for traditional South Indian food. Today, this bustling metro offers a much expanded (and more international) culinary landscape replete with swish lounges, tapas bars and tony boutique hotels.

T Head to Ponnuswamy (Tel: +91 44 28130987) for an authentic Chettinad meal in a no-frills ambience. This flagship branch serves spicy, pungent food. Try its delicacies like Fish Varuval, ` 134 and Picha Pottu Kozhi (Pepper Chicken), ` 125. T Vrindavan Restaurant (New Woodlands Hotel, Mylapore) has a typical South Indian ambience. Regular thali from ` 160 and the lavish Maharaja thali, ` 225.

T Annalakshmi (Tel: +91 44 28525109), named after the Goddess of Food, is part of an international chain of vegetarian restaurants, run completely by volunteers. This is home-style veggie food at its best. Try the specialities like Yennai Kathrikai (spicy eggplant), ` 200 and Thengai Saadam (coconut rice), ` 200 or the thali, ` 590.

T For delicious idlis served with a wide range of chutneys, visit Murugan Idli Shop (muruganidlishop. com) which has many branches around town. Besides the idlis, try the sweet pongal, vadais, masala dosa and onion uthappam. Prices from ` 18 upwards. T At Amaravathi (Tel: +91 44 28116416), a familystyle restaurant serving authentic Andhra food, try the veg thali, ` 155 or their signature dishes like fish fry, approximately ` 200 per dish.

T Make a beeline for the newly refurbished Southern Spice at the Taj Coromandel (tajhotels.com). This restaurant offers delicacies from the four southern states. Don’t miss the starters like Vazhapoo Aamavadai (crisp galettes of banana blossom and lentils). Starters from ` 250 upwards and the thali from ` 1,800.

T The trendy Hudson’s lounge bar at the Harrisons Hotel (harrisonshotels.com), an upscale boutique hotel, offers snacks like Vol au Vents and Tofu Pepper Onion to go with their wide range of alcohol offerings. Drinks from ` 80 upwards. T Head to the hip Escape Pub at Hotel Green Park (Tel: +91 44 66515151) with its mood lighting, hip hop music and small dance floor. Try the cocktails, approximately ` 450 each.

T At the Spanish-styled Zara Tapas Bar (zaratapasbar.in), you can feast on starters like croquetas, ` 165. They also offer wholesome platters of pasta and veggies. Try the restaurant’s twist on Cosmopolitan, a mix of vodka, Cointreau, cranberry and lime juice, ` 265 or its Mojito and Sangria, ` 395.

T The 50-year-old Woodlands Hotel (newwoodlands.com) is situated in the heart of the city and offers rooms, suites and cottages to suit all budgets. Doubles from approximately ` 2,100. T Deccan Plaza (deccanhotels.com), located in central Chennai, has 110 rooms on 9 floors with bathrooms boasting state-of-the-art fixtures and ergonomic writing desks. Doubles from approximately ` 5,000.

T The swish Park, Chennai (theparkhotels.com) is located in the heart of the city. This 214-room hotel stands on the historic site of Gemini Studios. Its Lotus restaurant serves great gourmet Thai food. You can also head to Six-0-One, the 24-hour coffee shop or sip martinis at the Leather Bar. Doubles from ` 11,500 upwards.

T Head to the Fruit Shop On Greams Road (fruitshopongreamsroad.in), a chain of fruit bars. Dig into their fresh fruit juices, milk shakes, and ice cream sodas as well as snacks like stuffed sandwiches. Also indulge in their desserts like Fruit and Kulfi Faloodas. Prices from ` 25 upwards. T Head to Marina Beach and taste the spicy green chilli fritters or milagai bajjis from street carts lining the beach, approximately ` 20 for a plate.

T Visit Dakshinachitra (dakshinachitra.net) on the East Coast Road, spread across 10 acres of land. Heritage houses from all over South India have been dismantled and relocated here. They also have folk performances and demonstrations of crafts like glass blowing and basket weaving.

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BBC GoodFood 137

Photographs KALPANA SUNDER, PARK HOTEL and HARRISONS HOTEL

BUDGET and BLOWOUT guide to

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PHOTOS Photograph DINODIA

Postcard from Bengaluru Karen Anand is palate-struck by Bengaluru, the city that boasts of India’s first molecular gastronomy restaurant, an excellent steakhouse and arguably, the country’s finest Japanese restaurant

W

hen people say that Bengaluru is a cosmopolitan city, they are bang on. It is not unusual to find an industrialist walking in Cubbon Park (one of the most beautiful parks in the country, incidentally) in the morning, munching on a set dosa for breakfast in a nearby Udipi joint, then rubbing shoulders with the elite of Bengaluru at a sit-down black-tie dinner in the evening. And yes, Bengaluru does have a black-tie club run by the irrepressible Stanley Pinto. Described by him as “an association of gentle folk with epicurean proclivities”, it is not a group of stuffy rich people as you would imagine, but a collection of gourmets who travel the world and go to any lengths for great food and wine. And of course, they dress up for dinner!

Words and photographs KAREN ANAND

Food writer, entrepreneur and gourmet, Karen Anand has journeyed across the world writing about gastronomy.

And so onto my favourites in Bengaluru. The Only Place (Tel: +91 80 32718989) in Mota Arcade on Brigade Road was an institution owned and run by the late Haroon Sulaiman Sait. He served steaks, hamburgers and his own version of American-Italian classics for more than 40 years. Sulaiman Sait passed away a year or so ago but his son and nephew continue to run the restaurant, now in a lovely old bungalow on Museum Road. It serves much the same food as before. More than the food, we miss the charming Haroon who became a dear friend to many people. And yes, it is still worth going to for the excellent steak and the inimitable apple pie. This is very much nostalgia on a plate for me. Haroon also did brisk business supplying the gourmets and embassies in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai with very high quality steak. His daughter Sabiha now continues the business under the label of ‘Abba Foods’ (Tel: +91 80 25591591). I have been getting my regular supply of beef from them for over 20 years. What people don’t know is that they also have extraordinarily good lamb, and that both the beef and lamb come from grass-fed livestock. Sabiha and her husband are soon to open their own upmarket steak house, Portland Steakhouse and Café, named after the town in which they lived in the US.

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Koshy’s (Tel: +91 80 22213793) fits into the same nostalgia bracket. Prem Koshy, the owner of this landmark on St Marks Road, presides over the restaurant even today. You can’t miss his larger-than-life personality, whether it’s in the stylish air-conditioned space or the more down-to-earth café next door. The breakfasts here are legendary, both the traditional appam and stew and the liver on toast. I can’t think about Bengaluru without mentioning Sunny’s (Tel: +91 80 22243642). The owner, Arjun Sajnani, is both a theatre personality and a restaurateur. Sunny’s has been around both in its previous avatar off Lavelle Road and in its present glory around the corner on Vittal Mallya Road for 17 years. The menu used to be mainly ‘continental’ and Italian with some truly delicious French-style desserts. Today, Sunny’s menu is a whopping dozen or so pages with sushi, his trademark quiches, pastas and salads, sandwiches, burgers, a huge repertoire of main courses and an even more extensive dessert menu. There’s more nostalgia at Karavalli (Tel: +91 80 66602519) in the The Gateway Hotel on Residency Road. This is undoubtedly one of the finest Indian regional restaurants in the country. Started 18 years ago by Chef Sriram (who has now moved to Quilon by Taj in London), it is

now in the very able hands of Chef Naren Thimmaiah (turn to p 64 for his flavoured rasam recipes). It serves dishes from the south coast, from Goa downwards, but you should try the food from Kerala and Mangalore. The dishes I die for here are the fried ladyfish, the karimeen and the Alleppey prawn or fish curry. The appams are light as a feather, the stew, whether mutton or vegetable, is silky

or in the garden outside. When I am in the MG Road area just after office hours, I always visit The 13th Floor (the name of the lounge) in Barton Centre (Tel: +91 80 41783333/55/56) for great ambience, fabulous cocktails, delicious snacks and a good view to boot. Bengaluru’s weather is almost always reliably good and the 13th Floor is a cool place to hang out. Their Thai cuisine is superb! Try the Thai curry and the Tom Yum Soup. Besides, the

To my mind, Edo is the finest Japanese restaurant in the country today and probably the best kept secret in the fine dining brigade. It serves sublimely executed dishes Izakaya style, in café-like interiors done up in pinewood smooth and fragrant with Malabar spices and the payasams are made in the traditional way in bell metal urlis (a traditional vessel). I find the whole experience unforgettable, whether I sit in the traditional indoor restaurant

Crispy Beef and the Malay Prawn and Bean Sambal are also excellent. These are the dishes I order when I visit, but I do notice a lot of people tucking into the tandoori non-veg platter, the shammi kebab and the

Photograph NITHIN SAGI

eat away postcard

pepper mutton. The food is made in their fine-dining restaurant Ebony next door, so while this is primarily a lounge bar, the food always goes a level above typical bar snacks. Caperberry (caperberry.in) is owned and run by Abhijit Saha and his wife Shruti, who have done a commendable job of bringing molecular gastronomy to India. While the restaurant (very conveniently located just off MG Road) prides itself on its tapas and other Spanish specialities, it is the molecular cuisine here that is quite extraordinary. Abhijit ‘deconstructs’, ‘constructs’ and uses the techniques

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Clockwise from facing page: Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park; Delicious coastal food at Karavalli; Karavalli’s traditional décor; A Bengaluru landmark — Koshy’s restaurant; The delicious Gucchi Farci at the Pink Poppadum

of ‘spherification’ and ‘sous vide’ (slow cooking under vacuum at a precise temperature) with the ease of a Michelin-starred chef. I love his Deconstruction of Insalata Caprese, the Potato And Wasabi Soup and the Duck Confit. Incidentally, Caperberry is the first restaurant in India to serve Indian truffles, which have recently been discovered in the forests of Chikmagalur. I find that a good way to sample the food is the prix fixe lunch or better still, the tasting menu at dinner. Abhijit also has a more casual-style Mediterranean restaurant called Fava in UB City. I recommend this one, too. In fact, I find UB City much better to eat at rather than shop. You will find all the big international brands there, but I usually head straight to the food court after I have glanced quickly at the shop windows. Jean Michel Jasserand is French

Above: Edo’s bento box Bottom left to right: Toscano serves superlative pizzas; With Abhijeet Saha of Caperberry

by birth but almost a true-blue Bengaluru soul by now. I first met him when he was the executive chef at The Leela Bengaluru a few moons ago. He used to create some unusual things (including an entire French cheese board) for the Sunday brunch at Citrus which used to be and probably still is quite a social event. Along with his young protégé Goutham Balasubramanian, he has opened Toscano, an Italian style trattoria and Café Noir, a Parisian style patisserie, both in UB City. (UB City, 24,Vittal Mallya Road) I also try out the quirkily named Pink Poppadom (Tel: +91 80 25558888) at the smart new Ista Hotel, very centrally located off MG Road. I don’t know if I would call it fusion; perhaps ‘modern Indian’ is more appropriate. Whatever you choose to call it, it is a feat of creativity. Chef Biswas who is responsible for creating this menu, won Best Chef of the year last year in Bengaluru and deservedly so. His Foie Gras Galouti Stack with Honey, Flashed Bakarkhani and Tandoori Duck and Quail with Pomegranate Dressing are outstanding as is the Gucchi Farci (morel mushrooms stuffed with almond and apricot in a white makhani sauce). I also love his Kasundi Fish Paupiette (a classic Bengali dish made with a twist). I only leave after trying the Strawberry Phirni and the Paan Shot – a gulp of paan in a glass. The prices are ridiculously low for this kind of food. Last and by no means the least, is Edo (Tel: +91 80 22119898) the

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Japanese restaurant at the ITC Gardenia. Gardenia is probably one of the most beautiful ITC properties in the country and an environmantallyfriendly LEED Platinum Green Hotel. To my mind, Edo is the finest Japanese restaurant in the country today and probably the best kept secret in the fine dining brigade. It serves sublimely executed dishes Izakaya style, in café-like interiors done up in pinewood. In addition to superlative sashimi and sushi, they also have nimono (dishes steamed and served in broth) robatayaki (a sort of mixed grill) and tempura, crisp and perfectly seasoned. And don’t miss dessert (not normally a star in Japanese restaurants) especially the homemade sour cherry and the black sesame ice creams along with the green Tea Ra Misu. Chef Miyazaki presides over the whole restaurant. What’s more, you don’t have to take out a mortgage to eat here; it is priced quite reasonably. Obviously, the city is also a source of great food products. I always pop in to Namdhari (namdharifresh. com). There are several outlets throughout the city but I usually end up going to the one in Indira Nagar or Koramangala. They stock pots of fresh herbs and keep a good variety of products, imported and local, as well as very fresh organic fruit and vegetables from their own farms. Everything is seasonal so you may not find the same products everytime. I look out for the huge variety of fresh chillies, especially their red and green jalapenos. For serious foodies with a bottomless budget, the French brand of cookware, Le Creuset (cookware.lecreuset.com) has opened its own dedicated store on Lavelle Road. I also find good ground coffee (with and without chicory) and roasted beans in most supermarkets. Cotha’s and Sidapur from Coorg are the brands I look out for. So yes, in conclusion, if I had to pick my favourite foodie city in India, it would have to be Bengaluru.

masterclass

COOK LIKE A PRO Smart ways to improve your kitchen skills Words KAINAZ CONTRACTOR Photograph GARETH MORGANS

In this section T Karam Sethi’s butter-garlic-pepper crab masterclass p 144 T Homemade Indian pickles p 146 T New wine varieties in India p 147

VED O R P P A MICROWAVE RICE COOKER

All cooks have their go-to technique for cooking each grain of rice to fluffy perfection. While some insist on draining the boiling water at the last minute, many assert that if your ratio of water to rice is precise, there’s no need to do so. Sadly, no single method is foolproof since the type of rice used (short-grained, basmati etc) dictates its cooking time. This is where the microwave rice steamer comes in. Simply throw in a cup of rice and two cups of water, screw on the lid and watch it bubble away at express speed (timings vary depending on the microwave). We tested it with different rice varieties and were happy to report zero cases of khichdi-like sludge. Also, no more supervising the stove for potential spillage! Microwave rice cooker, ` 215 onwards. Available at stores selling cookware and kitchen appliances. AUGUST 2012

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BBC GoodFood 143

KARAM SETHI’S

Masterclass Karam Sethi, head chef of London’s Trishna restaurant, shows how to pick cooked crab, then creates a sumptuous dinner dish with it

Karam Sethi was born in London and spent his childhood summers in Delhi. His kitchen experience includes stints at Bukhara in Delhi, Trishna in Mumbai and Zuma in London. He took over as head chef of Trishna in London from early last year.

SIVE P U L C EX BY-STE STEP-ECIPE R 144 BBC GoodFood

Garlic, black pepper and butter crab with paratha Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a light lunch n 40 minutes n A LITTLE EFFORT The paratha recipe makes more than you’ll need but you can freeze the leftovers for another time. butter 190g, melted vegetable oil 1 tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp (made by crushing 4 fresh garlic cloves) crab 1 x 750g-1kg, steamed black pepper 1 tbsp chives 3 tbsp, finely chopped THE PARATHAS plain flour 600g egg 1, beaten golden caster sugar 1 tbsp (try Tate & Lyle available at gourmet stores) chives 4 tbsp, chopped butter or ghee 3 tbsp, melted condensed milk 1 tbsp (optional) ghee or oil for frying, 125ml salt to taste n Pick the crab meat from the crab and keep the white and brown meat in separate bowls (see our masterclass on the next page). n To make the paratha, sift the flour in to a bowl, add the egg, salt, sugar, chives and melted butter. Combine 250ml water with the condensed milk and add it in.

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n Mix to make a soft dough. Roll the dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. n Divide the dough into 12 small balls. Brush with ghee or oil, cover and leave to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. n Flatten the dough balls and stretch each one out into a circle as far as it will go. n Fold the edges inward, continuing until you have a round shape of approximately 15 cm in diameter. Press down lightly. Fry the paratha in ghee until crisp on the outside but still very soft inside. n To make the crab, heat the butter and oil in a pan. Once hot, add the garlic paste and cook on a low heat without colouring for 2 minutes. Add the brown crab meat and cook for a further minute, followed by the white crab meat and black pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes and then add the chives and remove from the heat. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed as the brown crab meat acts as seasoning. Serve sprinkled with some more chives and the warm paratha. n PER SERVING (as a starter for 4) 700 kcals, protein 19.6g, carbs 63.4g, fat 42.6g, sat fat 22.8g, fibre 2.8g, salt 1.8g

AUGUST 2012

Styling ARABELLA MCNIE Food styling SONJA EDRIDGE

Recipe KARAM SETHI Photographs DAVID MUNNS

masterclass chef skills

1

2

Find the joint where the shell is attached to the body. Use your fingers or a knife to push and crack the body away.

There is a natural joint that will give way under pressure and allow you to remove the body.

4

The feathery dead man’s fingers (gills) are attached to each side of the body. Remove and discard them and any that are left in the shell.

5

6

7

8

9

Twist and pull the claws and legs away from the body.

Tease the white meat from the cavities in the body with a pick or skewer. Keep in a separate bowl to the brown meat. AUGUST 2012

Scoop the brown crab meat from the shell and keep in a bowl.

Use a small mallet or back of a heavy knife to crack the claws.

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3

Next, cut the body of the crab in half using a heavy knife.

Use a pick to pull all the meat from the claws. Check through all the white meat for stray shell pieces before you use it. BBC GoodFood 145

masterclass diy

Homemade pickles Add a touch of spice to boring meals with these simple, homemade pickles Mango avakkai (hot Andhra-style mango pickle)

Chhundo (sweet and spicy Gujarati grated mango pickle)

Aromatic whole lime pickle (Punjabi kala nimbu pickle)

Makes 1kg n 30 minutes + resting n EASY

Makes 1kg n 30 minutes + resting n EASY

Makes 1kg n 30 minutes + resting n EASY

Dip 1kg unpeeled chunks of raw mango in 600ml raw sesame oil, squeezing out the excess oil. Combine 150g chilli powder, 40g sun-dried and powdered mustard seeds, 20g roasted and powdered fenugreek seeds, 10g turmeric powder and 250g salt evenly to form a mixture. Roll the mango pieces in the spice mixture and arrange in a jar. Sprinkle over a little spice mixture and pour over a little oil. Repeat this process until all the mango pieces are layered. Cover and set aside for 3 days. On the fourth day, pour over the remaining oil to cover the mixture. Stir well. The pickle is ready to use after 2 weeks. It lasts for one year.

Mix 10g chilli powder, 10g turmeric powder and 10g powdered cumin seeds which are roasted in oil. Combine 1kg shredded Rajapuri mango with 600g sugar, 25g salt and the spice blend, evenly. Spread the mixture in a shallow, wide-mouthed jar and cover with a thin cloth. Sun the mixture for 5 days until the syrup attains a single-thread consistency, stirring 3 times daily. The pickle lasts for 1 year.

Combine 1kg whole limes, 5 cloves and 10g crushed carrom seeds (ajwain) with 225g salt and 10g black salt. Pack in a jar and pour over 50ml lime juice. Sun the pickle until the limes become brown and tender. The pickle is ready for use. It lasts for 1 year. Recipes courtesy USHA’S PICKLE DIGEST by Usha Prabhakaran

Sour and spicy green chilli pickle Makes 1/2kg n 30 minutes + resting n EASY

146 BBC GoodFood

Photograph DINODIA PHOTO

Stir fry 500g slit green chillies in 50ml oil till tender. Grind 15g sun-dried mustard seeds and 15g sun-dried peppercorns into a powder. Roast 10g fenugreek seeds and 5g asafoetida in a little oil and grind into a powder. Add the roasted spice powders and 125g salt to the chillies and mix thoroughly. When the mixture has cooled, add in 125ml lime juice, 200ml oil (after heating) and stir well. Cap tightly and set aside for 6 weeks. The pickle will then be ready for use. It lasts for 3 months.

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AUGUST 2012

S NE TO WI W D HO RE E OR ST

New Indian Varietals

nd ou ys ar lwa ing ed . A ge t. ov ght e a ou th ry t m nli no su es t d is ct rov sn’ e e le tt dir mp do bo to is i ork th c ne d wi ose — he he xp ide t t e t ot e he s tha ur t s n re e s is on ak nd ing nsu M a e ot t ly d a l e i s an s or st oce pr

10-MINUTE WINE GUIDE

Food writer Vikram Doctor spotlights six hot international wine varieties now being produced in India Vikram Doctor writes about a broad range of issues for the Economic Times. He is also a well known food writer and blogger.

AUGUST 2012

W

hen India’s winemakers first started planting near Nasik and Bangalore 15-20 years ago, they planted the workhorses of the wine world – varieties like Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc that can produce good wine under a fairly wide range of conditions. They also planted trendy varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The results were fairly clear. The workhorses did well and produced some really good wine. The trendy varietals mostly did badly and thus, it was clear which varietals would work in India. The growth of the global wine industry has spread the cultivation of some superstar varietals at the expense of many local ones, but these are still used to make wines at regional levels. A few Indian winemakers have now started looking at these grapes, especially from places like Sicily and Spain, where the summers can approach an Indian intensity. Andrea Valentinuzzi, who makes the wines at Reveilo, started with excellent Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also planted lesserknown varietals – Nero d’Avola and Sangiovese for red wine and Grillo for white wine. Fratelli has also recently launched a Sangiovese. Malbec from Argentina is another varietal that seems promising. But the one attracting most interest is Tempranillo from Spain. These wines should reach the market next year, but till then here are a few new or lesser-known varietals worth trying.

Reveilo Nero d’Avola (` 675, Godrej Nature’s Basket and leading wine stores, Mumbai) This red wine has dark berry flavours, but not the jammy excess of Shiraz. It has some of the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, but not its severity, and has a lively peppery aftertaste. Such a powerful wine needs to be paired with an equally powerful dish; go for red meat such as raan or rogan josh.

Sula Dindori Viognier (` 740 in Mumbai at Godrej Nature’s Basket and leading wine stores, ` 640 in Delhi at Godrej Nature’s Basket) An Indian white that’s not sweet, although its fresh flowery aroma can trick you into thinking it is. This lovely aroma helps conceal a steeliness that might be disconcerting for those used to softer, sweeter Indian whites. The perfect partner? A pork vindaloo.

Reveilo Sangiovese (` 695, Godrej Nature’s Basket and leading wine stores, Mumbai) The key component of many famous Tuscan wines, this is fruity, smooth, slightly spicy and just a little sweet, and makes for wonderfully easy drinking. This, Reveilo’s most versatile wine, goes well with a buttery masala gravy. The tangy creaminess of the gravy will be counteracted perfectly by the acidity in the wine.

Sula Red Zinfandel (` 550 in Delhi, ` 549 in Mumbai, available at most wine stores) This has been around for a while, but tends to get overlooked in Sula’s large portfolio. It’s nice as a change, a strong, smooth and only very slightly sweet red with a peppery, spicy finish. This spiciness is what makes this one of the best wines to order along with Indian food. Try it with a seekh kebab dressed with mint sauce.

Reveilo Grillo (` 605, Godrej Nature’s Basket and leading wine stores, Mumbai) This wine doesn’t have sugar, but has no mouth-puckering dry notes either. Its main impression is of a wonderfully refreshing citrusiness, lots of dry lime and grapefruit flavours. Serve with crispy tandoor-cooked vegetables.

Chateau d’Ori Cabernet-Merlot (` 660, Godrej Nature’s Basket and selected wine stores, Mumbai) Merlot is not a new varietal, but one of the stars of the wine world. This is a wine with strong structure. This dish merits a well done barrah kebab (lamb on the bone marinated with spices and grilled), a lamb gravy or a Madras beef curry.

Food and wine pairings ROHAN JELKIE, Tulleeho / Tulleeho Wine Academy

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BBC GoodFood 147

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Kumaoni

Preserves & pickles

Anita Paul, co-founder of the Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation, talks to Good Food about UMANG, the unique women-centric company she helped set up and its Kumaoni brand of pickles, preserves and natural foods As told to VIDYA BALACHANDER Photographs courtesy KALYAN AND ANITA PAUL basic issues like safe drinking water, sanitation, renewable energy and rainwater harvesting.

My husband Kalyan and I set up the Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation in 1992 after having worked in the development sector for over a decade. Since its inception, Grassroots has focused on enabling mountain communities in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to plan, implement and share the costs of bringing forth change and development in various sectors that have a direct bearing on their quality of life. We began by addressing

After almost a decade of such work, the communities began to organise Self Help Groups i.e. groups of about 10 to 15 neighbours and friends, coming together to help each other financially and personally. Each producer-member of the group could participate in one or more business ventures to supplement the family income in a sustainable manner. We encouraged some of our women team leaders to assist village women to establish businesses that support the poor. Within a span of a few years, the Mahila Umang Producers Company was set up. The businesses that fall under the UMANG umbrella include fruit preserves and pickles, natural seasonal honey and organic spice powders, among other things.

HOW ETHICAL IS UMANG? Organic: The Kumaoni range of products is not organically certified. However, the company follows the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), an organic certification system that enables producers and consumers to collectively define certification standards. No artificial colours or flavours are added. Fair trade: UMANG is founded upon the idea of sustainability and fair trade. The organisation is governed by a board constituting of producer-members. According to Kalyan Paul, the idea of UMANG is for consumers to “directly assist economically poor households through ‘trade and not aid’.” 150 BBC GoodFood

The soft, temperate fruits of the hills such as apricots and plums are difficult to transport over long distances and therefore fetch low prices. In order to add value to these fruits, we decided to set up a processing unit for making fruit preserves and pickles. Over the years, the product range has increased to 15 items that are available through the year. The fruit preserve range includes apple jelly, apricot jam, plum jam,

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orange marmalade, strawberry jam, guava jelly and apple and pear jelly. The small team of specially trained women also produces fruit chutneys such as mango, apricot and plum, pickles such as lime, green chilli and garlic, and natural honey in eucalyptus, lychee and wild flower flavours. They are all completely natural and no artificial colours are added. The product range also includes natural attas, spices and pulses. All products are sold under the common brand names of Kumaoni and HimKhadya. Our product range is not organically certified. However, only fruits that are not sprayed with chemical pesticides are processed by UMANG. We have also initiated the process of certification for staple foods such as millets and bean through a unique method called the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). All items are branded as HimKhadya, which indicates safe food from the Himalaya region. UMANG has its own flagship showroom in Naini village, located 10 km outside Ranikhet town at a height of 6,000 feet. This showroom is very popular and our annual sale from the store is now ` 30 lakh per annum. Besides this, there are 50 shops and hotels in the region that retail UMANG products. In recent times, they have also reached metros like Delhi and Bangalore through a marketing initiative called Himjoli. AUGUST 2012

top producers preserves and pickles

‘‘

The soft, temperate fruits of the hills such as apricots and plums are difficult to transport over long distances and therefore fetch low prices. In order to add value to these fruits, we decided to set up a processing unit for making fruit preserves and pickles

‘‘

Anita Paul with the Kumaoni range of jams, jellies, pickles and honeys

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Recipe index

T VEGETARIAN T READY UNDER 30 MINUTES T LOW FAT T T T T 126 Kewpie’s tomato chutney

STARTERS, SNACKS & SOUP T T T T 84 Chargrilled Kerala spiced prawns T T T T 88 Goan sausage-pav panzanella T T T T 90 Hariyali chicken salad with tomato kasundi dressing T T T T 24 Honeyed carrots T T T T 76 Kaddoo phool pakoda and aam ki chutney T T T T 52 Light carrot pachdi T T T T 90 Mushroom and aloo chaat salad T T T T 123 Salmon tikka T T T T 86 Seared salmon and mango chaat T T T T 46 Spicy potato cakes with chilli and coriander T T T T 52 Sprouted moong crunch T T T T 91 Watermelon, pineapple, beansprouts and feta crumble

DESSERTS, BREAKFASTS & BAKING T T T T 103 Carrot kheer T T T T 24 Homemade granola T T T T 24 Honey friands T T T T 105 Musk melon rasayana T T T T 80 Parwal ki mithai T T T T 130 Rasagullas T T T T 103 Vermicelli with orange cream T T T T 104 Sweet saffron yoghurt T T T T 40 The Savoy Chill T T T T 106 Velvety mango mousse

MAINS Meat T T T T 95 Dhabe ka gosht T 98 Safed maas T T T T 54 Singapore noodles Poultry T T T T 24 Chicken and veggie stir fry T T T T 50 Coronation chicken T T T T 46 Chicken pasanda T T T T 94 Chicken narangi do pyaaza Fish and seafood T T T T 44 Bengali fish parcels T T T T 58 Crab and pea risotto with basil T T T T 145 Garlic, black pepper and butter crab with paratha T T T T 96 Prawn caldeen T T T T 44 Smoked salmon kedgeree T T T T 128 Tatul ilish bhaja T T T T 56 Tikka-style fish

152 BBC GoodFood

Vegetarian T T T T 100 Aloo paneer nazakat korma T T T T 128 Alur dom T T T T 41 Baked aubergines with tomatoes, basil and pine nuts T T T T 128 Bati chorchori T T T T 60 Bean enchiladas T T T T 58 Cauliflower, broccoli and mature cheddar gratin T T T T 52 Cauliflower parathas T T T T 60 Fusilli with glorious green spinach sauce T T T T 74 Ghugni kachori T T T T 48 Italian baked aubergines T T T T 76 Litti chokha with tamatar khajur chutney

T T T T 99 Kaikiri stew T T T T 78 Khatta meetha badam sitaphal T T T T 54 Marinated tofu with ginger broth T T T T71 Pineapple rasam T T T T 78 Sarson wale aloo T T T T 97 Shahi mirch bhari paneer T T T T 22 Thalipeeth T T T T 56 Turmeric pulao T T T T 52 Veggie khichdi T T T T 101 Watermelon curry T T T T 48 Zucchini risotto with crisp capers and sage SIDES & SAUCES T T T T 146 Aromatic whole lime pickle T T T T 24 Honey and mustard marinade

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Bicerin Bombay Pimms Coffee hazelnut Coffee martini Spanish coffee VKBC2

JAIN T T T T 146 Chhundo (Sweet and spicy Gujarati grated mango pickle) T T T T 52 Corn bhel T T T T 11 Go green cucumber surprise T T T T 66 Goddu (no-dal) rasam T T T T 80 Lai ka ladoo T T T T 146 Mango avakkai (Hot Andhra-style mango pickle) T T T T 71 Mango rasam T T T T 68 Milagu (pepper) rasam T T T T 84 Rajma, kabuli chana, green beans and papdi with tamarind-jaggery vinaigrette T T T T 146 Sour and spicy green chilli pickle T T T T 88 Surti fafdaa with broccoli dip T T T T 68 Thengai paal (coconut milk) rasam T T T T 66 Tomato rasam

AUGUST 2012

Photograph PRATEEKSH MEHRA

DRINKS T T T T 38 T T T T 26 T T T T 38 T T T T 38 T T T T 38 T T T T 38

Shop talk AHMEDABAD Organic Haus Oriental House, S V Kinariwala Road, Law Garden Tel: +91 79 26445593 BENGALURU Foodworld Gourmet 301, Gottigere village, Uttarahalli village, Bannerghatta Main Road Tel: +91 80 32466586 Gourmet – Food World No 88, Shariff Bhatia Towers, MG Road Tel: +91 80 41474789

Where to find everything from prawns to paprika

Market, Lodhi Road Tel: +91 11 24642509

Near Deer Park Tel: +91 11 41650164

Ashok General Store 113, Main Market, Opposite Dilli Haat, INA Market Tel: +91 11 24617561 Dubden Green 4-A, Near Electric Sub Station, Shahpur Jat Tel: +91 11 32905310, +91 9810131343 Flanders Dairy – The Cheese Ball 31 Mehr Chand Market, Lodhi Road Tel: +91 11 24653789

Nature’s Basket #755, 80 Feet Road, 4th Block, Next to Costa Coffee, Koramangala Tel: +91 80 41317401

Fortune Gourmet 144/9, Ground Floor, Kishangarh, Vasant Kunj Tel: +91 11 65642270/ 9868899956

Sorbet – The gourmet food store Address: No 287, Varthur Road, Siddapura, Whitefield Tel: +91 80 28543245

Gogia’s 280, Main road, INA Market Tel: +91 11 24624809/ 24644618

CHENNAI Amma Nana Chamiers Road, opp Park Sheraton Hotel, Nandanam Tel: +91 44 24350596

INA Market Aurobindo Marg, INA Colony, Opposite Dilli Haat Le Marche  58, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, Near Priya Cinema Tel: +91 11 43232100/41669111

Mercado No 64, Rukmani Road, Kalakshetra Colony, Besant Nagar Tel: +91 44 28173965

Master’s Bakers G-33, Usha Chambers, Community Centre, Ashok Vihar Tel: +91 11 27419061/ 27430734

Nuts ‘n’ Spices New no. 75, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nungambakkam Tel: +91 44 28268180, 42039351

Modern Bazaar 18-B, Community Centre, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar Tel: +91 11 41669777

HYDERABAD Nature’s Basket Urmila Towers, Road No. 10, Opp. Rainbow Hospital, Banjara Hills Tel: +91 40 23355399 NEW DELHI A- Mart A-1, Mahipalpur Extension, NH-8 Tel: +91 11 26789999 Ahuja Vegetable Store Shop No- 37, INA Market Tel: +91 11 24644116

Photograph DAVID MUNNS

Allied Fruits and Florists 58-B, Khan

Nature’s Basket Ground floor, D /15, Between BP Petrol Pump and Def. Col. Flyover Tel: +91 11 46698777 46, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, Ground floor & basement Tel: +91 11 40571919

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Palkit Impex C-82, Basement, Shivalik, Malviya Nagar. Tel: +91 11 26673437 Passion Cheese Select Citywalk Mall, District Centre, Saket. Tel: +91 11 40599916

Nature’s Basket S-201, 2nd Floor, Ambience Mall, Ambience Island, NH-8 Tel: +91 124 4665753 KOLKATA Afraa Deli City Centre, Salt Lake Tel: +91 33 23581111 Gourmet Gallery 27/9C, Chandi Ghosh Road, Regent Park Tel: +91 33 23818510 MUMBAI Country of Origin Maneesha Building, 69/A, Napean Sea Road, Malabar Hill Tel: +91 22 23642221 Dolce Vita Ground Floor, Grand Galleria, High Street Phoenix, Phoenix Mills, Lower Parel. Tel: +91 22 24964307 Food Bazaar Infinity Mall, Raheja Classic, New Link Road, Andheri (W) Tel: +91 22 67583090 Foodhall Palladium, High Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel Tel: +91 22 30264581 Gourmet West Westside, Army and Navy Building, 148 M.G. Road, Kala Ghoda. Tel: +91 22 66360499 Hypercity Ground Floor, Malad (W) Tel: +91 22 40501300 Lallu & brothers Shop no 1&2, Pali Market, Pali Hill Road, Pali Hill, Bandra (W) Tel: +91 22 26409295 Nature’s Basket

Pigpo 9 Jor Bagh Market Tel: +91 11 24611723/ 24626930

227, Samarth Vaibhav Building, •Opposite Tarapur Towers, Adarsh

Pindi Fruit Mart Defence Colony Market Tel: +91 11 41552530/ 24333593

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Steak House 13/8 Jor Bagh Market Tel: +91 11 24611008/ 24611129

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The French Farmer Tel: Call Roger Langbur +91 9810166196, +91 11 26359701

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Yamato Ya –The Japanese Store B-6/9, Safdarjung Enclave,

AUGUST 2012

GURGAON Kim’s Mart DT Mega Mall, LG 36, Gurgaon Tel: +91 124 2562189

Nagar, Lokhandwala, Andheri (W) Tel: +91 22 26300766 Shop No 4, BG-India , Hiranandani Gardens, Powai Tel: +91 22 25707706 2-5 Parul Apartment, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu Tel: +91 22 26117893 133, Hill Road, Bandra (W) Tel: +91 22 26425050 Opp. Mahalaxmi Temple , Warden Road, Mahalaxmi, Tel: +91 22 23526775

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Patel stores Near Mehboob Studio, Krishnachandra Marg, Bandra (W) Tel: +91 22 26558909 Ratna stores Haware Parekh, Sion-Trombay Road, Opposite Union Park, Chembur. Tel: +91 22 25203389 Reliance Fresh Crystal Paradise Mall, DuttaJi Salavi Road, Off Veera Desai Road, Opposite Janaki Centre, Link Road, Andheri (W). Tel: +91 22 26743750 Framroze Court, Phalke Road, Dadar (E). Tel: +91 22 24155017

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Santé Shop Number 1, Sahina Apartments, Pali Market, Bandra (W) Tel: +91 22 40060020 Spencer’s Hyper Market 1406A/28A, Malad (W) Tel: +91 22 42686130 Tutto Bene Delicatessen Spencer’s Hyper Market, Ground Floor, Located in Inorbit Mall, Malad (W) Tel: +91 9823485988 PUNE Dorabjee & Co Pvt Ltd B-1, Moledina Road, Camp Cantonment Tel: +91 20 26052883 Nature’s Basket

Mansur Ali Tower, 3, •Galaxy Society,

Max Mueller Lane, Near AXIS Bank, Dhole Patil Road Tel: +91 20 26160540 Shop No. 155/1A, Kumar Crystal Aundh. Tel: +91 20 25889530

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Providore GF 104, Anand Park, Baner Road, Aundh Tel: +91 20 65601551 Tutto Bene Delicatessen Shop No 1, Princeton Flair, Lane No 8, Koregaon Park Tel: +91 20 66077193 Tutto Bene Delicatessen G 14 Sacred World Mall, Wanowrie. Tel: +91 20 26806933 Gourmet Websites Gourmet Company www.gourmetco.in Olive Tree Trading olivetreetrading.com Foodzig www.foodzig.com Delicious Now www.deliciousnow.com BBC GoodFood 153

spotlight shazahn padamsee

My life on a plate Source The Times of India Group, Copyright © (2012), Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd, All rights reserved

Shazahn Padamsee

The bubbly Shazahn Padamsee made her debut with the movie Rocket Singh and acted in several South Indian films before featuring in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji. Her most recent movie was the Akshay Kumar starrer Housefull 2. Here the pretty woman  talks about her obsession with crispy bombil, Ryan Gosling and Jamie Oliver, though not in that order

As told to PARAG MANIAR

How often do you cook? Not too often because I have a great cook at home. But I have made quite a good breakfast on some days — scrambled eggs and chai. Most prized kitchen tool you own? My gas lighter. It’s a very fancy one, funky and super long. I am petrified of fire and scared of getting my hands burnt, which is why my mother has kept it. What’s your cooking style – relaxed and easy or kitchen Nazi? Kitchen Nazi! I get terribly hyperactive while cooking. Even in a restaurant I get stressed because I am very indecisive and do not know what to order. What’s the one dish you’ll never touch? Karela (bitter gourd) for sure. Your dream party guest list includes… Ryan Gosling! If I had a party, I would invite only him and then claim that my other friends didn’t turn up so I could be alone with him. If you had to cook a romantic meal, what would be on the menu? Homemade pasta would be both healthy and delicious. 154 BBC GoodFood

Your most loved restaurant in the world? Gajalee, the seafood restaurant in Mumbai. I visit it chiefly for the Bombay duck (bombil) but I also love the other seafood there. If you had to spend a day with any one chef, who would it be? Jamie Oliver. Besides being a good cook, he is hot, too! If you had to open a restaurant, what kind of place would it be? I would open a restaurant serving several different cuisines and include all the things we make at home, which is yummy food that is healthy at the same time. Pet peeve in a restaurant? When the waiters have no knowledge about the food being served in their own restaurant. They work there and it’s their job to know all about the food in the restaurant! A sudden surge of unexpected guests turn up at your house. What do you do? I would quickly turn out a grilled fish and stuffed mushrooms. Your guilty food pleasure? Fried fish. I can live solely on it. The dishes you love the most? Fried Bombay duck (bombil) and pepperoni pizza.

Padamsee’s idea of a romantic meal — a light, healthy pasta

If I had a party, I would invite only Ryan Gosling, then claim my other friends didn’t turn up so I could be alone with him!

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What is your signature dish? Bombay duck, of course! Your favourite food moment from a movie or book? From Salaam Namaste where a pregnant Preity Zinta has the sudden urge to have a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and walks down to the store in the middle of the night. Ben & Jerry’s has the best ice cream, hands down! AUGUST 2012

Photograph WILL HEAP

What is your earliest food memory? Cerelac! I still have it sometimes especially before going to the gym.

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