Choose your favourite one or make all four for a chutney party. They all keep well in the fridge and last even longer in the freezer. Check out the recipes and videos below for all my chutney-making tips. Storage instructions are included, too.

I recommend making all four and stowing them away in the freezer. That way, you have all the chutneys you need when a samosa, chaat or bhajiya craving strikes.

4 Street-Style Indian Chutneys: The Recipes

Mild: Mango, Lime & Coconut Chutney

A sweet and mild chutney packed with fruity flavours. This quick and easy mango-based chutney is made creamy with coconut milk and packs a zing with fresh lime zest. I use two types of mango (both dried and fresh) for intense flavour and a zippy tang.

This chutney is perfect for people who aren’t huge spice fans. Some gentle heat comes from fresh black pepper.

If you want to up the heat level, add some fresh red or green chilli. Use this chutney as a dip for bhajiyas, poppadoms and tikkis. It also makes for a great marinade and glaze.

How to make Mango, Lime & Coconut Chutney

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Mango, Lime & Coconut Chutney

A sweet and mild chutney packed with fruity flavours. This quick and easy mango-based chutney is made creamy with coconut milk and packs a zing with fresh lime zest.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chutney, coconut, dip, lime, mango

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 200 ml full-fat coconut milk
• 50 g dried mango, roughly chopped I used unsweetened
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric (or 3cm fresh turmeric, peeled)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 200 g semi-ripe mango, peeled and diced
• Zest of 1 lime about 1/2 tsp
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50 ml water
• 2 tbsp finely-diced red onion

Instructions

• Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan.
• Add the dried mango, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, fresh mango, lime zest and salt. Bring to the boil and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for around 10 minutes, or until the dried mango has softened. Allow to cool.
• Place the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add around 50ml water to adjust the consistency. Stir in the chopped onions.
• Pour the chutney into a bowl and cover. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• This chutney is perfect for people who aren’t huge spice fans. Some gentle heat comes from fresh black pepper.
• If you want to up the heat level, add some fresh red or green chilli.
• Use this chutney as a dip for bhajiyas, poppadoms and tikkis. It also makes for a great marinade and glaze.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze this chutney in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and consume within 24 hours.

Medium: Tamarind & Date Chutney

Learn how to make sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney from scratch! No Indian chaat is complete without a drizzle of this mouth-puckering fruity chutney.

Follow me as I show you how to cook this amazing chutney, using tamarind pulp and dates. I recommend grinding you own fennel seeds for that characteristic flavour all good tamarind chutneys have.

The dates should be sweet enough to balance the sourness of the tamarind but if they’re not, you can always add a little sugar or jaggery. The most important thing to remember when making this chutney is to taste, taste taste as you go along.

How to make Tamarind & Date Chutney

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Tamarind & Date Chutney

Learn how to make sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney from scratch! No Indian chaat is complete without a drizzle of this mouth-puckering fruity chutney.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chutney, date, dip, tamarind

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 200 g tamarind pulp I used seeded but seedless is easier to work with
• 300 g dates I used whole but pitted are easier to work with
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt omit or reduce if your tamarind is already salted
• 1.5 L hot water
• 1 tbsp sugar omit if your tamarind isn't very sour

Instructions

• Grind the fennel seeds to a coarse powder.
• Place the tamarind, dates and salt in a large pan. Cover with 1L hot water and stir well. Bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and pasty. Keep stirring often and add more water if it starts to feel to dry or sticks to the base of the pan. The amount of water you add depends on the juiciness of your dates. Remove from the heat.
• Add the fennel seed powder and chilli powder once the mixture comes off the heat. while Adjust the consistency of the paste so it is able to pass through a sieve.
• Strain the paste through a fine-mesh sieve (metal works best for this). Discard the pits, skins and seeds.
• Add the remaining water if you need to adjust the consistency of the chutney further. Once it's at the desired level, taste to see if you need to add any more salt and chilli. If it's too sour, add some sugar. Stir well.
• Pour into a bowl or container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• Store this Tamarind & Date Chutney for up to a week.
• Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Defrost at room temperature and consume within 24 hours.
• This chutney is great for drizzling over chaat and for dipping bhajiya.

Hot: Mint & Coriander Chutney

Smooth and creamy Indian street-style chutney for drizzling over chaats, spreading in sandwiches and dipping bhajiyas. There’s a reason why this chutney is so popular!

My recipe is super aromatic, and medium hot in flavour. You can add as many chillies as you like.

If you prefer a milder chutney, feel free to stir in some natural yoghurt or dairy-free yoghurt.

Use ice-cold water to blend your chutney. This keeps everything super green and vibrant.

How to make Mint & Coriander Chutney

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Easy Mint & Coriander Chutney

Smooth and creamy Indian street-style chutney for drizzling over chaats, spreading in sandwiches and dipping bhajiyas. My recipe is super aromatic and medium hot in flavour. You can add as many chillies as you like. If you prefer a milder chutney, feel free to stir in some natural yoghurt or dairy-free yoghurt.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chutney, coriander, dip, mint

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 85 g fresh coriander including stalks
• 15 g fresh mint leaves
• 30 cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and then drained
• 3 thin green chillies adjust according to your taste
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 65 ml ice cold water

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blitz to create get everything coarsely chopped.
• Scrape down the sides of the blender jar to make sure everything blends evenly. Add a splash more water if you need to.
• Blend again to achieve a smooth, creamy chutney.
• Pour into a bowl and cover. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• Adjust the consistency of the chutney according to how you’re serving it. It might need to be thinned out for drizzling over chaat but a thicker chutney is perfect for sandwiches. and dipping.
• Store this chutney in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The longer you keep it, the more it will discolour so try to enjoy soon after making.
• To make this a coconut and coriander chutney, add 50g fresh grated coconut along with the fresh herbs. Increase the amount of water if necessary.
• Make it milder: Stir in 50g plain yoghurt after the chutney has been blended. Don’t add it to the blender jar or the chutney will become very runny.

Atomic: Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity.

Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour. I use both onions and raw peanuts as the base for my chutney. Both act as thickeners so your chutney has the perfect consistency for dipping and drizzling.

Jaggery (gor) and lemon juice balance out the heat in this chutney so it’s both flavoursome and hot. This chutney is great for drizzling over chaats and using as a dip for bhajiya. You can even add a spoonful to your favourite curry in place of chilli powder.

How to make Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

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Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity. Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chilli, chutney, jaggery

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients

• 150 g red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large mild red chillies
• 4-6 hot red chillies add more or less according to your taste
• 25 g raw peanuts
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds toasted in a dry frying pan for a minute until aromatic
• 60 g jaggery, grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 30 ml water

Instructions

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and thick.
• Pour into a bowl and cover. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Video

Notes

• This chutney is great for drizzling over chaats and using as a dip for bhajiya. You can even add a spoonful to your favourite curry in place of chilli powder.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To freeze: Place the chutney in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and consume within 24 hours.

Pin it for later! 4 Street-Style Indian Chutneys

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Crispy Popcorn Bhindi Bites

The post 4 Street-Style Indian Chutneys appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

The beauty of simple ingredients, very few spices and fiery cooking method ensures this dish is world famous for its leopard-spotted char and smoky flavours.

How to make amazing paneer tikka at home

I’ve been working on this recipe for the ultimate Restaurant-Style Tandoori Paneer Tikka made without a tandoor or barbecue for SO long. You’ll notice my dreams of installing a big, badass tandoor in my garden still haven’t come to fruition.

Don’t worry though, I’ve found a great workaround. It’s a recipe that gives you restaurant or street-style flavours at home with minimal effort.

Spoiler: there’s no grill or oven involved either.

What is paneer tikka?

Juicy chunks of paneer marinated in a punchy hot and sour tandoori masala are skewered up with onion petals and pieces of pepper.

The loaded skewers are then grilled on a wire rack directly over the cooker to infuse deep, smoky flavours into the paneer and veg.

The ghee and oil combo in the marinade ensures the outside becomes freckled with the familiar scorch marks you’d expect from a restaurant or street-style tandoori dish.

How to serve Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka

Serve it up with a pool of coriander and mint chutney, fresh salad leaves and lemon wedges. You can also toss in raw red onion slices and serve with butter naan or garlic naan for a true Punjabi-style feast.

A few tips before you make Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka

1. Marinate!

Marinate the paneer, peppers and onions for a minimum of 30 minutes to give the ingredients time to get acquainted. If you have time, you can pop the paneer and veg in the tandoori marinade the night before. Be sure to keep it covered in the fridge.

2. Soak the paneer

Being your resident paneer fangirl, you’ll know I’m always going on about soaking shop-bought paneer for a fresh, homemade texture and taste. You can find out how I do this in the recipe below.

The basic idea is to rehydrate the paneer in boiling water to soften it up and give a brilliant-white colour that’s just like homemade. If you want to make your own paneer at home, you can find my recipe here: Homemade Paneer.

3. Crack a window open

Open all the windows in your house for good ventilation. The cooking process will create smoke which will need to escape. If you have an extractor fan, switch it on. It will make your house smell like a restaurant kitchen. Glorious!

4. Consider these alternative cooking options

If you don’t fancy cooking this over a flame, you can also place the skewers on a wire rack and cook them in an oven. Make sure it’s very hot. Traditional tandoors average 400°C heat so it needs to be hot! You can also place these on a griddle pan or on the barbecue.

5. Choose the right kind of skewers

I used flat metal skewers (be careful when turning as the handles can get really hot) but you can also use bamboo skewers. Be sure to soak them in cold water for an hour before you use them. This will stop them burning during the cooking process.

6. Kashmiri chilli powder is your friend

Most restaurants and street vendors add red food colour to their marinade for the iconic and eye-popping crimson colour. I’m no food snob and am not opposed to food colours in cooking but I just don’t find it necessary in this dish.

Kashmiri chilli powder will give you a gorgeous natural red colour with very little heat. If you can’t get hold of it, use equal parts smoky paprika and regular chilli powder in its place. I often use tomato paste for colour and tang which isn’t traditional but works a treat.

Can I veganise this Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka?

If you’re looking for a vegan tandoori option, check out my Tandoori Tofu Tikka recipe. The marinade for that recipe packs a huge punch to really infuse the tofu with plenty of flavour.

If you prefer a milder tikka, you can easily veganize this recipe. Switch the paneer for tofu, tempeh or seitan, use all oil instead of ghee and sub in coconut yoghurt in both the tikka marinade and chutney recipes.

Watch a full step-by-step video for this Paneer Tikka recipe

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Paneer Tikka

Juicy chunks of Indian cottage cheese marinated in homemade tandoori paste and grilled until charred. Perfect with naan, roti or paratha.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cheese, kebab, north indian, paneer, skewer, tandoori, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 6 large metal kebab skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for 1 hour prior to skewering the paneer)

Ingredients

For the paneer & marinade:

• 400 g paneer cut into large cubes (soak in hot water for 5 minutes and drain)
• 2 bell peppers cut into large squares
• 2 red onions quartered and separated into petals
• 75 g plain yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 2 cardamom pods (seeds ground)
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 2 large cloves garlic crushed
• 2 cm piece ginger grated
• 2 tbsp sunflower, vegetable, mustard or rapeseed oil

To serve:

• 1 tbsp melted ghee for brushing on the cooked tikka
• Sliced onions and tomatoes
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

• Roast the chickpea flour in a dry pan until lightly toasted. Set aside.
• Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade, including the roasted chickpea flour and except the oil.
• Heat the oil over a high heat until smoking hot. Carefully whisk this into the marinade.
  Add the paneer, peppers and onions. Mix well to coat and set aside for 30 mins (or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days).
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
• Skewer the paneer, onions and peppers on the skewers, alternating in each ingredient.
• Set a metal wire rack on top of a baking tray and arrange the skewers on top. Bake for 10 minutes if proceeding to the next step, or 15 minutes if skipping the next step.
• Optional: Once out of the oven, hold each skewer over a direct flame on your hob burner roll char the outside. Be careful not to burn yourself and open a window before you start.
• Brush the paneer tikka pieces with melted ghee and serve immediately with all the accompaniments.

Notes

This paneer tikka is excellent with naan, roti or a simple salad.

Pin it for later!

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

More Chutney Recipes to pair with this Tandoori Paneer Tikka recipe

Mango, Lime & Coconut Chutney

A sweet and mild chutney packed with fruity flavours. This quick and easy mango-based chutney is made creamy with coconut milk and packs a zing with fresh lime zest.

Check out this recipe

Atomic Red Chilli Chutney

Calling all chilli lovers! This red chilli chutney is quick and easy to make and intense enough to satisfy your spice cravings. Use two or more types of chilli for both flavour and intensity. Mixing your chillies in this way will add multiple layers of flavour.

Check out this recipe

Tamarind & Date Chutney

Learn how to make sweet and sour tamarind and date chutney from scratch! No Indian chaat is complete without a drizzle of this mouth-puckering fruity chutney.

Check out this recipe

Love Sanjana

The post Restaurant-Style Paneer Tikka appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

It’s made with a tonne of crushed raw garlic, chilli, fresh coriander, salt and oil. That’s it. No cooking and no fancy spices.

Where does this raw garlic chutney come from?

This is simple Kathiyawadi village fare from the heart of Gujarat. Kathiyawad is a peninsula off the western coast of India, in the region of Saurashtra and it’s where my family come from.

Made up of several districts including Porbandar, Junagadh and Jamnagar, many people who live there have farming in their blood and an appetite for simply cooked but flavour-rich fare.

How to serve Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney

Serve Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney as an accompaniment to any curry (aubergines work particularly well and are traditional fare). Indian breads like millet chapattis (Bajra na Rotla), wheat chapattis both thin and thick (Rotli and Bhakhri) and fenugreek chapattis (Thepla) are fantastic pairings.

It livens up a bowl of warm, comforting lentil and rice stew (Khichdi). For a less traditional but equally delicious use for Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, stir it into warm vegetables, pasta sauces, stews and soups.

Another thing I like to do is to fold some into mashed sweet potatoes with a little butter. Indeed, it is truly brilliant when you need instant garlic and chillies when making lazy curries – just dollop a spoonful in to your tempered spices and sauté away.

You can even beat it with plain yoghurt for a speedy drizzle or dip for chaat, pulao and fries!

How to make and store this raw garlic chutney

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (No-Cook Garlic Chutney) is something that’s often made fresh every day, our busy schedules often don’t permit us to pound fresh garlic chutney each day so I have a workaround.

I make a big batch of Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney, pile it into a clean, sterilised jar.

Each time we use it, I top it off with a layer of oil to ensure it stays fresh in the fridge. The oil and salt in the chutney itself help to preserve the fresh ingredients so it lasts months.

You only need a small amount of chutney to add big flavour to a meal so it’s worth making it in batches.

Can I use a blender to make this chutney?

This is good old-fashioned farmer food so leave the blender in the cupboard and make it by hand.

I like to use a garlic crusher and then mix all the ingredients together but you could also pound it all in a pestle and mortar for a coarse and deliciously-garlicky accompaniment to any traditional Gujarati thali.

Is this chutney vegan?

Yes!

Is it gluten free?

Yes it is!

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney recipe

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Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (No-Cook Garlic Chutney)

Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney is the condiment to rule all condiments. It’s made with a tonne of crushed raw garlic, chilli, fresh coriander, salt and oil. That’s it. No cooking and no fancy spices. This is simple Kathiyawadi village fare from the heart of Gujarat.

Course Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword chilli, chutney, garlic, gujarati

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 1 large jar

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 3 large bulbs of fresh garlic peeled and crushed (I used a garlic crusher)
• 400 g red chilli powder I use Kashmiri chilli powder for milder heat and great colour
• 120 g fresh coriander chopped
• 270 ml oil any flavourless or olive oil if you like the taste
• 1 tbsp salt you’ll only be eating a tiny bit at a time so don’t be put off
• 2 tsp water or as needed to make a very thick paste

Instructions

• Use a wooden spoon to mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. I don’t recommend using a blender as that will dramatically change the texture. A coarse finish is what’s traditional and it’s perfect. You could also crush it using a pestle and mortar.
• Pile the mixture into a large sterilised jar, packing it down as tightly as you can.
• Top with a coating of oil to preserve it and remember to to this every time you use it. Store in the refrigerator and consume within 2 months.

Notes

This will keep well tightly covered in the fridge for 3 months. Ensure the entire surface of the chutney is topped up and covered with oil at all times.

Pin it for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for 4 Street-Style Indian Chutneys

Love Sanjana

The post Gujarati Lasan ni Chutney (No-Cook Garlic Chutney) appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Later came various recipes from other parts of India I couldn’t help but experiment with once I got a taste for cooking. Running through it all the while is the amazing food culture of Britain – a diverse mix of true classics like Cornish pasties and Yorkshire puddings, to dishes from international cuisines we’ve somehow adopted. There’s nothing quite like eating Taiwanese Bao in Kings Cross or Vietnamese Summer Rolls in Shoreditch for lunch and going home to true Gujarati daal-bhaat, shaak and rotli, followed by Mombasa-style mogo chips as a cheeky midnight snack.

See, I told you… totally spoilt.

These little packed potatoes are a take on the snacks loved by Asian people all over East Africa. Here, I’ve used British New Potatoes sandwiched together with a spicy chilli, coriander and lemon mixture. They’re deep fried, which is absolutely necessary for this recipe (please don’t try to bake them in the oven as the batter will just fall off).

I’m serving them with my favourite chutney – a blend of coriander, coconut and heaps of lemon, sugar and salt. It will set your taste buds alight, not with heat but sheer joy. Purists, omit the coriander as they do in Kenya but it’s so easy to get hold of here and really takes the flavours to the next level. I really recommend it.

Serve in paper cones or on a sharing platter as I’ve done here. I love food you can put into the middle of the table for everyone to dig in. A cold beer is the perfect pairing but then again, when isn’t it?

Mini Kenya-Style Packed Potatoes with Coconut and Coriander Chutney
Makes 18-20

Ingredients

1.5kg baby new potatoes, skin on, boiled and cooled
Sunflower oil, to deep fry

For the filling:
150g of the boiled potatoes, roughly mashed
100g finely-chopped coriander
1 ½ tbsp red Kashmiri chilli powder
1 large clove garlic
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 tsp salt

For the batter:
100g plain flour
200g chickpea flour
1 tsp coarse semolina
Juice of one lemon
400ml cold sparkling water
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

For the coconut and coriander chutney:
150g coriander
4 green chillies
100g unsweetened desiccated coconut
100g Greek yohgurt
Juice and zest for 2 lemons
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar

Method

1. To make the filling, combine all of the ingredients to make a sticky paste. If it doesn’t combine to make a paste, give it a very short pulse in a food processor.

2. Halve each of the cooked and cooled baby new potatoes and sandwich the two pieces together with the paste. Repeat for all of them and place them in the fridge while you make the batter.

3. To make the batter, combine all the dry ingredients and give them a quick whisk to remove any big lumps. Add the sparkling water and whisk to make a smooth batter.

4. Heat the oil in a large, deep pan or wok until it reaches 180C or until a piece of bread turns brown in 60 seconds.

5. Take one of the potatoes, quickly dip it in the batter until it’s coated all over, then very gently place it in the oil. Repeat with a couple more, taking care not to overcrowd the pan as this will bring the temperature of the oil right down.

6. Allow to cook, turning in the oil until golden all over. Drain in a colander lined with paper towels. Repeat for all of the potatoes.

7. To make the chutney, combine the coriander, chillies, lemon juice and zest, salt, sugar and coconut in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the yoghurt and pulse quickly. Pour into a serving bowl.

8. Serve the packed potatoes alongside the coconut and coriander chutney, lemon wedges and cold beer. If you can get your hands on Tusker, go for that.

Love Sanjana

The post Mini Kenya-Style Packed Potatoes with Coconut and Coriander Chutney appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Like many others before me, I believe that there’s a separate stomach for dessert. You can eat all the empanadas, cassava fries and frijoles you like but in my book, the sensation of something sweet on your palate is always a welcome one.

And this second stomach rule doesn’t just extend to South American food and hot desserts – it could be palak paneer, naan and kulfi, or thai massaman curry, papaya salad and coconut sticky rice with mango. They’re all delicious and all made better with something sweet for the finale.

Churros are one of my favourites; the delicious coating, crispy outside, soft, semi-hollow inside and the gooey dip for controlled dunking. I love it all, and so much so that I want it for dessert and as a starter.

This double churros fantasy is possible come true with my recipe for Indian Chilli-Cheese Churros. They have all the delicious components of regular churros except the flavours are inspired by India. They include everyday favourites like ajwain seeds, cumin, dried fenugreek leaves and ground turmeric for the most beautiful golden colour you ever did see.

Instead of the satisfying crunch of granulated sugar on the outside, we have sharp Cheddar and crisp morsels of chilli and spring onion. I’ve tested this recipe a number of times, probably more times than I actually needed to – not because I was tweaking it hugely, but because it has been requested so many times. We’re talking like eight times since it was conceived of back in May.

As I pipe uneven, yet rustic bits of churro dough into hot oil, I wonder why it’s taken me this long to put Indian-inspired churros on the table when it makes such perfect sense.

The dip is a cooling combination of classic coriander, mint, zesty lime and sour cream. It cuts through the earthy spices and naughtiness of the churros. The finished dip makes the deep-fried churros feel saintly and not at all like that drunken visit to Chicken Cottage (for a veggie burger in my case) after a grimy night out.

This makes for a delicious party starter when you have friends coming over. You can make the dough a little ahead of time and keep it in the fridge but in order to get your lips around crispy churros, you’ll need to fry them just before serving. I promise you it’s worth it. Serve them in a platter or in paper cones for a more chilled out feel. Throw in a couple of fried chillies if you’re feeling fancy.

Indian Chilli-Cheese Churros
Serves 6

For the Churros Dough:
300g plain flour

425ml boiling water

65g ghee

2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves
½ tsp ajwain seeds
2 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar

Oil to deep fry

For the Chilli-Cheese Coating:
120g medium strength Cheddar
2 spring onions, chopped finely
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds

For the Lime and Coriander Sour Cream Dip:
80g fresh coriander, including the stalks
40g fresh mint leaves
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 green chillies (adjust according to your taste)
180g sour cream
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar

Method

1. To make the churros dough: In a stand mixer, combine the flour and dry spices.

2. Place the water and ghee in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for a minute, until all the ghee has completely melted and switch off the heat.

3. Turn the stand mixer on low and quickly pour in all of the water and ghee mixture. Increase the mixer speed and beat for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth.

4. Switch the mixer off.

5. Fit a large piping bag with a star-tipped nozzle (I use Wilton #22 – large open star tip) The disposable piping bags are great for this as you can just throw it away after use – good news for your next batch of icing.

6. Place the churros dough into the piping bag and ensure there aren’t any air bubbles in there. Close the top of the bag up and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

7. In the meantime, grate the cheese on the fine side of a grated and place it on a plate. Add the chopped chilli, coriander and spring onions. Next, place the cumin seeds in a dry pan and toast on a medium heat until aromatic. Give them a quick bash in the pestle and mortar and add these to the cheese mixture too. Combine and set aside.

8. Heat a large, deep-bottomed pan or wok with sunflower oil to 190C. Ensure the oil is at least 5-inches deep to make sure the churros have plenty of space to move around and cook evenly.

9. Line a plate with kitchen paper to drain the churros after they’ve been fried.

10. Keep a pair of clean scissors handy.

11. Now your workstation is ready and your oil is heated, you can start piping the churros.

12. Take the piping bag of rested dough from the fridge and carefully pipe it into the hot oil, snipping the dough with the scissors as it reaches the desired size and allowing it to gently drop into the hot oil. I love the crazy, craggy look of uneven churros – I find it more interesting to look at and eat but you can also go for straight churros sticks or any other shape you like.

13. Fry 4-5 churros at a time to ensure they cook evenly and the temperature of the oil doesn’t drop too much.

14. Don’t move them around in the oil for the first minute of cooking and then gently move them with a spider to make sure they brown evenly. All in all, they should be in the oil for about 2 minutes.

15. Remove from the oil, draining any excess oil and then transfer them to the paper towel-lined plate. They’ll become crispier as they cool here.

16. After a minute or so, place the cooked churros into the plate of chilli cheese, tossing them in the cheese. Place them onto another tray and repeat this process until you’ve used up all the churros dough.

Note: It’s important you toss the churros in the cheese mixture while they’re still super hot so it sticks to them properly.

Note: Also, if you’re going to fry some chillies to serve alongside the churros, make some holes in them first. Nobody likes hot oil and exploding chillies.

Method for the Dip:

1. To make the Coriander and Lime Sour Cream: Combine all the ingredients except the sour cream in a blender. I use my NutriBullet. Add a splash of water too. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add half the sour cream. Stir to combine.

2. Before serving, place the remainder if the sour cream into a bowl and add in the coriander mixture. Stir gently for a sour cream swirl effect.

Love Sanjana

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With Indian street food vendors popping up all over the UK, selling everything from Kati Rolls to Pau Bhaji, and Masala Dosa to Samosas, we’re becoming accustomed to having delicious Indian street food on tap… and we want it fast. Not only that; but it better be damn perfect too. Believe it or not, but I’ve heard students in King’s Cross complain there’s far too much tadka on top of their dosa chutney and ajwain in their samosa pastry. We’ve become a nation of Indian street food connoisseurs and it’s bloody brilliant.

Re-creating street food classics like these Bombay Sandwiches at home is so simple. Why wouldn’t it be? It’s a sandwich. But not just any sandwich. Traditional Bombay sandwiches consist of two pieces of bread with slices of boiled potato, mint and coriander chutney, onions, cucumber and tomatoes on sliced white bread, I’ve taken it a step further by adding a slice of flavour-packed toast slathered in green pistachio chutney to the middle, grilled paneer (because why the hell not), sliced gherkins (because I can’t deal with warm cucumbers, sorry) and then griddled the whole thing. It’s quite a mouthful but I reckon that’s the beauty of it.

I’ve never met another Indian who hasn’t used up leftover potato curry in toasted sandwiches the next day – it’s a no brainer. I like to think of it as the ultimate ‘Dad meal’. Quick, easy and perfect with green chutney on the inside or for dipping on the outside. Of course, a slice of cheese is optional but for me, that isn’t even worth thinking about.

Trust me when I tell you this is three layers of awesome you don’t want to miss out on.

Best Ever Bombay Sandwiches
Makes 2 sandwiches

6 slices bloomer bread – whole wheat or white
2 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and sliced thinly
2 x 60g paneer slices, try to cut them wide
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 large pickled gherkins, thinly sliced
60g grated Cheddar
1 large avocado, sliced (optional)
Melted butter, for brushing the outsides of the bread

For the Coriander, Mint and Pistachio Chutney:

100g coriander
30g mint
2 small green chillies
6 shelled, unsalted pistachios
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
50ml groundnut oil

Method

1. Blitz all the ingredients for the chutney in a blender until smooth. Add a drop of water if necessary. The chutney should be the consistency of pesto.

2. Toast two slices of bread. Griddle the paneer on both sides.

3. Butter the outside of the bread and place buttered-side-down on a cold griddle. Spread some of the chutney on the top, lay over potato slices, red onions, tomatoes gherkins and a little bit of Cheddar.

4. Spread green chutney over both sides of one of the slices of toast. Place on top of your sandwich and repeat the layering process, this time adding the paneer. Take the final bread slice and spread green chutney on the inside and place chutney-side-down on the sandwich. Butter the outside of the top slice.

5. Repeat to make the other sandwich.

6. Griddle on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes.

Serve with crisps or masala chips, chai, limeade or beer and prepare to take the biggest bite of your life.

Love Sanjana

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The batter is puffy, light and packed with spices reminiscent of bhajia – a super popular Indian starter. Like fish tacos, the bite-sized vegetables are coated and fried until golden and crispy. It’s best to do this right before serving so they’re hot and delicious for your vegan tacos.Packed with lime, garlic and yoghurt, the creamy sauce is perfectly balanced to douse any heat from the fried green chillies. It’s so tempting to eat it right from the blender with a spoon or maybe some tortilla chips. A crunchy salad of radish, red onion, lime and a few spices tops these tacos off beautifully. The contrast of the hearty fried veggies and fresh salad, lettuce, fruity pineapple chutney and crunchy toasted cashews is so dreamy. Even non-vegans will feel like they’ve eaten a filling meal.

The pineapple chutney is a lovely way to round off the sharp flavours in the dish. It’s quick, easy and perfect not only with these tacos, but also with Jalebi Paratha. Don’t be alarmed by the long list of ingedients here. Most of the prep is super simple and just assembling or blending. The only actual cooking is of the cauliflower and broccoli. The chutney can even be made up to a week in advance. Just store it in the fridge.So this year, take some time to sit around the table with your family and friends and enjoy a meal that was made for sharing.  This one certainly was. Vegan Masala Cauliflower and Broccoli Tacos With Avocado and Coriander Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

500g mixed cauliflower and broccoli, broken into small florets
10 small green chillies, pierced (these will be fried too)
12 mini corn or wheat flour tortillas
Shredded lettuce, to serve
Toasted cashew nuts, to serve
Oil for deep frying

For the Batter:

100g chickpea flour
100g plain flour
2 tsp coarse semolina
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
240ml ice-cold sparkling water
1 tsp finely-chopped ginger

For the Avocado and Coriander Sauce:

2 large ripe avocados
2 tbsp non-dairy plain yoghurt or regular plain yoghurt if you’re not vegan
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 medium clove garlic
¼ tsp salt
Juice of 1 lime

For the Radish and Red Onion Salad:

1 medium red onion, sliced finely
200g radishes, sliced finely
Handful chopped coriander
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp toasted nigella (kalonji seeds)

For the Pineapple Chutney:

500g pineapple (fresh, canned or frozen)
1 large onion, chopped finely
100g sugar
Juice of 2 limes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly-ground mace
1 star anise
1 tsp nigella (kalonji seeds)

Method

1. To make the avocado and coriander sauce, blend all the ingredients together until super-smooth and creamy. Set aside.

2. To make the pineapple chutney, coarsely-blend the pineapple. Place into a large, non-stick pan with the sugar, lime juice, salt and onion. Cook on a medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and all the water has evaporated. This can take up to 40 minutes. Finally, add the mace, kalonji and star anise. Fill into a sterilized jar and set aside.

3. To make the radish and red onion salad, toss all the ingredients together and set aside.

4. To make the fried cauliflower and broccoli, place the vegetables in a microwave-safe plate with a splash of water and cook on high power for 3 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

5. To make the batter, mix together all the ingredients and whisk until you get a not-too-thick batter. If it’s too thick, add a little more sparkling water.

6. Heat around 4 inches of oil in a tall pan or wok. Let it reach 180 degrees C. Place all of the vegetables and the chillies in the batter and mix until coated. One by one, tap off any excess batter and carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry the vegetables in small batches until they’re golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

7. Warm up your tortillas, pile all of the fillings into bowls and plates and serve everything separate at the table for everyone to build their own tacos.Love Sanjana

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1. Add the chopped peaches to a large pan on a low heat and add the white sugar. Do not add water.

2. Once the peaches start to cook, they will release their own juices. At this point, you can increase the heat.

3. Simmer the peaches on a medium heat for 25 minutes or until thickened.

4. To test if the chutney is done, place a plate in the freezer for 10 minutes, remove and put a tsp full of chutney on it. Allow to rest for 2 minutes and push the mixture back with your finger. If it wrinkles, it’s done.

5. Always add your spices at the end. This keeps them fresh and punchy. Add the remaining ingredients and stir through.

6. Dollop into sterilised jars. Cover the top of the chutney with a very thin film of groundnut oil and a piece of parchment paper and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

Watch out for another sweet recipe using peaches later on this week. I’ve been pretending to be a pastry chef this weekend. That’s all I’m going to say.

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I’m stepping into rhubarb terriory. My motto concerning fruits and veggies unknown has always been: If all ideas fail, just chutney it.

This week’s recipe challenge for Food Network UK:

Create a recipe using a secret seasonal ingredient chosen by the FN UK HQ’s, Chopped style.

My latest recipe for the Food Network UK blog is for Rhubarb and Anise Chutney. It was a ‘Chopped’ style challenge (if you’re an avid Food Network fan, you’ll know all about it. If not, you need to switch on the TV and start watching).

Good old British rhubarb reminds me of the times I spent devouring crumbles made with ‘proper’ Yorkshire rhubarb while growing up. It also brings back the not-so fond memories of the hideous bellyaches I had after polishing off entire ‘quarter’ bags of rhubarb and custard sweets from my pa’s sweet shop.

If you’re a chutney person you really need to bottle up a few jars of this to keep in the fridge. It’s great on toast, in sandwiches with cheese and spread on crackers.

Read my recipe for Rhubarb and Anise Chutney on the Food Network UK blog and remember to leave a comment!

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I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t love masala dosas. A light, healthy meal full of nutrients and flavour, dosas are widely popular on restaurant menus and in roadside cafés.

Ever since I was a little girl I have always associated these crispy rolls of spicy potato with family outings to a nearby vegetarian restaurant which serves ‘monster dosas’. If you hadn’t already guessed, these are gigantic versions of the South Indian speciality. When I say gigantic I’m talking over a ft long.

We didn’t always go out to eat moster dosas, sometimes we were treated to the special type of masala dosas – homemade ones.

On strained tiptoes, I used to peek over the stove top to watch my mother swirl the thinnest sheet of batter you’ve ever laid eyes on, as glorious mix of anxiety and hunger slowly took over my pot belly. As soon as I saw the faintest tinge of golden brown through the pancake, I’d run to pick up one of our very Indian Pyrex plates from Popat Stores in Wembley and return to collect my reward for waiting so patiently.

She would spread a layer of my father’s speciality coconut chutney on top of the rice and lentil pancake, then a tumble of spicy lemon potatoes, and slowly roll it up ready to slide onto the plate gripped with restless hands. A drizzle of chutney on top and I was ready to sink my teeth into a harmonious medley of textures and flavours.

Now, I could go all fancy-schmancy by making monster dosa for you to stun your guests into thinking you’re a domestic god/goddess – but I won’t.

1. Because I’m not a pro dosa spreader.
2. Because mini is always cuter and more convenient.

I’m good at applying justifications to my weaknesses. If you are amazing at batter-spreading please go ahead and make giant ones – they will taste great. The key is to get the filling and the chutney perfect. Always remember to add plenty of lemon, salt and sugar – they make a big difference.

After stacks of experimentation, I found that if you’re a novice and want to spread thin dosa, use a cold pan wiped with sunflower oil. The downside to this is that the colouring of the pancake is not as even as it would be if you used a hot pan.

If you’re feeling brave, try using a hot pan but ensure you spread very quickly and very evenly. Easier said than done – I know. With time the technique becomes much simpler to perfect. Here are 10 top tips:

1. Always use a flat, non-stick pan with no ridges.
2. Use half an onion, pierced onto the end of a fork to rub oil into your pan. It flavours your pancake and stops it from sticking.
3. Pour your batter into the middle of the pan with a ladle, making concentric circles outwards to spread thinly and evenly.
4. Using a cold pan? Leave the heat on high to warm up your pancake quickly. This may alter the colouring of the dosas.
5. Using a hot pan? (Good for you!) Spread quickly, evenly and as thinly as possible over a medium heat.
6. If your dosa are thicker than you’d like, try to spread them more thinly whilst on the heat, flattening as much as you can.
7. When the top of the pancake dries out, spread it with some oil using the back of a spoon to stop it drying out completely. You could then place a lid over the top of the pan if you wanted to.
8. When you start to see golden brown specks under the pancake, gently use a spatula to loosen the edges from underneath, ensuring it doesn’t break.
9. When golden, flip and cook the dosa for 5-10 seconds on the other side. Flip back and spread the uncoloured side with chutney, add filling and roll.
10. Keep remaining batter in the fridge for up to a week. You can use this to make uttapam (thick dosa with added vegetables – no need to roll).

Mini Masala Dosa

Ingredients for the batter:

200g uncooked rice
100g urad dal (split and husked black gram)
50g channa dal (split husked Bengal gram)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 small pinch bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste

You will also need:

½ an onion pierced through the top with a fork
Around 100ml sunflower oil

For the potato filling:

800g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
150g onions, roughly chopped into cubes (optional)
2 large, hot green chillies, minced (or to taste)
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ginger, minced
50ml lemon juice
1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp sugar
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp asafoetida (optional)
Handful of chopped coriander

For the coconut and coriander chutney:

5 large hot green chillies
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp ginger
80g coriander, including stalks
100g desiccated coconut
100ml coconut milk
1 tbsp sunflower oil
40ml lemon juice
2 ½ tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
120g Greek yogurt

Method

For the potato filling:

1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of hot, salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the asafoetida, curry leaves, onions, chillies, turmeric and ginger. Allow to cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the salt, sugar, lemon, and potatoes. Toss together and add the chopped coriander.

For the coriander chutney:

1. In a large bowl, soak the coconut in the coconut milk and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, blend together all other ingredients except the yogurt using a food processor or a pestle and mortar if you’re feeling energetic or have stress to relieve.

3. Mix the blended ingredients with the soaked coconut and yogurt mixture.

For the batter:

1. Mix together the rice, urad dal, channa dal and fenugreek seeds and wash 5-6 times in cold water.

2. Place them in a large bowl and cover with warm water overnight or for at least 5 to 6 hours.

3. After the soaking period discard the soaking water, reserving about 500ml.

4. Place the soaked rice, dals and methi seeds in a blender/grinder, and blend to a thick paste. The consistency of the batter should be just so that it covers the back of a spoon. Add a little bit of the reserved soaking water to help with the blending/grinding process. Blend/grind the batter to a degree where it’s grainy – this is what’s going to make your dosas crispy.

5. Place the dosa batter in an extra large bowl, and put the bowl on top of a tray to catch the batter the fermentation becomes too aggressive. Cover loosely and ferment overnight.

6. The next day, add salt, asafoetida and bicarbonate of soda, whisk lightly. It is important to add salt at this stage and NOT before as salt retards the fermentation process.

I created the slideshow below to illustrate the dosa making process. To see it in all its glory press play, hover over the slideshow and click the bottom right button to enlarge to fullscreen mode. Then click the top right ‘show info’ button to see my commentary.

You could also serve this with a finely diced salad of tomatoes, spring onions, coriander, a dash of lemon, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of cumin powder, and some salt. If you want to go authentically South Indian, top it of with a ladle-full of sambhar (a thick daal with vegetables). The dosa pancake is just a carrier for an array of fillings you cook up. We often fill them with lentils, vegetables and paneer, then serve with a variety of chutneys.

I don’t know about you but I could eat masala dosa for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My family love to have masala dosa parties where we invite all 50-70 family members over to dig in to dosas – yeah, I have a huge, loud and hungry family. These mini dosas are perfect for such occasions so why not try these and invite your family and friends over? Just don’t forget my invite.

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