This Indian rice dish is simple, comforting and utterly delicious. If you’re looking for something a little more traditional, skip the paneer.

You’ll need 10 ingredients. The dish is gluten free, vegetarian and so easy to veganise. What’s not to love?

Wait, what’s the difference between Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat and Pulao?

Think of it this way: Pulao is the Hindi word for a rice dish in which you sauté rice in fat with spices, then add vegetables (or any protein of your choice). You then cover it with water and a lid. Finally, cook it until all the ingredients are fragrant and tender.

Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat adopts this very same process. You could say it’s a type of pulao — just one that has its’ own name, history and repertoire in Gujarati cuisine. It’s a Gujarati treasure. We eat it with Kadhi (buttermilk cooked with spices and gram flour) and not much else.

How to serve Matar-Bhaat

You can enjoy it the Gujarati way — drowned in Kadhi, with a side of Khichiya Papad and raw onions. Or serve it as part of a large, thali-style meal. It’s a wonderful alternative to Jeera Rice when peas are in season.

Do I have to add peas?

Yes. It’s not Matar Bhaat without the matar (peas). You can opt for raw or frozen peas. If tender fresh peas in their pods are available, use them. There’s nothing quite like Matar Bhaat made with peas and their pods.

Do I have to add potatoes and paneer?

Not at all. If you’d like something more traditional, leave the potatoes and paneer out and add in more peas. I usually serve my Matar Bhaat with Kadhi as a one-bowl dinner which is why I like to bulk it out with some extras. Feel free to add any vegetables or protein you like.

What other vegetables can I add to Matar Bhaat?

Cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, peppers, courgettes and carrots are all great vegetable-based add ins.

How can I make a vegan version of this Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat?

Simply replace the paneer for firm tofu (press it to drain excess water and pan-fry first). In place of tofu, you can also add cashews or peanuts. Swap the ghee for oil or your favourite plant-based butter.

Why do you add so few spices?

So here’s the key difference between Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat and your average Pulao. Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat is very delicate in flavour. It’s designed to carry the flavours of the sharp and tangy Kadhi you ladle on top.

Steaming hot, the two dishes eaten together are harmoniously sour, sweet, spicy and comforting. You’ll notice the absence of ginger, garlic, onions and chilli in this recipe — that’s because those ingredients would typically be in the dish you pair with the Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat.

Let the flavour of the peas, and the fragrance of the Basmati rice shine.

My essentials for this recipe

Amazon Affiliate links. These are all products I have purchased of my own accord and ones that I use myself. None of the products mentioned have been gifted to me. By using an affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no expense to you. This commission helps to support this blog. Thanks in advance if you choose to make a purchase through these links!

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Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat

My special version of Gujarati Matar Bhaat with super fluffy rice, fresh peas, potatoes and paneer. Serve it with Kadhi or as part of a larger thali-style meal. It's simple, comforting and utterly delicious. If you're looking for something a little more traditional, skip the paneer.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword gujarati, peas, pulao, rice

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 225 g long-grain basmati rice
• 250 g young peas in their pods (or peas without the pods)
• 225 g paneer diced (2cm cubes)
• 125 g potatoes peeled and diced (2cm cubes)
• 50 g ghee
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 cm stick cassia bark (or cinnamon)
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 550 ml hot water

Instructions

• Place the rice in a bowl. Wash it in plenty of cold water by gently swishing it with your hand. Be careful not to break the grains. Tip the water away and repeat another 2-3 times. This will clean the rice and also remove any excess starch for fluffy, separate grains.
• After the last drain, fill the bowl of rice with water once more. Add enough so the water level is 5cm above the surface of the rice. Allow to soak for 30 minutes.
• While the rice is soaking, prepare the peas, potatoes and paneer.
• To prepare the peas, top and tail them, also removing the long, stringy membrane that runs down the length (on both sides). Pop the pods open and remove the peas inside. Snap the top and pull downwards to remove the tough membrane from inside the pods. Do this for both halves. The pods and peas are now ready to cook.
• Peel and dice the potatoes in 1-2cm cubes (according to your preference). Place in a bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Make sure they're all fully submerged. This will prevent the potatoes oxidising and turning brown. You can keep the skins on if you like.
• If you're using shop-bought paneer, cut it into 1-2cm cubes (according to your preference) and place it in a bowl. Pour hot water directly over the paneer until it's fully submerged. This will soften the paneer up beautifully. Skip this step if you're using homemade paneer.
• After the paneer has soaked for 10 minutes, you can drain it well (along with the potatoes) and fry them in oil or ghee if you like. However, I prefer not to brown the paneer or potatoes in this recipe.
• Melt the ghee in a large non-stick pan that has a tight-fitting lid. Once melted, add the cumin seeds, cassia bark and curry leaves. Sauté over a medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes to infuse the ghee with the delicate aromas of the spices.
• Drain the soaked rice well and add it to the pan. Sauté over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Fold the rice using a large spatula to ensure the delicate grains do not break. Once the rice is coated in ghee and very lightly toasted, add the paneer, potatoes and peas.
• Very gently combine the rice, vegetables and paneer. Season with salt.
• Pour in 550ml boiling water and give everything a final mix. Bring to the boil.
• Cover the top of the pan with a piece of aluminium foil – it shouldn't be touching the rice. Place the pan lid on top of the foil and press it down to seal the pot completely.
• Leave the pan over a moderate heat and cook for 5 minutes exactly. Once 5 minutes has elapsed, switch the heat off and leave the pan as it is for 20 minutes. Don't uncover it, not even for a second.
• After 20 minutes, remove the lid and carefully remove the foil to allow the steam to escape. Place the heat back on high and cook for 3-4 minutes. This will crisp up the bottom beautifully.
• The final step is to give the rice a final toss and fluff up with a fork. You can check the potatoes are cooked through by piercing them with a fork. They should be tender.
• Serve immediately with Gujarati-style Kadhi or in place of jeera rice alongside your favourite curry or daal.

Video

Notes

• Pack leftovers away in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Ruffled Vegetable Biryani

Love Sanjana

The post Gujarati-Style Matar Bhaat appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

This beautiful preparation of basmati rice and freshly-toasted spices takes serious thought, time and effort.

From soaking the rice, to frying onions, and if you’re really committed, making your own glorious Biryani Masala, this is no 30-minute meal.

Biryani is a food that you make for special occasions and sharing. It’s decadent, opulent and more of an emotion than it is a meal.

What is Ruffled Vegetable Biryani?

It’s a little twist on the original dough-sealed biryani with stunning golden filo pastry ruffles as the crowning glory. With each scoop of aromatic biryani, your friends and family can help themselves to a buttery pastry ruffle.

These scrunched up bits of filo just melt in the mouth and they’re SO simple to make (even though it looks super fancy!).

My favourite thing is that the butter from the pastry seeps down into the steamy rice to create rosy saffron steam that contrast with spices like cardamom and cloves. Indeed, this veg biryani will knock your socks clean off.

How to make Biryani Masala at home

Sure, a packet Biryani Masala mix has a place in the kitchen cupboard. It’s great for those days when you’re short of time, let’s not be snobby about it. However, there’s truly no match for a batch of homemade Biryani Masala.

I toast whole spices until the oils release and become fragrant. It’s as satisfying to make as it is to eat. Plus, everything is fresh and you get to see exactly what goes in.

My all-in-one Homemade Biryani Masala

My Biryani Masala is an all-in-one recipe. I add dried chilli, garlic and ginger to the masala so you don’t need to add their fresh counterparts when you cook your biryani.

I find this to be a welcome time saver since there are already so many other ingredients required.

How much Homemade Biryani Masala does this recipe make?

My recipe makes approximately 75g biryani masala, which is enough to make biryani for six people three times, give or take. Of course, this depends on the amount of masala you add to your dish.

My calculations are based on adding 2 tablespoons of biryani masala to a biryani for 6 people (around 225g rice and 1.5kg of vegetables or protein).

Tips for making Homemade Biryani Masala

• A dry frying pan is perfect for getting the spices nicely toasty. You don’t need to use oil for dry masalas.
• Don’t toast the spices over a high heat. A low heat will help coax the oils from the whole spices perfectly. Patience pays off.
• Keep the spices moving the whole time they’re in the pan to ensure they don’t burn. They have a tendency to catch in hotspots.
• Let the spices cool completely before you grind them.
• Store the homemade Biryani Masala in an airtight jar or container for up to six months. It’s okay to leave it beyond this date but the spices may lose some of their potency.
• I recommend making masalas in small batches so you can use them at their best.

What kind of Vegetable Biryani is this?

Absolutely not traditional is the answer. While it has all the flavours of a wonderful biryani, its presentation and method of preparation is unique.

I never claim authenticity in recipes because I believe recipes are in a constant metamorphosis, informed by our environments and tastes.

Purists will insist that there cannot be a vegetarian biryani as this dish has almost always been prepared with meat.

My opinion is that if there can be plant-based “chicken” burgers, vegan “steak” and other no-meat meats, anything is possible.

Every food has roots, or an origin of sorts. To deny the existence of something based on a belief that it shouldn’t be, doesn’t make it cease to exist. Enough chat. Let’s make biryani.

Why add pastry on top?

India’s most traditional biryanis are cooked in “Dum”. This refers to a seal of dough around the rim of a cooking pot so the food inside cooks in steam.

A seal ensures steam builds up inside the pot, plumps up the rice grains and infuses them with the flavours of spiced veg, crispy onions (in the biryani layers) and saffron.

Once you crack it open, the ‘Dum’, translated as “warm breath” will escape and you’ll be ready to pile mounds of biryani on your plate.

This Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani takes inspiration from the dum method but isn’t wholly traditional. I sprinkle the biryani is sprinkled with saffron milk which, along with the rice and veg releases steam upwards.

The crispy filo pastry sits on top and since it’s spread with butter, the entire biryani soaks up the buttery drips that fall from above. It really is the veggie biryani of dreams.

Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani: Troubleshooting

My biryani-making essentials (contains affiliate links)

• A wet/dry grinder with a powerful motor is your best friend when it comes to grinding your own masalas. It’s an invaluable tool for this Biryani Masala. I have a Boss one which is years old but this Premier Xpress Mixer/Grinder is amazing.
• Indeed, if you’re looking for a one-stop quick fix that’s suitable for lots of things, try a coffee grinder like this Bosch Coffee Grinder. You’ll probably only want to use it for spices though. Nobody wants biryani-flavoured coffee… or do they?
• All the spices you need for this biryani can be found here.
• I use a springform cake tin like this for my Ruffled Vegetable Biryani but a casserole pot like this one or this one is ideal.
• Indeed, you can use your favourite brand of Basmati rice for this biryani. Some of my favourites include this Dehraduni Basmati Rice or the classic Daawat Extra-Long Grain Rice.

How to make Homemade Biryani Masala and Vegetable Biryani

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Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani

Aromatic vegetable biryani hidden beneath a layer of crispy, buttery filo pastry ruffles. This show-stopping vegetarian dish is inspired by "dum" cooking where pastry is used to seal a pot so the dish cooks gently in steam.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword rice, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 1 x 26cm (10-inch) diameter springform cake tin, 10cm (4-inch) deep or cake tin, casserole or pie dish of a similar capacity
• Frying pan or pot

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 225 g long-grain basmati rice
• 2 L hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 5 cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals (optional)

For the vegetables:

• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 80 g cashews
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp Biryani masala recipe below
• 150 g plain yoghurt
• 350 g potatoes cut into large chunks and fried until cooked and golden
• 200 g cauliflower florets fried until slightly golden
• 150 g carrots sliced into batons and steamed until 75% cooked
• 100 g peas I used frozen
• 100 g peppers sliced into large pieces
• 200 g paneer cubed and fried until golden
• 1 large onion sliced and fried until golden and crispy
• 150 ml water

You will also need:

• 150 ml hot milk
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 1 large onion sliced and fried until golden and crispy
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

For the pastry top:

• 500 g filo pastry sheets
• 200 g butter melted

Instructions

To prepare the rice:

• Gently wash the rice in cold water, changing the water out 2-3 times. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water for one hour.
• Heat a large pot of water (around 2L) over a medium-high heat. Add salt, cassia bark or cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods, 3 cloves and 1 tbsp optional rose petals. Bring to a boil.
• Add the rice and bring to a boil again. Simmer over a medium heat until the rice is 80% cooked. It should break when you press a grain between your fingers, not smush. Drain in a colander and set aside.

To make the vegetable mixture:

• Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Allow to melt, and then add some whole cumin seeds. Sizzle for 20 seconds or so, then add tomato purée, cashews and biryani masala. Cook for a further 30 seconds, and then add plain yoghurt. Stir constantly, for about 2 minutes until the paste cooks through. You'll know it's ready when the oil separates from the paste. Turn the heat down low.
• Add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas, peppers, paneer and fried onions. Stir well. Pour in around 150ml water and bring to the boil. Cook for no longer than 2 minutes and then switch the heat off.

To layer the biryani:

• Grease a springform cake tin, cake tin or pie dish with plenty of oil. Spread another third of the rice mixture in the bottom of the tin. Top with half of the vegetable mixture, some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
• Add another third of the rice and the remainder of the vegetable mixture. Flatten it gently – don't press it down too hard. Top with some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
• Layer in the final third of rice. Pour over the saffron milk and sprinkle some fresh coriander leave on top.

For the filo pastry ruffles:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Take the first sheet of filo pasty and generously brush it with the melted butter. Keep the rest of the pastry covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Scrunch the pastry up from one end to the other, like a rough concertina. Take one end and wrap it around into a spiral or rosette. You don’t have to be neat — the more rustic, the better.
• Place the scrunched pastry on top of rice, starting from the outside edge. Repeat for the remaining pastry until all of the rice is covered with ruffled pastry. This pastry top will help the rice and spices gently steam in the oven whilst the surface becomes golden and crispy.
• Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Serve hot with your favourite biryani accompaniments. Raita and mirchi ka salan are my favourites.

Video

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All-In-One Biryani Masala

Aromatic masala that's perfect for any biryani preparation. Set aside your packet of biryani masala and try this beautifully-fragrant biryani masala inspired by the flavours of north India. Just add two tablespoons of masala per 1.5kg of vegetables or protein. No need to add additional ginger, garlic, chilli or salt because this masala contains it all.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Indian

Keyword biryani, masala

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Equipment

• High-powered wet/dry grinder or coffee grinder
• Frying pan or saucepan
• Container with a tight-fitting lid for storing the masala

Ingredients

• 20 cloves
• 20 black peppercorns
• 15 green cardamom
• 4 black cardamom
• 20 cm cassia bark or cinnamon sticks
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 2 blades mace
• 5 dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp dried rose petals
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3 tsp dried garlic
• 2 tsp dried ginger
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp ajwain
• 2 tsp ground turmeric

Instructions

• Heat a dry frying pan or saucepan over a low heat.
• Add all the whole spices and toss to combine. Cook over a low heat for about a minute-90 seconds.
• Add the powdered spices, salt and sugar. Toss again and cook, stirring all the time to ensure the masala doesn't burn. This shouldn't take longer than 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Pile the spices into a spice grinder or the bowl of a mixer/grinder (recommendations for these are included in the blog post above). Blend until the mixture becomes a fine powder. You might need to stop and stir everything once or twice to ensure all the spices are getting some blade time.
• Pile the mixture into an airtight container or jar. This biryani masala will keep well for a year but is best used within 6 months.

Video

Notes

Makes approximately 75g biryani masala. This is enough to make biryani for six people three times, depending on how much masala you like in your biryani.

Pin this Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Saag Paneer

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What are Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya?

Along with a spicy breakfast, there’s nothing more satisfying than using up leftovers. This recipe for Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya hits both of those spots. They’re made using grated bottlegourd (doodhi/lauki), cold leftover rice, chickpea flour and a medley of subtle spices. The dumplings are then formed into log-shapes and gently steamed to lock in plenty of flavour and moisture. Once cooled, the cooked muthiya are quickly sautéed with sesame seeds and curry leaves to add that final dimension of flavour and a gorgeously crisp, golden texture.

How to serve Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya

These spicy dumplings are delicious at any time of the day, but for me, they’ll always be a breakfast favourite. You can also enjoy them for lunch or a tea-time snack. I know a handful of people who prefer them straight from the steamer without sautéing them first – perhaps a consequence of impatience over preference.

My favourite way of enjoying muthiya is with a steaming cuppa sweet masala chai and absolutely nothing else.

What flours are needed for making Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya?

There are a number of different flours you can use for making these steamed dumplings. I use a combination of chickpea flour, wholewheat flour and semolina. You could also add millet flour to these.

Why do you add semolina?

I add coarse semolina to these steamed dumplings as it gives them a softer texture in the middle and once they’re sautéed, a crispier exterior.

What if I can’t find dudhi?

Don’t have bottlegourd? Muthiya taste just as good when they’re made with courgettes, cabbage, carrots, peas, or even fresh spinach. Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to play with your food.

What type of rice should I use?

Any rice is fine to use for these. I used leftover jasmine rice for my batch today because it’s what I had in the fridge. The most important thing is that it’s cooked and cold. Basmati rice and khichdi are also popular additions to this dish.

Watch me make Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya

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Gujarati Dudhi Muthiya – How to make Gujarati Steamed Dumplings

Super tender vegetable and rice dumplings, first steamed and then sautéed with crackled mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves. These Gujarati muthiyas are my family’s favourite way of using up leftover cooked rice and veggies.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword carrots, dudhi, dumplings, gujarati, leftovers, rice, snacks, vegan

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Steamer or large pan fitted with a steaming tray and lid

Ingredients

For the muthiya:

• 1 dudhi/lauki (bottlegourd) grated (about 400g)
• 1 large onion grated (about 250g)
• 3 large cloves garlic minced
• 1 large carrot grated (about 100g)
• 300 g cooked rice cold (any rice or khichdi is fine)
• 250 g chickpea flour (besan)
• 150 g wholewheat flour chapati atta works well
• 2 ½ tbsp coarse semolina
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 ½ tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 ½ tsp sugar
• 1 lemon juice only
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50 ml oil (any flavourless) plus more for greasing the steamer trays and your hands

To temper the muthiya:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp asafoetida
• 2 tsp kasoori methi optional
• 100 ml water
• 60 g tbsp chopped coriander to garnish

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, semolina, chilli, turmeric, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Add the dudhi, onions, carrots and garlic. Use clean hands to squeeze the vegetables to encourage them to release water. Keep squeezing until the mixture becomes dough-like in consistency. Do not add water as the vegetables will release plenty as you mix. Add the lemon juice and oil and combine well.
• One by one, roll into logs (you may want to grease your hands with oil first). Each log should be about 4cm in diameter. Place them onto greased trays that fit inside a steamer or large steaming pot. Leave room around each one as they will inflate slightly. You may need to do them in 2-3 batches if your steamer is small.
• Place a lid on and cook over a high heat for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of one comes out clean. Remove the basket from the steamer and allow to cool completely.
• Remove the muthiya from the steaming basket and allow to cool. Cut each log into 2cm pieces. Set aside.

To temper the muthiya:

• In a large non-stick pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the sesame seeds, curry leaves, kasoori methi and asafoetida. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the water and the muthiya and sauté on a high heat for 15 minutes or so, turning every so often. Be gentle as too much tossing or stirring will cause them to break. When golden, remove from the heat and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with chai and/or plain yoghurt and your favourite pickle.

Video

Notes

Dudhi Na Muthiya can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Alternatively, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Ensure the muthiya are cool before freezing or storing in the fridge.

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If you like these, you’ll love my Khaman (Dhokla) recipe

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Not only is this aromatic wonder quick and easy to make, it’s also VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE and full of goodness from the veggies. As a result of using Tempeh, this recipe is super HIGH IN PROTEIN.

The rice

I like to use either cooked brown rice or jasmine rice for this. The important thing is that it’s COLD and not freshly-cooked rice. For example, leftover cooked rice is perfect for making great Firecracker Rice.

Making the marinade for Thai Basil Tempeh

Firstly, whizz up loads of luscious, peppery Thai basil and fresh lemongrass. Next, add in the big umami player, for example soy sauce or tamari. A squeeze of lime juice brings all the flavours to life. Give your tempeh a nice little bath in this mixture and you’ll soon be on your way to vegan food paradise.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Thai Basil Tempeh & Firecracker Rice

• Tempeh
• Thai basil
• Lemongrass
• Soy sauce or tamari
• Lime
• Neutral oil, such as sunflower
• Leftover cooked rice (cold)
• Garlic
• Peppers
• Courgettes
• French beans
• Onions
• Sesame seeds
• Chillies
• Sweet chilli sauce
• Salt

How to Make Thai Basil Tempeh & Firecracker Rice

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Thai Basil Tempeh & Firecracker Rice

Thai Basil Tempeh & Firecracker Rice – A mouthwatering combination of sweet and spicy flavours that tastes a million times better than a takeaway!

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword lemongrass, rice, tempeh, thai basil, vegan, vegetables

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Wok

Ingredients

For the Tempeh:

• 200 g tempeh block sliced into 2cm-thick pieces
• 50 g Thai basil leaves
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari if GF
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp any neutral-tasting oil such as sunflower oil

For the Firecracker Rice:

• 325 g cooked Jasmine rice or brown rice day old is best
• 1 tbsp any neutral-tasting oil such as sunflower oil
• 5 large cloves garlic crushed
• 4 hot red chillies slit lengthways
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 peppers (capsicums) sliced
• 2 courgettes (zucchini) sliced into half moons
• 100 g French beans trimmed and halved
• 2 large red onions peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari if GF
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

For the Tempeh

• Blend the Thai basil, lemongrass, soy sauce (or tamari), lime juice, 1 tbsp of the oil and salt in a blender or small grinder. You may need to add a splash of water to help it along.
• Coat the tempeh slices in the marinade. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. You can also do this the day before and keep the bowl of tempeh covered in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and pan-fry the tempeh until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. You can wrap it in foil to keep it warm.

For the Firecracker Rice

• Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the garlic, chillies and sesame seeds. Stir-fry for a moment (don't let them brown) and then add the peppers, courgettes, French beans and onions. Stir-fry the veggies over a very high heat until slightly charred on the outside, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of water (about 50ml) water to the wok and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Tumble in the cooked rice, separating the grains with a wooden spoon.
• Next, add the soy sauce, lime juice, sweet chilli sauce and salt. Toss well and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pile the rice onto plates or scoop into bowls. Serve topped with the cooked tempeh.

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You can use any kind of pasta shape for this dish. I recommend one with ridges to catch the creamy sauce in all the nooks and crannies. I used tripoline but fusilli, cavatappi and conchiglie would all work well. I love all kinds of pasta but have always thought there’s something quite magical about long shapes that you can twirl around your fork. Maybe I’m just a sucker for playing with my food.

The recipe itself uses just a handful of ingredients to showcase the beautiful roasted squash and kale. You can easily veganise the sauce by swapping the mascarpone for your favourite vegan cream cheese. Top with grated dairy-free Cheddar or mozzarella for a final flourish of the good stuff.

When it comes to pasta, I’m partial to a crispy, bubbly top. If you are too, you can sprinkle over some extra cheese and grill until leopard-spotted and gooey.

I ate this out of the pan as soon as I’d finished photographing it. No regrets.

Most people would say this recipe serves 6 but in my house, it serves 4. Who am I to tell you how much pasta to eat? Use my pasta measurements as a guideline for the pasta:sauce ratio and enjoy every last bit of this one-bowl wonder!

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Squash & Mascarpone Pasta with Crispy Kalettes

This creamy pasta makes for a satisfying one-bowl dinner. It’s the ultimate comfort food and has just a tingle of spice to keep you warm. The pasta is combined with a silky roasted butternut squash and mascarpone sauce before being topped with crispy kalettes (little kale sprouts) and fried sage.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Italian

Keyword butternut squash, cheesecake, kale, pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 250 g pasta of your choice I used tripoline
• 1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed (about 1kg)
• 2 large cloves garlic sliced
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp
• 20 sage leaves
• 160 g kalettes
• 250 g mascarpone
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
• Grated cheese I like Cheddar, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F.
• First, fry the sage leaves in 2 tbsp olive oil until dark green and crispy. Remove from the oil and set aside on kitchen paper to cool and crisp up further. Keep the oil you used to cook them in — we’re going to toss the squash in this.
• Peel and cube the butternut squash. Toss with 1/2 tsp sea salt, fennel seeds and the olive oil used to cook the sage leaves. Place this in the oven to roast, about 30-35 minutes.
• Place the kalettes on a baking tray and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Coat the kalettes well and once the squash has been in the oven for 20 minutes, pop the kalettes in for the remainder of the cooking time. They should take about 10-12 minutes to crisp up.
• Remove the squash and kale from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, according to packet instructions.
• Blend together half of the squash, mascarpone and 60ml of the pasta cooking water. Be sure to include all that roasted garlic. Season with chilli flakes and 1 tsp salt.
• Drain the pasta and immediately toss the pasta with the sauce. Top with the crispy kalettes, remaining squash cubes and fried sage leaves. Garnish with chopped parsley and grated cheese, if desired. Serve piping hot.

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Tripoline pasta combined with a silky roasted butternut squash and mascarpone sauce before being topped with crispy kalettes (little kale sprouts) and fried sage. I can’t think of anything more perfect for a cosy night in.

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I’m making Khichdi, Gujarati style, like how they eat it on the farm in my ancestral home of Porbandar. It’s served with Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, a blow-your-socks-off garlic and chilli preserve, and a cold glass of Chaas (salted buttermilk with roasted cumin). This is the comfort food every Gujarati has precious memories of growing up. The porridge-like consistency of a ghee-beaten rice and lentil mishmash was usually the first solid food we ever ate as toothless babies and our fondness for it stayed with us right through to adulthood. It became a familiar and nostalgic comfort blanket for the belly.

Loaded with hearty goodness and family tradition, Khichdi was and (still is) regarded as being every doting Gujarati mother’s nourishment of choice for her child.

My recipe uses salt but feel free to omit it or reduce the amount for weaning. Just a few weeks ago, I prepared a salt-free version for my 6-month old and he gobbled it up with gusto. It was his first real taste of food, as it was mine 29 years ago.

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

I like to use dried, split mung beans with the husks on (mung daal chilla) but you can also use the skinned yellow variety of mung daal if you prefer. As far as spices go, turmeric, asafoetida and black pepper are all that’s needed.

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Village-Style Gujarati Khichdi

Unlike other regional variations of the dish, Gujarati Khichdi is subtle and gently spiced but still creamy with ghee or butter. It’s not pilau or biryani and traditionally, Khichdi is not loved for its long, separate grains you strive to achieve with other rice dishes. Think risotto. It’s a stodgy, filling rice and lentil porridge with or without a blend of spices depending on the regional style and interpretation you choose.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword gujarati, lentils, rice, turmeric

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 125 g basmati rice
• 125 g dried split mung beans (the kind with the husks left on)
• 600 ml hot water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g butter or ghee
• 1 tsp freshly-ground black peppercorns

Instructions

• Combine the rice and dried split mung beans. Wash them in cold water several times and then place them in a pan that has a tight-fitting lid.
• Add the water, turmeric, asafoetida and salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Place the lid on the pan and reduce the burner to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the khichdi is tender.
• Next, add in the butter and black pepper and beat the khichdi with a wooden spoon for a minute until creamy and porridge-like in consistency.
• Serve with more butter or ghee and Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (optional but delicious).
• You can also cook the khichdi in a pressure cooker. Follow the same method and cook for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before opening the cooker and beating in the butter and black pepper.

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The shrill pitter patter of the mung beans being poured into a bowl and the swoosh and clatter of them being washed and rinsed reminds me of waves lapping the shore at Bamburi Beach, Mombasa. It’s a place where I’ve had a bucket load of happy food memories.

First the mung beans bloom; They’re fat and full of water. Next, their sage skins crack and reveal the creamy white of the inside, rather like Japanese Kintsugi. After a few days and minimal TLC the mung beans begin to sprout delicate tendrils which get longer over the span of 24 hours. Full of goodness and earthy crunch, the mung beans are ready to eat.

Make your own sprouted mung beans by washing them and soaking for 24 hours. Once they’re plump, drain the water from them and scatter them into a colander lined with kitchen paper. Cover with another piece of kitchen paper and leave them for 48 hours, trickling a little water on the top piece of kitchen paper after the first 24 hours. Keep them on the countertop at room temperature. After 72 hours, they will be ready to eat. You can store them in the fridge for 24 hours.

You can pack the sprouted mung beans into lunchboxes, toss them through salads, stir-fry them with spices or eat them straight up with a spoon. I like to pack some protein into my breakfasts and my go-to ingredients to do this are sprouted mung beans, tofu, cheese and edamame. This dish puts sprouted mung beans to good use.

My lightly stir-fried vermicelli noodles are tossed with sprouted mung beans, crackled mustard seeds, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric for a big, punchy breakfast number you’ll cook again and again. Transform it into a filling lunch or dinner with the addition of pan-fried tofu.

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Sprouted Mung Bean Breakfast Noodles

My lightly stir-fried vermicelli noodles are tossed with crackled mustard seeds, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric for a big, punchy breakfast number you’ll cook again and again. Transform it into a filling lunch or dinner with the addition of pan-fried tofu.

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword noodles, pasta, stir fry, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 150 g sprouted mung beans
• 350 g vermicelli noodles
• 2 medium carrots peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 2-3 dried red chillies
• 3-4 fresh green chillies
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions

• Cook the vermicelli according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add in the asafoetida, curry leaves (stand back, they will splutter), fresh and dried chillies. Sauté momentarily and then add the onion. Cook the onion until translucent.
• Next, add in the sprouted mung beans, carrots, turmeric and salt. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Finally, add in the cooked vermicelli noodles and toss to combine. Garnish with fresh coriander.

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At least that’s what I’ve felt these past few weeks.

Last time I blogged, I told you about my Trigeminal Neuralgia and how it shook up my world for a long time before I actually sought out a solution. Well, I’ve been on carbamazepine for some three months now and I’m finally starting to feel like a real human again. Hurray!

I had a beautiful week of rest and relaxation in Cancun with my husband recently and it was real bliss. If you’ve been following my Instagram stories, you’ll have seen I was being one of those annoying people who overshare holiday pictures. I loved it! Not only did we eat the freshest guacamole every day with breakfast, lunch and dinner, I also discovered how soul-warming and not to mention, perfectly perfumed fresh corn tortillas are. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to plastic-encased, shelf-stable supermarket corn tortillas again. I can only imagine what it must have been like growing up in Mexico, waiting for mum to finish making fresh corn tortillas, the air in the house thick with the sweet smell of toasted corn. It reminded me of the smell memories have, growing up as a first gen Brit, with an Indian heritage and ties to East Africa; it was the most delicious melting pot. Here are my top 5…

1. Fresh Gujarati Rotli. The softest, thinnest chappatis, doubled layered because they’d puff up on the steel plate heated with a roaring flame. “Hot air balloons”, my mum would call them, my eyes wide in awe as I’d think back to the hot air balloons we’d seen in Kenya. Spread with so much salted butter, it would glisten on the surface like mirror glaze on the finest French entremets.

2. Aubergines roasting over an open gas fire. In my opinion, the finest way to cook an aubergine is to char it all over until soft and velvet-like inside. This is how we always made Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry and it’s still one of my favourite dishes in the world, especially with the aforementioned rotli.

3. Steamed mohogo (cassava). I can’t describe it. The smell is like if you caramelised the most potato-like potatoes that ever existed and then condensed the smell into an essential oil for a sauna. Once cooked, we’d cover the steamed mohogo in chilli, lemon juice and salt. Nothing fancy but perfect to me.

4. Seeroh. Hot, sweet semolina that’s first crackled and toasted in ghee or butter, cooked with milk, sugar, saffron, almonds and cardamom. My mum always adds fresh orange juice and zest, along with vanilla bean extract. The smell of this dessert as it cooks makes me swoon! I posted my version of Hot Saffron and Lemon Seeroh with Pistachio Ice Cream a while back if you’d like to have a go yourself.

5. Vegetable biryani. Golden rice first boiled with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and then layered with veggies, fried onions and rosewater. Packed up tightly with a dough seal and baked in the oven, biryani is one of my favourite ways to enjoy rice. The moment when you take the hot handi to the table, crack open the baked-shut lid and watch that first puff of steam escape is enough to make you weak at the knees. Aromas wafting about the kitchen as everyone digs in like crocs at feeding time (well, at least in my house). I imagine your establishment is much more civilised, although no matter if not.

I’ve made a few variations of biryani before and this has to be one of my favourites. A tonne of mixed mushrooms from baby button and chestnut, to shiitake and oyster. If you’re feeling fancy and the season is right, add morels or chanterelles for a sublime treat.

I cooked my mushrooms with lots of aromatics until rich, deep and dark and finished with buttermilk and fresh tarragon to lift the flavour with aniseed notes and just the right amount of creaminess.

The rice is long grain and soaked overnight. Sounds OTT but really, it takes less than 5 minutes to cook if you do this. I add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom to the cooking water at this stage and always boil the rice as if I was boiling pasta (in lots of water and then drain and cool). You only need to boil it until it’s 70% cooked.

The gorgeous colour is created with good quality saffron infused with hot milk. The milk will turn the sunniest of yellows, verging on orange. It’s so pretty to watch, and this adds that iconic biryani flavour. For me, it’s not a biryani without saffron.

The rim of the pot is sealed with a simple dough made with flour and water. This ensures steam builds up inside the pot, plumps up the rice grains and infused them with the flavours of spiced buttermilk mushrooms, crispy onions (in the biryani layers) and saffron. Once cracked open, the ‘Dum’, translated as “warm breath” will escape from the pot and you’ll be ready to pile mounds of biryani on your plate.

Serve with cooling carrot and cucumber raita with lemon juice and fresh cumin, toasted and ground. Toasting cumin seeds and grinding them burning hot in a pestle and mortar creates the most magical smoke and fragrance. Smells like home.

Buttermilk Mushroom Biryani
Serves 4

For the Biryani:
450g mixed mushrooms
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin
5cm piece ginger, grated
2 hot green or red chillies
10-12 cashews
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 red onion, sliced
10g tarragon (about a tablespoon chopped)
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
150ml buttermilk
Salt to taste
250g extra-long grain golden basmati rice, washed and soaked overnight
5cm cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, cracked
4 cloves
Rosewater
1 onion, thinly sliced and fried in ghee until crispy
Large pinch saffron, soaked in 3 tbsp hot milk
Dried rose petals (optional)
Mint leaves and fresh coriander to garnish

For the dum (dough around rim of Dutch oven or handi):
150g flour
120ml cold water

For the Raita:
450g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp mint, chopped
1 tbsp coriander, chopped
1 tbsp dill, chopped
1 large cucumber
1 large carrot, grated
1 lemon, juice and zest
80g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp cumin toasted and ground
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pomegranate

Method

1. Wash the rice and soak in cold water overnight.

2. Drain the rice and place in a large saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cracked cardamom pods and a large pinch of salt. Cover the rice in plenty of water (as if you were boiling pasta) and bring to a boil. Because you soaked the rice it will take less than 5 minutes. Once the rice is 70% cooked, drain and set aside.

3. To make the buttermilk mushroom masala: wipe and slice your mixed mushrooms and set aside. Place the ghee in a large pan and allow to melt on a low heat. Add the cumin seeds, cashews, bay leaf and asafoetida. Once aromatic, add the ginger, chilli and onion. Sauté on a medium heat until the onion has caramelised. Add the tomatoes and cook until most of the water has evaporated.

4. Next, add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have softened and reduced by half. Add the turmeric, season with salt. Cook for a further few minutes and then. Switch off the heat. Add the buttermilk and stir quickly to incorporate. Add the chopped tarragon and give the mushrooms a final stir.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C.

6. Take a large, handi (you can also use a Dutch oven if you don’t have this). The most important thing is that it’s deep, ovenproof and has a lid. Grease with butter and place a layer of rice on top. (Note: I usually keep the cinnamon etc i boiled the rice with in and remove it before serving.) Cover the rice with a layer of mushroom mixture. Add another layer of rice and add some of the saffron milk, a drop of rose water and fried onions. Add a little more rice and repeat layering with mushrooms and rice until you run out. Finish with rice on top and repeat the saffron milk, rose water and fried onion layer.

7. Combine the flour and water and knead to make a firm dough. Roll the dough out into a long sausage shape and use it to line the rim of the biryani pot. Place the lid on top and bake for 35-40 minutes.

8. To make the raita: Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Grate and squeeze out any excess water. Place into a large bowl. Grate the carrot and squeeze out excess water. Add the chopped herbs, chopped spring onion, lemon juice, salt, sugar and yogurt. Stir to combine.

9. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and coarsely grind in a pestle and mortar. Add to the raita and stir. Top the raita with pomegranate seeds. Chill until ready to serve.

10. Take everything to the table and open up the biryani there, breaking the dough seal. The fragrant steam will escape and you can serve just like that or pile on to a platter and garnish with fresh mint leaves, coriander, crispy onions and dried rose petals.

Serve the mushroom biryani in the middle of the table with bowls of cooling raita, your favourite Indian pickles/chutneys and crunchy poppadoms for everyone to share.

Love Sanjana

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Yep, I’ve always been this easy to please. My first memories of cooking with cauliflower began at the supermarket where mum trained me in how to pick the freshest veggies for our homemade vegetarian feasts – all reliant on the senses. Think Karate Kid but with more legumes and fewer spinning leg kicks. “Look for the slimmest aubergines – they contain the fewest seeds”, “Always feel for the firmest okra – they’re the freshest”, “Shake the coconut and listen to hear if there’s water inside – the flesh will be more tender”. 20 years on and I remember these and hundreds more tips every time I pick fresh fruit and veg. I’m talking Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind but with zero algebra and loads of brassicas.

My lesson on picking the perfect cauliflower? The florets should be firm, pure white and the leaves enveloped around the cauliflower head. Bonus points for a lack of baby caterpillars.
When I was growing up in Yorkshire, I had incredible fresh ingredients from the local farm shop on my doorstep (not literally. – we lived above a newsagents, not in a field). I didn’t know many other 13 year olds who preferred doing the food shop with mum over heading into town with friends, but that’s okay. Back then I truly believed I was a bit odd. So, as a 27 year old, I wish to give my teenage self some advice…

• Don’t worry about being different to your friends, you’re you and that’s what makes you special.
•  Your obsession with cooking isn’t weird. It’ll help you later in life.
• Don’t be a jerk to your parents, they’re your number 1 fans and love you unconditionally.
• Stop obsessing over what you think makes people ‘pretty’. You’re fine the way you are. One day you’ll find a husband who loves the whole you.
• Your brother isn’t as evil as he seems.
• Friends come and go. Just hold on to the ones you really like 😉
• Mess with your hair as much as you want. Dye it purple and forget what other people say. Your genes are badass.
• Find beauty in everything. It’s there, you just need to look hard enough.
• Keep dancing in your bedroom every night.
• You are not the only person in the world who feels ‘this way’.
• Dedicate your time exploring the things you love. A career will follow if you show people how passionate you are.
• Talent is overrated – work hard and be patient.
• Gently let go of people who bring negativity into your life.
• Be respectful of other people’s time.
• Don’t focus too hard on big aspirations and goals. Pay attention to the smaller ones and bigger things will come.

Before I burst into a crappy rendition of Baz Luhrmann’s Sunscreen Song, I’d better get back to the recipe.

The cauliflower is first broken into small florets, scattered with a combination of turmeric, whole black peppercorns and cracked cardamom pods. After a liberal squeeze of lemon juice and a good rub, it’s roasted in a hot oven until it’s golden and tender. Once it comes out of the oven it’s succulent and smokey, with a wicked texture that’ll flabbergast all your meat-eating friends.

And the sauce? Let me tell you about the sauce. It’s rich, creamy and all kinds of comforting. A base of ground almonds blended with fresh ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon and chilli keep it fresh but with a gentle heat that tricks out the cauliflower and dances the Giddha on your taste buds.

A hailstorm of fresh, summer peas add a welcome sweetness and crunch. Bonus points if you strip the pods and throw those in too. I used to love sitting at the table on a Sunday afternoon chatting with mum, drinking chai and shelling fresh peas. She taught me how you should always remove the inner membrane of the pod if you want to use it in a dish. Once, when I was at university I forgot to do it and my Matar Bhaat left a lot to be desired. The cooked pods were like actual shards of glass. I won’t forget to do it again.

A video posted by SANJANA | K.O RASOI (@sanjanamodha) on Jul 17, 2016 at 4:03am PDT

To make the perfect jeera (cumin) pilau, I usually start with a good-quality Basmati rice, cumin seeds and ghee. As this is a vegan meal, sub it for coconut oil. Actually, even if you’re not vegan, I recommend you try this coconut version – it’s seriously good and will make your house smell sublime too.

The trick to perfect rice is patience. Wash it in cold water for a minute to remove excess starch (I use a fine-holed sieve). Next soak it in cold water to soften the grains – 20 minutes will do. Boil the kettle. Heat the oil or ghee in a large, non-stick pan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the aromatics. Wait a sec and then add the rice. Make sure it’s well coated. Add double the volume of boiling water and some salt. Bring it to a boil and put the lid on. Turn the heat down very low and after 8 minutes, switch it off. Leave it with the lid on for 15-20 minutes. When you take the lid off you’ll have amazing jeera rice.

Garnish the Vegan ‘Butter’ Cauliflower with a final flourish of chopped coriander and a drizzle of coconut milk for that luscious restaurant-style finish.

Serve with rice and hot chapattis.

Vegan ‘Butter’ Cauliflower and Perfect Jeera Pilau

Ingredients

For the cauliflower:
800g cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
Juice and zest of a lemon
3 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

For the vegan makhani sauce:
50g coconut oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp ground almonds
6 small green chillies
2 tbsp freshly-grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 dried bay leaves
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
400g good-quality passata (sieved tomatoes)
2-3 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
100g coconut cream
Fresh coriander, chopped

You’ll also need: 300g fresh peas, shelled with the pod membranes removed (take a look at my instructions and Instagram video above if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Place the cauliflower in a large roasting tray. In a bowl, combine the coconut oil, turmeric, black peppercorns, crushed cardamom pods, salt, lemon juice and zest. Drizzle the mixture over the cauliflower and use your clean hands to give it a good rub.

3. Roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes.

4. In the meantime, make the sauce. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy based non-stick pan. Add the cinnamon, green chillies, garlic, ginger, ground almonds and bay leaves. Sauté for a minute.

5. Next, add the passata, turmeric, ground coriander, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil. Put the lid on and allow to simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.

6. Take the cauliflower out of the oven.

7. Remove the lid from the sauce pan and stir. Remove the peppercorns and cardamom pods from the cauliflower and add it to the simmered sauce.

8. Place the sauce in a blender along with the coconut cream and blitz for a minute or two until it’s silky smooth.

9. Return the sauce to the pan and add in the peas and cauliflower. Stir and place the lid back on. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Ladle into a big serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander and a drizzle of coconut milk.

Serve with jeera pilau and chapattis.

Perfect Jeera Pilau

Ingredients

185g good-quality Basmati rice (I use Golden Sela)
470g boiling water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
8-10 fresh curry leaves
2-3 whole cloves

Method

1. Wash the rice with cold water in a fine-holed sieve for a minute.

2. Soak the rice in cold water for 20-30 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the cumin seeds, cloves and curry leaves. Sauté for a moment. They will snap and crackle.

4. Drain the rice and add it to the pan. Stir gently to coat all the grains.

5. Add the boiling water and bring the pan to the boil. Put the lid on and turn the heat right down. Simmer for 8 minutes.

6. After 8 minutes, switch the heat off and leave the rice to stand, undisturbed for 20 minutes.

7. Remove the lid and marvel at your perfect rice. All that’s left to do is fluff up the grains with a fork, serve and demolish.

Love Sanjana

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They might look quite ordinary but the sauce packs a real punch, seasoning the golden tofu and noodles perfectly. It’s made using large red chillies, garlic, spring onions, soy sauce, star anise and brown sugar. A combo of ingredients I always have in the house. I throw in any vegetables I have in the fridge – usually a mix of broccoli, mushrooms, beansprouts, mange tout or French beans.

My special touch to these is to add crispy okra strips and fried Thai basil leaves. They add the most beautiful crunch and are a delicious way of getting your okra fix as part of a dish that’s not curry. To make them, slice okra into long, thin strips, toss in a little cornflour and allow to sit for five minutes. Plunge them into hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy and slightly golden. Try not to move them too much in the first minute to give the cornflour time to set on the okra.

To achieve a pretty red colour, I add in a couple of tablespoons of Sriracha (Thai chilli sauce made with dried red chillies and garlic). If you haven’t tried it before – where have you been? It’s the ultimate intense chilli sauce for adding instant flavour. I add it to mac and cheese, toasties, masala chips and even potato curry. It’s almost like Gujarati lasan vari chutney but in sauce form; A squidge of it in plain natural yoghurt will give you the fastest ever sauce for bhajia and samosa chaat. You can buy it in the Asian section of most supermarkets now. Look for the squeezy bottle with a rooster on the front. Even my parents, who are life-long advocates of Tabasco now prefer it.

I used Shanghai noodles here but you could just as easily use rice noodles, udon or even fresh ramen noodles. If noodles aren’t your thing, skip them and serve the stir-fried tofu and veggies with steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with the fried okra and Thai basil, then devour.

Chilli-Garlic Tofu Noodle Bowls with Crispy Okra

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chilli paste:
1 large red chilli
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch piece ginger, peeled
3 large spring onions, trimmed and quartered
3 tbsp Sriracha
2 tbsp brown sugar
Juice and zest 1 lime

For the stir fry:
1 tbsp oil
1 star anise
100g broccoli florets
Handful mushrooms, sliced
40g mange tout
50g beansprouts
1 large red chilli
4 tbsp light soy sauce
200g golden tofu puffs
3 tbsp Sriracha
200g cooked noodles
Salt to taste

10-15 Thai basil leaves

For the crispy okra:
100g okra, sliced into long thin strips
1 tsp cornflour

Method

1. First make the crispy okra and thai basil. Cut the okra into long, thing strips, place onto a plate and dust over the cornflour. Stir to combine and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, turn the heat down and very carefully add in the Thai basil. It will crackle and spit in the first 30 seconds so stand right back. Be super careful even once it stops crackling. Fry until deep green and crispy. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place onto a place lined with kitchen paper.

3. Next, turn the heat up on the oil again and add in the okra. Don’t move them around in the first minute in order to let the cornflour set. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove and place onto the kitchen paper with the Thai basil. Set aside.

4. Blend together all the ingredients for the chilli paste.

5. Heat the oil in the wok, add the chilli paste and star anise. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring all the time.

6. Add in the broccoli, soy sauce and extra Sriracha. Next, add the rest of the vegetables except the beansprouts and chilli. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes on a high heat. Add the tofu puffs and sauté for another few minutes, adding a little water if it seems dry.

7. Add the cooked noodles, beansprouts and chilli, stirring to combine. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes and remove from the heat.

8. Serve immediately, topped with crispy okra and Thai basil.

Love Sanjana

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