It all starts with a freshly-made batch of masala coffee — let’s be honest, every great moment starts (and ends) with a hot drink, right? The warmth of the cup around clasped hands, inhaling steamy aromas and waiting for it to cool just enough so we can take a sip gives us time to chat with a friend or quietly contemplate alone. It soothes the soul and allows us to stop and do nothing for a moment during our busy days. Having a hot drink is like having a spa treatment for the soul.

Whenever I feel burned out, I rely on a cup of masala coffee with my mum to lift my mood. She makes it milky and sweet, with just the right amount of spice to compliment the aroma of good coffee. It’s made in a pan on the stove, like all good masala coffee and chai should be made. We boil it low and slow for at least 15 minutes for a truly authentic Indian taste. We’ll sit, chat, snack and laugh, melting away my stresses and brightening up my day.

This cake is inspired by those moments.

Be still my beating heart

My version of New Jersey crumb cake has extra-thick cinnamon sugar crumb topping, so the ratio of crumb to cake is almost 1:1. It gives you the best of both worlds when you can’t decide whether to have cake or biscuits with your cup of coffee. The sponge cake is rises perfectly and is full of rich coffee and spices. You won’t miss the dairy or eggs in this recipe, I promise you.

The spice blend: Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

My spice blend is very typical of what is traditionally added to boiling milk to make masala chai or coffee. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves and nutmeg all combine with espresso powder. This makes each slice truly taste like a cup of masala coffee. It’s not too sweet and the flurry of icing sugar on top is absolutely necessary. This balances out the flavours and create the perfect look of a milky cup of coffee. As a result the cake is as delicious as it is messy to eat.

Make this if you’re in need of a grown-up tasting cake to share with friends. Or enjoy in the comfort of your own company, you know, whatever. It freezes beautifully so you can also stow away portions to eat later.

Customise this Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

• Transform this cake into a chocolate dream! Simply replace 50g of the flour in the sponge recipe with 50g good-quality cocoa powder.
• Add 50g mini vegan chocolate chips to the crumb topping for a cookie dough-inspired finish. Or turn this into a masala chai cake. Swap the espresso powder for 25g black tea leaves — be sure to strain the soy milk before using.
• If you have pre-made chai masala, swap the individual spices in the sponge recipe for 1 tablespoon of pre-made masala.
• Alternatively, you could also use 1 tablespoon of your favourite gingerbread or pumpkin spice mix.

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Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

Piled high with cinnamon crumble, this masala coffee-spiced cake truly tastes like a cup of Indian masala coffee.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword cake, coffee, vegan

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

• 225 g plain flour
• 125 g soft light brown sugar
• 85 g caster sugar
• 100 g vegan butter melted and warm
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

For the sponge:

• 225 g sponge flour/cake flour
• 160 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp instant espresso powder (if using granules, crush to a powder before using)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 100 g vegan butter melted and warm
• 300 ml soy milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

You will also need:

• 60 g icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20-cm/8-inch round, 7-cm/3-inch deep springform or loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment.

For the crumb topping:

• Place both sugars and the melted vegan butter in a bowl. Stir well until smooth, about a minute. Add the flour and ground cinnamon. Use your fingers to rub the vegan butter and flour together until you have a coarse and pebbly mixture like if you were making a fruit crumble topping. Set aside at room temperature.

For the sponge:

• To make the cake, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder and ground spices in a large bowl. Add the melted vegan butter and again, rub the dry ingredients with the butter to form a coarse, breadcrumb-like texture.
• Add in the soy milk and whisk well until smooth. Finally, add the apple cider vinegar and whisk well one last time.
• Pour the cake mix into the tin and top with the prepared crumb topping, starting at the edges and working your way to the centre to prevent it sinking in too much.
• Bake in the middle shelf of a preheated oven for 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin. Run a knife around the outside of the tin before releasing. Sift lots of icing sugar over the top and serve with your favourite hot drink.

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Psst… if you like this Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake, you’ll LOVE these Baked Vegan Vanilla Doughnuts.

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I’ve been craving cinnamon rolls all week. Soft, buttery bread with crispy edges, heaps of spice and the best part – lashings of sweet icing. Whenever I make Lotte Duncan’s version with maple icing, they fill the house with the most mouth-watering scent of fresh bread.

In fact, I love Lotte’s buttery cinnamon roll recipe so much, I used it as the basis for my Indian-inspired wreath here.

The basic white dough is rolled with a shameless amount of butter, ground cardamom and cinnamon, twisted into a Finnish bakery-style wreath and placed in a hot oven. Once baked, I couldn’t help but drizzle it with icing made with rose syrup (the kind I use to make my Strawberry Cheesecake Falooda), and then scattered with homemade candied lemon peel and pistachios. Need I say more?

Okay, let me explain the beauty of these flavours together…

The spicy cardamom and cinnamon combined with sugar and butter create the most amazing, rich flavour once baked inside the dough. The fluffy bread mops up the buttery juices and almost caramelises the bottom of the wreath. The exposed layers on top create little craters where the caramelised butter collects, making it golden and crusty. A drizzle of rose icing gives it just enough sweetness and perfume to define it as a Bollywood-themed party in your mouth. Oh, and who doesn’t love candied lemon peel?

Cardamom Wreath with Rose Drizzle and Candied Lemon Peel

Ingredients

For the dough:

450g strong white bread flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried yeast
275ml lukewarm water
2 tsp groundnut oil

For the filling:

100g light brown sugar
200g very soft salted butter
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom

For the rose icing:

70g icing sugar
2 tbsp rose syrup

For the candied lemon peel:

1 lemon
400ml water
5 tbsp sugar, plus more for coating

To decorate:

20g pistachios, husks removed

Method

1. Combine the ingredients for the dough in a large bowl and bring together using your hands. Knead for 10 minutes. Grease the bowl with a tiny bit of oil and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix together the ground cardamom, cinnamon and sugar.

3. Next, make the candied lemon peel. Peel the lemons using a vegetable peeler and hold a sharp knife against the underside, slicing off as much white pith as you can. Discard the pith and slice the lemon zest into thin strips. Heat the water and 5 tbsp sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon zest and boil for 7 minutes. Drain and toss in a bowl of sugar. Remove from the sugar and allow to dry on a plate. Set aside.

4. To make the icing, combine the icing sugar and rose syrup, beating well to ensure there are no lumps.

5. Heat the oven to 180C and line a large tray with baking paper.

6. Once the dough has risen, knock it back and give it a good knead to remove all the air bubbles. This will ensure an even rise in the oven, maintaining the shape of the wreath.

7. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle until it’s about 1cm in thickness. Spread the very soft butter all over the surface and then sprinkle all over with the sugar and spice mixture. From the longest side, roll the dough into a log shape. Split the log into two pieces lengthways (I find the easiest way to do this is using a pizza cutter – this avoids any snagging). Press the tops into each other and place one strip over the other, keeping the layers on top. Repeat until you’ve completed the whole log. Bring the ends together and twist to form a wreath. Brush with a little bit more butter and place on a lined baking tray.

8. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Once baked, you’ll notice quite a bit of butter in the tray. Use a pastry brush to baste this all over the wreath.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before drizzling with rose icing and sprinkling with candied lemon peel. Scatter with pistachios and finally dust with a little bit of icing sugar.

10. Serve with Cardamom Chai or Masala Coffee.

Love Sanjana

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They’re the snack of my father’s childhood and this is a recipe that together, we have developed over the years.

What are Kachori?

Deep fried snacks of flaky pastry and spicy filling. Filling options are endless but these moong daal Kachori are my favourite. Once you eat one, you’ll always go back for a second. Fact.

Kachori are like the forgotten little sister of samosa – the underdog starter that accidentally slipped through the fingers of Western restaurateurs.

What do Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori taste like?

I cannot emphasise enough how good lentils are with sweet, hot and sour flavours. The addition of sour green mango cuts through the richness of the daal and spices and balances the deep heat of the chillies, ginger and cinnamon perfectly.

These Kachori are inspired by those sold at the famous Bhagwanjis sweet mart in Mombasa, Kenya. My entire family raves about Kenya-style kachori and these, along with Bateta Vada, are guaranteed to put a smile on my dad’s face. And I can vouch that he has great taste.

What are some other popular Kachori fillings?

Kachori come in all flavours, shapes and sizes. You can stuff the classic flaky pastry with onions, crushed green peas, urad daal or even potatoes. The filling is always strong and spicy. This heat is what give Kachori thie robustness.

The three bite-sized snacks can be made into UFO-like patties. Top them with yoghurt, sev, chopped onions and tomatoes to make Kachori chaat.

What do you eat with Kachori?

These Kenya-style Kachori are delicious with Tamarind and Date Chutney but you can serve them with any chutney you like.

In India, Delhi is the state most famous for Khasta Kachori. There, the flat-style of Kachori (usually filled with onions and/or potatoes, or peas) are served with a green coriander chutney or red chilli. Kachori are always a delicious accompaniment to serve with Masala Chai.

Can I make Kachori ahead of time?

Absolutely. They’re a popular weddings party snack so if you’d like to feed a crowd, they are ideal. Make the filling for these Kachori a day or two in advance. Simply wrap in cling film keep in the fridge.

Having said this, I recommend that you make the dough on the same day.

How to make Kachori ahead of time

You can prepare Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori in advance and keep in the freezer for easy cooking later. Half-fry the Kachori for around 6 minutes until light blonde in colour. Allow to cool on absorbent kitchen paper and then pack into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Cook straight from frozen.

How to cook Kachori from frozen

Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil temperature should be 175°C/350°F. Fry the Kachori in small batches until golden brown and piping hot, about 4 minutes.

To oven bake or air-fry half-fried Kachori

While these Kachori may not be suitable for baking or air frying, half-fried and then frozen Kachori can be reheated in the oven or air fryer. Cook from frozen at 175°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Alternative cooking methods for Kachori

It’s possible to cook Kachori in an appam or paniyaram pan but the overall look and texture will be different to fried Kachori. I don’t do it but if you like, you can try that.

How to make perfect Kachori pastry

The trick to perfect kachori is to ensure the pastry is short, yet pliable enough to wrap thinly enough around the filling without creating holes which may break them when you fry them.

Make sure your kachori are perfect by tapping the pastry once cool – they should sound hollow.

Toasted semolina will give the pastry a delicious depth of flavour.

Why is my Kachori pastry breaking?

Not enough oil/fat or the dough has not been kneaded enough. Kachori dough must be short so fats are imperative. Add too little and the pastry will be thick and doughy. Knead the dough for at least 8 minutes and then rest for 30 minutes so the gluten has a chance to relax.

Why is my Kachori dough thick and soft?

Not enough water. Water not ice cold. Ensure you add ample ice-cold water to the dough for a crispy finish. If your Kachori pastry is thick and soft, the water was not cold enough to create shortness and flakiness.

How to wrap Kachori

To form the Kachori, take a portion of dough. Press it out to flatten onto your palm, about 5cm wide. Place the formed daal filling in the centre and gently pull the pastry around the daal to cover.

Pinch the dough closed and remove excess dough using the length of your index finger and thumb. Try to use pull gently from the top so that gravity naturally pulls the Kachori down. This will give the Kachori a very thin and even coverage.

How to make vegan Kachori

Replace the ghee in the pastry for the same measure of vegan butter or oil. Then follow the recipe as directed.

Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori recipe

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Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori

Crispy bites of pastry-covered daal. These kachoris are inspired by the ones sold at the famous Bhagwanjis sweet mart in Mombasa, Kenya. My entire family rave about these Kenya-style Kachori with moong daal and sour green mango.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine African, Indian

Keyword black daal, kachori, moong, pastry, snacks

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 28 kachoris

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 450 g plain flour (all purpose/maida)
• 80 g coarse semolina (lightly toasted in a dry frying pan)
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 4 tbsp ghee (soft but not melted)
• 5 tbsp any flavourless cooking oil (I used rapeseed)
• 275 g ice-cold water

For the filling:

• 400 g moong daal (yellow, skinless)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 225 g raw green mango, peeled and grated (about 2 mangos)
• 2 tbsp any flavourless cooking oil (I used sunflower)
• 110 g onion, very finely chopped (1 medium onion)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 6 thin green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 125 g crushed sev or gathia
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 50 g sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 L any flavourless cooking oil for deep frying

Instructions

To make the daal filling:

• Wash the moong daal in plenty of cold water. Drain and repeat 2-3 times. Allow the daal to soak in hot water for 2 hours.
• Drain the soaked daal and place in a pot filled with plenty of water. Add ground turmeric and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until al dente, about 90% cooked. Keep checking and remove from the heat when the daal breaks when pressed between your fingers. It shouldn't mash completely. Drain.
• Heat oil in a frying pan. Add finely-chopped onions, minced ginger and chillies. Stir well and sauté just until the onions have softened, about 2-3 minutes. The onions shouldn't brown.
• Add the onion mixture to the cooked and drained daal, along with the grated raw mango, ground cinnamon, ground fennel seeds, ground cloves, salt, sugar, sev and fresh coriander leaves. Stir the mixture well to combine. It might seem like a lot of spices, salt and sugar but Kachori filling must be strong. The daal is very bland by itself and requires this amount of seasoning to produce a good result.

To make the dough:

• Place the plain flour in a bowl, along with semolina and salt. Mix briefly to combine.
• Add the ghee and oil and use your fingertips to rub the flours and fats together, similar to making shortcrust pastry or a crumble. This process is called "moarn" in Hindi. The step is complete when the flour holds together in a solid mass when squeezed together. It should crumble under gentle pressure.
• Next, add the water and mix to form a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Pop the dough back into a bowl and cover. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

To assemble the Kachori:

• Once the daal mixture has cooled, mash it using a potato masher or pau bhaji masher. Whole daal should still be visible in the mixture but it should be mashed enough so that it holds together when you press it into a ball shape.
• Form the daal mixture into approximately 24g balls. They shouldn't be too large. Arrange on a tray or large plate.
• Divide the rested dough into 18g portions and cover again.
• To form the Kachori, take a portion of dough. Press it out to flatten onto your palm, about 5cm wide. Place the formed daal filling in the centre and gently pull the pastry around the daal to cover. Pinch the dough closed and remove excess dough using the length of your index finger and thumb. Try to use pull gently from the top so that gravity naturally pulls the Kachori down. This will give the Kachori a very thin and even coverage.
• Roll the ball gently between your palms ensuring there are no creases or holes in the dough, especially where you sealed. If there are, the Kachori will burst whilst frying and the filling will become really greasy. Repeat for the rest.

To fry the Kachori:

• Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil should be at least 6cm deep.
• Once the oil temperature reaches 160°C/320°F, you're ready to fry the Kachori.
• Carefully place the Kachori into the hot oil, one at a time. Fry only a handful at a time depending on the size of your pan. If you add to many at once, the oil temperature will drop and this will affect how your Kachori cook.
• Try not to move the Kachori around too much at first. Once the outer coating of pastry firms up, you can begin to move them around so that they cook evenly. Use a perforated spoon or frying spider to bob the Kachori around in the oil. Don't increase the temperature. A low frying temperature is ideal so that they Kachori become very crispy. The semolina will ensure they don't absorb a lot of oil.
• The Kachori will take around 8 minutes over a medium-low heat. After this time, you can increase the oil temperature to 175°C/350°F for the last 2 minutes. The Kachori will turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Once they have reached this point, lift the Kachori out of the oil and place them onto a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil.
• Repeat the frying process for all of the Kachori, ensuring you allow the oil to cool down to 160°C/320°F before you fry every new batch.
• Serve the Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori with my Tamarind & Date Chutney (recipe linked below).

Video

Notes

Make ahead

You can prepare Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori in advance and keep in the freezer for easy cooking later. Half-fry the Kachori for around 6 minutes until light blonde in colour. Allow to cool on absorbent kitchen paper and then pack into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Cook straight from frozen.

To cook Kachori from frozen

Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil temperature should be 175°C/350°F. Fry the Kachori in small batches until golden brown and piping hot, about 4 minutes.

To oven bake or air-fry half-fried Kachori

While these Kachori may not be suitable for baking or air frying, half-fried and then frozen Kachori can be reheated in the oven or air fryer. Cook from frozen at 175°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Alternative cooking methods

It’s possible to cook Kachori in an appam or paniyaram pan but the overall look and texture will be different to fried Kachori. I don’t do it but if you like, you can try that.

Pin this recipe for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Chilli-Garlic Mogo

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The ultimate vegan seekh kebab recipe using green bananas and chickpeas. Make them in the oven or cook over a barbecue for smoky, tandoori flavours. Serve with salad, naan and your favourite chutneys and dips.

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Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

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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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If you love Pau Bhaji with heaps of creamy butter as much as I do, I hope you’ll love my article for FN UK’s blog in honour of all things street food.

You discover what happened when I cooked up some Pau Bhaji in their test kitchen and my experience eating Pau Bhaji on the street in one of my most favourite Indian food cities, Leicester. 

I was sitting on a burning wall devouring £3.50 worth of hot, spicy Pau Bhaji. It was heavily spiced but not with chillies – the intense heat came from a medley of ground cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds. The bread was hot, buttery and perfect for scooping up the delicious bhaji.

Now, I’ve tasted great Pau Bhajis in the past and I’ve also made good Pau Bhajis, but the truth is that I much prefer it when someone else makes the effort to sizzle some up for me.

Any takers?

Read the article here.

Get the recipe here.

FYI, my mouth is already watering thinking about the next post which I will tell you involves potatoes and a simple blend of spices. See you this weekend!

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Whether you wanted to or not, yesterday, you all probably caught a glimpse of the Royal Wedding and that dress. It was on almost every single Sky channel imaginable and there’s no denying the amazing pageantry that was going on. For me, the real stars were those gorgeous fairytale horses pulling the carriage from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace – how cute were they?!

Adding blended nuts to a sauce is very traditional of North Indian and Central Asian cuisine. It was once symbolic of the wealth and social supremacy of the Mughal courts however, adding blended nuts to curries is now becoming increasingly popular in restaurants and in homes. Popular choices include cashews and almonds, with the use of pistachios being less common.

You know me – slightly odd and preoccupied with the need to make a break from the norm. The delicate flavour of sweet pistachios is in fact, a beautiful match for tender, textured cauliflower. It also stains the white cauliflower with the lightest hue of green imaginable.

Almond and Pistachio Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients

400g cauliflower, boiled until al dente50g pistachios, shelled
50g blanched almonds, skins removed
100g onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 small green chilli, minced
¼-½ tsp whole black peppercorns
1 inch stick cinnamon
1 star anise
1 tsp white pepper powder
3 cloves
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
½ tsp fennel powder
2-3 tiny drops almond extract (please don’t overdo this one!)
¼ tsp garam masala
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sour cream
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste
800ml water
3 tbsp oil
 
Method

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The past few days have been spent planning an elaborate baking mission composed of sweet treats to make your heart cry out for a detox – though I’m not yet ready for said detox.

Biryani is a bit like a newborn kitten – except you don’t cook nor eat newborn kittens. It requires heaps of concentration, patience and love.

Each individual component needs to be prepared to just the right level before the ingredients can be assembled in a harmonious fashion, and then gently steamed to create an insanely delicious smelling and tasting dish to fight over at the dinner table.

In the last post we discussed the origins of Mughlai cuisine and what makes it so majestic, and this fruity, nutty aromatic rice is right on point. Juicy apricots and pineapples are layered up with fluffy rice, spicy potatoes, sweet onions, aromatic saffron and kewra water (screwpine extract).

I’m not going to lie to you, you are likely to do a double take when you see the ingredients list. Take courage, my recipe provides you with a straightforward process to follow to create a true masterpiece. In truth, the assembly of biryani is not unlike the process used to make lasagne – it’s all in the preparation, so be prepared.

The following method is very detailed because I want to give you a complete guide full of handy hints and tips to make the perfect biryani for any occasion, and not only this one.

(serves 6, or 8 as part of a large meal)

400g basmati rice
340g baby new potatoes, cut into quarters
320g onions, sliced into thin strips
60g dried apricots, chopped, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g dried pineapple, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g whole almonds
20g whole pistachios
10g unsweetened desiccated coconut or 30g fresh coconut, grated
1 pinch saffron soaked in 4 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp kewra water
250ml hot water + more for boiling the rice and potatoes
4 tbsp oil or ghee
Salt

1 ½ tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced chillies
1 tsp cinnamon powder
4 whole cloves
1 tsp ground green cardamom seeds (flowery, aromatic flavour)
¼ tsp ground black cardamom seeds (smoky, heady flavour)
¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
¼ tsp pomegranate seed powder (sharp, sour taste – available in most Indian shops)
1/8 tsp ground mace
1 small pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Method

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Firstly, I’m going to make an attempt at guessing what you’re thinking;

“What the heck are sev and where do I get them from?”

These are great questions, great questions to which I don’t have great answers. I know that’s not very helpful however, I’ll do my best to explain the deliciousness of this mysterious ingredient.

Because you need to know.

Sev are a Gujarati snack, closely related to ‘gathia’ in the way they’re made from chickpea flour and fried. They come in all different sizes and are classed as a ‘farsan’ or savoury snack.

They’re best described as crunchy, nutty and great for sprinkling on top of cassava dishes and spiced yogurts.

In this classic Gujarati recipe I’ve re-created à la KO I’ve used jinni (small) sev which is very traditional and also very cute. The tiny little strands soak up the sweet, tangy and spicy flavours of the rich tomato base.

I used cherry tomatoes because that’s what I had, but you can use any variety of fresh tomatoes you have. A sprinkle of ground cinnamon kisses this dish with the flavours of Gujarat, essential if you’re in the mood for an atypical Indian dinner.

You see Gujarati cuisine is beaming with fresh ingredients and sweet, spicy flavours. Sev tameta nu shaak is a one pan meal and so comforting you hardly need to chew (a sign of amazing comfort food, of course). All in all, it’s very quick, very simple and very satisfying – just how I like it.

You can buy sev in Indian farsan stores, most Indian grocery stores (it will be near the gathia, chakris and other savoury snacks). I’ve also seen them popping up in the supermarket more often, so keep an eye out. If you can’t find them in stores, order them online.

Quick Sev and Tomato Curry (sev tameta nu shaak)
(serves 2-4)

Ingredients

325g fresh tomatoes, roughly pureed
140g jinni sev (small sev)
120g onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 tsp concentrated tomato puree
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp cinnamon powder
4-6 tbsp water
Salt to taste
Handful of chopped coriander to garnish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds (wait for them to pop) and then add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, concentrated tomato puree and onions. Saute until the onions become translucent, and then add the pureed fresh tomatoes.

2. Season with chilli powder, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and sugar. Allow to cook down to a fairly thick mixture, and then adjust the texture with around 4-6 tbsp water. Turn the heat off.

3. Just before you’re ready to serve, add the sev to the piping hot sauce and give it a quick and gentle mix through. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately.

I love to serve this with hot, buttered chapattis and absolutely nothing else. However, it’s also great with naan, paratha and puri. Wash it all down with a tall glass of salted lassi and feel your belly release a deep sigh of gratification.

Visit my collection of Gujarati recipes for more classic dishes and recipe inspiration.

For more nuggets of information on regional Indian cuisine, read my article, Unveiling the Magic of Indian Food on foodnetwork uk.

The post Quick Sev and Tomato Curry (Sev Tameta nu Shaak) appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Great news. No, not great news. Amazing news.

KO Rasoi’s recipe for Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta has been selected as one of the top 100 entries for the Foodista Best of Food Blogs competition. The recipe will feature in a full colour cookbook which will be published by Andrews McMeel Publishing this October. I’ll give you more details as and when I find out information.

How exciting is this for us?! The little veggie blog is taking baby footsteps and I like where it seems to be heading.

Cooking, eating, writing; these are the things that I can use to escape in to a world where my passion for food roams freely and relentlessly. Rather like a starving gerbil on Shandy.

What I would like to do most is thank you all for such wonderful feedback and supportive comments. You are the people that make KO Rasoi shine, not other things like scrummy cheesecakes (although, those are yummy and almost as attractive than you are). Stop blushing.

Moving swiftly on…

In order to celebrate this exciting newsflash we have daal. Don’t make those sighing noises I used to make when I was little and had to eat daal, because this isn’t just any daal. It’s three lentil daal.

And I don’t have to justify that because it tastes marvellous and it’s good for you!

Celebrate the colours of India and happy times with this delicious three lentil daal (triveti daal). These lentils are widely available in all good supermarkets and Indian grocers.

Ingredients
(serves 4-6)

100g moong daal (mung bean daal)
100g urad daal
100g toor daal (pigeon pea daal)
1 ¼ litres hot water
1 large onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
2 hot green chillies, minced, (or to taste)
1 tbsp ghee (or oil)
2 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
200g tin of chopped tomatoes
½ tsp turmeric
½ cup coriander, chopped
Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash the three daals together and boil in the hot water until tender. Hot tip: Adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to your boiling water will make the daal cook quicker. If your daal mixture is too dry add a little more water but do not drain any water from them. Set the cooked daal aside.

2. Heat the ghee/oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves, star anise and cinnamon. Cook until aromatic.

3. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and cooked daal mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes and season with salt. Remove from the heat and add the coriander. Remember to remove the cinnamon stick and star anise before serving.

The post Three-Lentil Daal appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.