TANDOORI-STYLE MASALA PIGEON WITH GREEN PEA AND YOGHURT SHOT
This was our entry into the Square Meal Canapé Cup competition when Abdul Yaseen went back in 2011 to defend his ‘crown’, as he likes to put it. Cinnamon Kitchen had been entering this competition every year since 2009, and Abdul ensured we won the competition every single year! This canapé may look a little daunting but, trust me, it’s worth every bit of the effort.
MAKES 12
2 pigeons, breasts deboned, skin on, and the leg, liver and heart minced for the fritter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Ginger-Garlic Paste
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
½ teaspoon allspice powder
For the spiced mince fritters
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped minced pigeon meat (see above)
1 small beetroot boiled, peeled and finely chopped
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon ground roasted cumin
2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
1 sprig of mint, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
50g breadcrumbs
oil for deep-frying
For the pickled vegetables
1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and sliced into thin ribbons (ideally using a mandoline)
½ cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin ribbons (ideally using a mandoline)
1 green chilli, deseeded
¼ teaspoon black onion seeds
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons vinegar
120ml water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
For the green pea and yoghurt shot
90g shelled peas, fresh or thawed (preferably petits pois)
100g plain yoghurt
200ml water
1 green chilli, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
1½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mustard oil (or use 1 tablespoon vegetable oil mixed with ½ teaspoon English mustard)
First prepare the pigeon breasts by marinating them with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes. Place the marinated pigeon breast skin side down for 2 minutes on a medium-hot grill or a non-stick pan. Turn over and cook for another 2 minutes and then allow it to rest. Slice each breast into thin strips.
For the fritters, heat the oil in a pan to smoking point, add the cumin seeds and, when they crackle, add the chopped onion and sauté till golden brown. Add the minced pigeon and beetroot and sauté for three minutes, then add the chilli powder, cumin powder and cook until the mixture is almost dry. Now add the ginger, green chilli, garam masala, the mint and salt. Allow the mixture to cool. Set aside the in the fridge.
Shape the mince into 15g balls. Dip them in the beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs and deep-fry in hot oil for 2–3 minutes, until golden brown, and place on a perforated tray ready to serve.
To make the pickled vegetables, prepare the pickling liquid by boiling all the ingredients, except the carrots and cucumber, and allowing it to simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetable strips. Allow to cool, and set aside in the fridge.
To prepare the green pea and yoghurt shot, mix all the ingredients together in a blender to obtain a smooth soup consistency. Check the seasoning and pour into shot glasses; refrigerate to keep chilled.
To assemble, take a cocktail stick and skewer first a folded-over slice of the pigeon, followed by one of the fritters and then a folded-over ribbon of the pickled carrot and the a ribbon of the pickled cucumber. The green pea and yoghurt shot is offered as an accompaniment and also forms a base on which the skewered canapé rests.
Tandoori-Style Masala Pigeon with Green Pea and Yoghurt Shot
A traditional seekh kebab made from lamb and rolled in the famous handkerchief bread with spiced onions, mint relish and dips is quite common to see as a snack in parts of India, but it’s also possible to serve smaller versions of them as a delicious and attractive cocktail snack. You may not wish to go to the trouble of making large chapattis at home. If so, you can easily pick them up at Asian stores or substitute with tortillas from the supermarket. Alternatively, you can make thin breads at home and coat one side with beaten egg and roll the kebab in it. While slightly uncommon, we think it makes for a stunning variation of this snack.
SERVES 4
1 quantity Lamb Kebab, cooked
1 red onion, sliced
juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon Chaat Masala
butter for basting
For the bread
100g plain flour
55ml water
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon oil
melted butter, for brushing
For serving
mango purée (made by blending a ripe mango to a fine purée in a blender or food processor and then passing through a sieve to remove any fibres)
Greek yoghurt
pomegranate seeds
coriander cress
Firstly, mix together the red onion, lemon juice and chaat masala and set aside for 15 minutes.
Now make the bread. Mix together all the ingredients and knead them together to a firm, but smooth dough. Leave covered for 20 minutes to rest. Then divide into four equal parts and roll out, using a rolling pin, into circular pancakes, roughly 20cm in diameter.
Heat a pan and place the rolled dough on it, cook on a dry heat for 2 minutes on each side and then apply oil to baste. As the bread starts getting coloured, flip on to the other side and pour a quarter of the beaten egg on to it. Let the egg mix congeal for a minute or so and then turn it over again to cook the side with the egg on it. Remove from the heat and repeat the same process for all the pancakes.
Once all the breads are cooked, lay on a work surface, brush with melted butter and spread the onion mix on the bread.
Place the cooked lamb kebab in the centre of the bread and drizzle with mint chutney and mango purée. Wrap the bread around to cover the kebab completely and form a roll. Stick toothpicks at the edges to prevent the bread from opening and cut into desired size either for cocktail snacks or for starters.
Serve garnished with yoghurt, pomegranate seeds and coriander cress.
These can be made with either raw mince or cooked, The cooked mince ones are easier. In my parathas I like the dough to be less than the quantity of filling, but they’re quite hard to make, so the recipe below suggests using half the quantity of filling for every part of dough. Do experiment with more filling as you gain more practice. The secret to making the very best filled breads is to make sure that the consistency of the dough and the filling remains the same. Try to cook the mince out as much as possible to dry it out, so it is easier and less messy to use.
MAKES 8
550g chapatti flour (look for it in Asian food shops), plus about 50g extra for dusting
275ml water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
For the filling
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom pods
2cm piece of cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Ginger and Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
300g lean lamb mince
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
juice of ½ lemon
Start by preparing the mince filling. Heat the oil in a pan to smoking point and add the whole spices, followed by the cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add the onions and cook on a medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic paste, salt, the ground spices, chopped ginger, green chillies and stir for 2–3 minutes to cook out the spices. Now add the minced lamb and cook until dry and the liquid has evaporated. Adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with the chopped coriander and the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and let the mince filling cool down completely. Divide into 8 equal parts and shape them as balls.
To make the parathas, put the flour, water, oil and salt in a bowl, mix together and knead lightly to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 15 minutes, then divide into 8 equal portions. Divide the stuffing into 8 equal portions and roll into balls.
Take a ball of dough, make an indent and keep pressing and rotating the dough in your hand to make the cavity slightly larger than the size of the ball of stuffing. The edges of the cavity should be slightly thinner than the centre (the edges of the dough are brought together to envelop the filling with the dough, if the edges aren’t thinner, then it will result in a clumpy doughy centre). Sit the ball of stuffing in the cavity and bring together the edges to cover the stuffing from all sides. Do not leave any cracks or the stuffing will come out while rolling the parathas. Lightly dust with flour, gently flatten, then roll out into a 20cm-diameter disc.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan or flat griddle on a medium-low heat and put a rolled paratha on it. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the dough begins to dry out and colours on the bottom. Turn and cook the dough on the other side. Brush the top of the bread with ghee and flip it over again until it is golden and crisp on the outside. You will notice that the bread puffs up as it cooks. The application of ghee and flour between the layers facilitates this, and as the steam inside the bread builds up the layers separate. Cook the remaining breads in the same way, wrapping them loosely in foil to keep warm until they are all cooked.
Serve with Coriander Chutney or with Greek yoghurt that has been lightly salted and thinned with a little water.
These parathas can be made with literally anything: spiced potatoes, cooked mince, chopped cooked chicken, cured radishes, cooked or raw cauliflower or just about anything that catches your fancy!
Lamb Mince Parathas
This is a very basic lamb seekh kebab recipe. It’s great if you can thread them on skewers, but not a problem if not. You can try shaping them as sausages and cooking them on a barbecue.
SERVES 4 AS NIBBLES
For the mince kebabs
500g minced lamb, or diced boneless lamb
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chillies
5–8 fresh coriander stems
3 garlic cloves
2cm piece of ginger, peeled
20g Cheddar cheese, grated
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pomegranate Raita, to serve or yoghurt with cucumber (see tip)
If you have a mincer, then you can use diced lamb to make your own mince. Mince the lamb and all the other ingredients, except the salt, coarsely together in the mincer. Finally, add the salt and, using your hands, combine the ingredients well to get an evenly spiced mince.
Alternatively, use minced lamb and make the kebab mix in a food processor. Firstly combine the spices in the food processor before adding the lamb. Do not process for long, as you want to maintain the coarse texture of the meat.
To cook the kebabs you need a barbecue and thick skewers. Divide the mince into 4 equal parts; now take a skewer and, with wet hands, slowly spread the mince on to the skewer, covering it and squeezing it so it sticks. The kebabs need to be about 20–25cm long and quite thick so they stay juicy. Cover and set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Now cook the minced lamb kebabs on a barbecue or under a grill for 6–8 minutes, turning regularly to ensure the meat is cooked evenly.
When done, serve the kebabs garnished with the Pomegranate Raita or yoghurt cucumber dip (below) and naan bread, or simply serve them on their own (they make a great accompaniment to a few drinks – no wonder we sell kilos of these each night at Anise!).
Vivek’s tip
For a simple yoghurt cucumber accompaniment, mix 100g Greek yoghurt with ¼ cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 5mm dice. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon roasted cumin and 6 finely shredded leaves of mint.
CHAAT MASALA HUMMUS WITH A JOWAN SEED STICKS
Drawing inspiration from the ubiquitous hummus and pitta bread, this is an Indian innovation! You can eat soft, fluffy, deep-fried bread and dry chunky chickpeas on the streets of Delhi any time of the day; our version turns this sauce on its head, with crisp dried bread and soft puréed spiced chickpeas.
SERVES 4
For the hummus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 or 3 cloves
1 black cardamom pod
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
200g drained boiled chickpeas
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and crushed
1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
juice of ½ lime
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
100ml tahini (sesame seed paste)
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the ajowan seed sticks
200g plain flour
½ teaspoon ajowan seeds
¼ teaspoon black onion seeds
1 tablespoon ghee or butters
a pinch of salt
75ml water
oil for deep-frying
Firstly, make the ajowan seed sticks. Make a stiff dough using all the ingredients, rest for 5 minutes under a damp cloth, then roll out into a 2mm thickness. Cut into sticks 8–10cm long and 1cm wide and deep-fry in medium-hot oil for 5–6 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
Now make the hummus. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the cloves and cardamom and allow the flavours to be released; now add the garlic and onion and cook for 4–6 minutes until soft and just about beginning to change colour. Add the chickpeas, roasted cumin seeds, chaat masala and red chilli powder and cook for another couple of minutes. Season with lime juice, salt and sugar, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a creamy purée. Check the seasonings and refrigerate. Serve the hummus as a dip along with ajowan seed sticks or vegetable crudités.
Vivek’s tip
For a stronger-tasting hummus, use a slug of mustard oil to finish the chickpea purée.
Stored in an airtight container, the ajowan seed sticks will keep for over a week. Cut into other shapes, they make an excellent base for canapés.
There are masala nuts and there are masala nuts. These are my favourite ones. I place particular emphasis on the hand-chopping of nuts as opposed to crushing, which brings out the oils and makes the nuts soft. Chopping nuts ensures that the texture is maintained and the increased surface area of the small, even pieces results in much better distribution of flavour.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
200g roasted salted cashew nuts, chopped coarsely
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your fingertips
½ teaspoon Chaat Masala
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped green coriander leaves and stalks (optional), to garnish
Heat the oil, add the chopped garlic and cumin and cook until crisp, then add the chopped cashew nuts, stir for 30 seconds or so, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Remove from the heat, allow to cool down to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
These are a great as a garnish to finish off dishes or, if you’re just plain greedy like me, then enjoy them by the fistful with drinks!
This is really nice spread on your bread or to dip your ‘papdi’ into. In Anise, we serve it as a small plate, but you could serve it as a starter at your dinner party or as an accompaniment with your barbecues.
SERVES 4
500g salmon fillet, scaled, pin-boned and cut into 125g pieces
For the marinade
1 tablespoon Ginger and Garlic paste
1 teaspoon Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
juice of ½ lemon
12g Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
½ tablespoon mustard oil (or use ½ tablespoon vegetable oil mixed with ¼ teaspoon English mustard)
To finish the rillettes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Pat dry the salmon and combine it with the rest of the ingredients. Set aside for 15–20 minutes to marinate in the fridge.
Thread the salmon pieces on to two skewers. Place the skewered salmon in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for about 8–10 minutes. We cook it in the tandoor for about 8 minutes. Remove and let the fish cool down to room temperature. Separate the flesh from the skin and flake it using a fork.
Mix the salmon flakes with the tarragon, cumin and crème fraîche and refrigerate.
Transfer the rillettes to small bowls and serve with biscuits or small pieces of toast along with drinks.
BOMBAY SPICED VEGETABLES IN CUMIN PAO
Pao Bhaji is common in much of India and is often enjoyed as a breakfast dish. A pao (or ‘pav’) is like a fluffy bun that is used to scoop up a tangy purée of vegetables. In Bombay, where the dish originates, you can see it being made by street vendors on huge griddles. If you just reverse the proportions, i.e. concentrate the vegetables down to a thick paste, then fill inside the bun, they make for excellent ‘hand-helds’ – perfect for a late-evening party, when people start feeling peckish again.
SERVES 8
1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ onion, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped into 5mm dice
100g cauliflower florets, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely chopped into 5mm dice
50g French beans, finely chopped into 5mm dice
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
3 large ripe tomatoes, blended to a purée
1 teaspoon spice mix (equal parts of cloves, black pepper, ajowan seeds, fennel, cinnamon and black salt)
75g boiled potato, grated
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
½ teaspoon chopped ginger
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
1 tablespoon butter to finish
juice of ½ lemon
For the pao
10g fresh yeast
1½ tablespoons caster sugar
100ml lukewarm water
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
15g butter, melted
280g plain white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
15g butter melted for brushing
Heat the ghee in a large, flat pan to smoking point, add the cumin seeds and garlic and allow them to crackle. As the garlic starts to change colour, add the onion and sauté until golden. Add the carrots and sweat for a couple of minutes, then add the cauliflower and do the same, constantly stirring to mix evenly. Now add the green pepper and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the beans and cook another minute and then add the cumin and red chilli powder and sauté for a minute. Next add the tomato purée, reduce the heat and cook for about 15–18 minutes, or until the tomatoes dry out and the vegetables have a coating consistency. The colour of the tomatoes will have intensified by now. Quickly stir in the spice mix powder and add the potato – just enough to bind the vegetables together and make the mixture smooth. Add the tamarind paste and cook for another 3–4 minutes to thicken the vegetable mix. Finally add the chopped ginger and green chillies, sprinkle with the coriander and finish with the remaining butter and lemon juice.
Meanwhile, make the pao. Put the yeast and sugar in a small bowl, add the water and milk and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Set aside in a warm place for 15 minutes, until frothy. Add half the egg and the melted butter to the yeast mixture and whisk well.
Sift 250g of the flour with the salt into a bowl. Add the cumin seeds and pour in the yeast mixture and mix to make a smooth dough. Finally mix in the melted butter. Using the remaining flour, knead the dough for 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with clingfilm or a damp cloth and leave the dough in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
When the dough has risen, knock it back and divide it into 8 equal balls. Arrange the dough balls on a well-greased baking tray about 2cm deep, placing them 1cm apart. Press the balls lightly so they just touch each other, then cover again with clingfilm or a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until they have doubled in volume. They will merge together.
When the dough has risen, brush with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle some more cumin seeds on top. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the pao from the oven and brush with melted butter while the buns are still hot and allow to cool.
Cut your pao horizontally in half, toast them lightly, then brush with melted butter and spread with the vegetable purée. Serve warm.
Bombay Spiced Vegetables in Cumin Pao
GREEN PEA AND POTATO CAKES WITH SWEET TOMATO CHUTNEY
These little cakes are quite easy to make and very good to eat, just remember to add the chopped roasted peanuts at the last minute before cooking, as if you add peanuts in advance, they go soggy and lose their crunch.
MAKES 24 AS CANAPÉS OR 12 AS STARTERS
125g shelled peas, fresh or thawed (preferably petits pois)
4cm ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 green chillies, finely chopped
2 teaspoons roasted cumin seeds
3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander stalk
5 medium-sized potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
50g cornflour
30g roasted peanuts, chopped coarsely
1½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
1 quantity of Tomato and Onion Seed Chutney
To make the green pea and potato cakes, place the green peas, ginger, green chillies, cumin seeds and coriander stalk in a food processor and coarsely grind them.
Place the grated potatoes in a mixing bowl, add the ground green pea mixture and the rest of the ingredients and mix evenly.
Form the mixture into 12 equal sized patties for starters or 24 small patties for canapés and, in a heavy-based pan, sear them in medium-hot oil for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden.
Serve the potato cakes hot with the tomato and onion seed chutney.
Think of these as stuffed spicy pizzas. A really well-made paratha is a thing of beauty. In my parathas I like the dough to be less than the quantity of filling, but they’re quite hard to make, so the recipe below suggests using half the quantity of filling for every part of dough. Do experiment with more filling as you gain more practice.
SERVES 4
For the parathas
550g chapatti flour (look for it in Asian food shops), plus about 50g extra for dusting
275ml water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
For the filling
3 green chillies, finely chopped
10g finely chopped fresh ginger
50g fresh coriander leaves and stalks, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
½ tablespoon dried pomegranate seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
250g paneer cheese, grated
50g Cheddar cheese, grated
Start making the filling by mixing together the chillies, ginger and coriander. Add the onion and season with the crushed pomegranate seeds, chilli powder and salt and mix well with the cheese.
To make the parathas, put the flour, water, oil and salt in a bowl, mix together and knead lightly to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 15 minutes, then divide into 8 equal portions. Divide the stuffing into 8 equal portions and roll into balls.
Take a ball of dough, make an indent and keep pressing and rotating the dough in your hand to make the cavity slightly larger than the size of the ball of stuffing. The edges of the cavity of dough should be slightly thinner than the centre (the edges of the dough are brought together to envelop the filling with the dough, if the edges aren’t thinner, then it will result in a clumpy doughy centre). Sit the ball of stuffing in the cavity and bring together the edges to cover the stuffing from all sides. Do not leave any cracks or the stuffing will come out while rolling the parathas. Lightly dust with flour, gently flatten, then roll out into a 20cm-diameter disc.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan or flat griddle on a medium-low heat and put a rolled paratha on it. Cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the dough begins to dry out and colours on the bottom. Turn the dough and cook it on the other side. Brush the top of the bread with ghee and flip it over again until it is golden and crisp on the outside. You will notice the bread puffs up as it cooks. The application of ghee and flour between the layers facilitates this, and as the steam inside the bread builds up, the layers separate. Cook the remaining breads in the same way, wrapping them loosely in foil to keep them warm until they are all cooked.
Serve with pickles and Greek yoghurt that has been lightly salted and thinned with a little water.
These parathas can be made with literally anything: spiced potatoes, cooked mince, chopped cooked chicken, cured radishes, cooked or raw cauliflower or just about anything that takes your fancy!
CHILLED LENTIL DUMPLINGS WITH STRAW POTATOES
These chilled lentil dumplings are perfect as an anytime snack and are often sold/served on hot summer afternoons or balmy evenings in India. Feel free to sprinkle some Bombay mix or crushed nuts on top for that extra texture.
SERVES 4
For the lentil dumplings
200g white urad lentils
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
2 tablespoons semolina
oil for frying
For the yoghurt mixture
500g plain yoghurt
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
½ teaspoon asafoetida
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, roasted and coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt
For the straw potatoes
oil for frying
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into fine sticks
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
For the garnish
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
cress or mixed greens
Clean, wash and soak the lentils overnight. Drain the lentils and blend to a smooth mixture, using just enough water to blend. Add the salt, black peppercorns and semolina. Whip the batter together with a spoon until it is light and fluffy.
Heat the oil in a pan; divide the batter into round balls of equal size and deep-fry them until golden brown. Next soak the fried dumplings in lukewarm water for 20 minutes until soft. Squeeze the excess water and put them in a deep dish.
Beat the yoghurt to a smooth mixture with a whisk (add some water if required). Add the remaining ingredients and pour over the dumplings, covering them entirely. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a separate pan and fry the potatoes until golden brown, then place on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Sprinkle with the salt and red chilli powder.
Put the straw potatoes on top of the soaked lentil dumplings and serve garnished with tamarind chutney, mint chutney and pomegranate seeds.
You will come across this on streets in most north Indian towns. We find it works really well as nibbles at Anise, too. Tiny biscuit discs made out of wheat, topped with spiced potatoes, dressed with yoghurt, tamarind and coriander chutneys make for a great canapé any time of the day.
For the ajowan seed biscuits
200g plain flour
½ teaspoon ajowan seeds
¼ teaspoon black onion seeds
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
a pinch of salt
75ml water
oil for deep-frying
For the spiced potatoes
2 potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and stalks
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
For the yoghurt dressing
250g plain yoghurt
a pinch of salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin
To serve
4 tablespoons Coriander Chutney
4 tablespoons Tamarind Chutney
To make the biscuits, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together to form a stiff dough, rest for 5 minutes under a damp cloth, then roll out into a 2mm thickness. Cut into 4–5cm squares or circles and deep-fry at 120°C until they are crisp.
To make the spiced potatoes, mix together all the ingredients, taste for seasoning and set aside in the fridge.
To make the yoghurt dressing, mix together all the ingredients and check seasoning. Set aside in the fridge.
To assemble, top each biscuit with a spoonful of spiced potato mix and arrange on a large serving platter. Then spoon the yoghurt dressing on top of the loaded biscuits. Next, drizzle with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney and serve immediately.
A distinct Scottish influence can still be found on the menus of some long-standing Anglo-Indian restaurants in Calcutta, (oops! Kolkata). An old menu at Flury’s, for example: ‘...mutton cutlets, fish chops and Scotch-deem [‘deem’ meaning egg]. The Bengalis like cakes – they make them with potatoes and with fish and call them ‘chops’ or ‘cutlets’. Here we have given the same treatment to a mixture of vegetables, where the colour of the beetroot gives these a distinctive look. These Scotch eggs are one of our most recent additions to the menu. They can be served with any mustard-based sauce mixed with tomato ketchup.
SERVES 6
18 quail’s eggs
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon black onion seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
½ onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
100g cauliflower florets, finely chopped
50g French beans, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 beetroot, boiled, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons raisins
1 floury potato, boiled, peeled and grated
oil for deep-frying
For the spice mix
2 green cardamom pods
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted
½ teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted
For crumb coating
2 eggs, beaten
150g dried breadcrumbs
Start by cooking the eggs until just over soft-boiled. Place the quail’s eggs in a saucepan with just enough salted water to cover and bring to the boil. As soon as the water boils, cook for 45 seconds, then drain. Dip the eggs immediately in cold water, then peel and set aside.
To make the spice mix, use a mortar and pestle to coarsely pound the cardamom pods, cumin and coriander seeds, then set aside.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-based frying pan or wok to smoking point and add the black onion seeds, cumin and fennel seeds and the bay leaf. When they begin to crackle, add the onion and sauté until golden. Now add all the vegetables, except the beetroot and potato, in the order they are listed and sauté on a medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the chilli powder, ground cumin and the spice mix and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes.
Add the beetroot and raisins and cook for 1 minute. Add the salt and sugar and stir well, then add the grated potatoes and continue cooking, stirring, until the mixture is evenly combined, the colour turns reddish and the mixture becomes shiny due to the ghee. This should take 3–4 minutes. Set the mixture aside and leave to cool.
When cold, divide the mixture into 18 equal portions and mould each portion around a boiled egg. One by one, dip a coated quail’s egg in the beaten egg, then roll it in the dried breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Transfer each egg to the fridge, once fully coated, and chill for 15 minutes.
Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a deep-fat fryer or a deep, heavy-based saucepan to 180°C. Add the eggs and fry about 2–3 minutes, until they are crisp and golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper and serve hot with a chutney of your choice.
