The Mr isn’t a fan of desserts. I’ll often spend hours in the kitchen trying to perfect eggless and vegan cakes, cheesecakes, cookies and brownies. Yet no matter how happy I am with how one might have turned out (which, I’ll be honest, doesn’t happen often), he still won’t touch it. Unless it’s mint chocolate.

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like ice cream. That changed when I met my husband. I’ll be honest, I thought it was super weird. The one exception to his no-ice-cream rule is mint chocolate, it has to be totally frozen (soft serve is never an option), topped with strawberry syrup and hazelnuts.

Just. So. Weird.

So here I am. It’s Valentine’s Day – which for the record, I think is a load of old bollocks. We don’t do presents and ridiculous extravagant gestures – we never have and never will. However, it isn’t very often he doesn’t work weekends so when we get the chance to spend time together, we make the most of it. Why do people need to ‘prove’ to the world they love each other on one day of the year? Usually it’s for the benefit of their Facebook ‘friends’. People should treat their other halves with love and kindness every day. Full stop.

Okay, that’s my little rant over.

This is one of those weekends where we’re both home so we decided to spend the day cooking. I love it when we do this.

Our ultimate menu of Paneer Butter Masala, Garlic and Coriander Naan, Gujarati Kachumbar and these Eggless Mint Chocolate Fondants and Fennel Seed Crème Fraîche is complete. The latter because it’s the only dessert he’ll eat.

I’ve been working on this recipe for a long time and now I’m finally ready to share it. The ingredients required are very different from a conventional chocolate fondant but the result is spectacular. A combination of things including baking powder, milk powder and cornflour work to do the job of eggs in my recipe. The batter recipe is perfect and provided you follow all the rules (because making chocolate fondants, a.k.a Moelleux au Chocolat ain’t a joke), they’ll be crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle.

Once baked for just 10 minutes, they need to be turned out and served immediately. If they’re not, they’ll carry on cooking and the middles will be light and fluffy rather than having the lava-like centre you really want.

Mr Patel, this one’s for you… but not because it’s Valentine’s Day.

Eggless Mint Chocolate Fondants & Fennel Seed Crème Fraîche
(serves 6)

Ingredients

200g sweetened condensed milk
100g sour cream
80g melted butter
200g melted mint chocolate (use one with at least 70% cocoa solids – I like Green & Blacks)
2 tbsp milk powder
1 tsp cornflour
5 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 bag Mint Aero Bubbles (these are great melters)

For the Fennel Seed Crème Fraîche:

200g crème fraîche
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds, ground

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Grease 6 dariole moulds and place a disc of greaseproof paper in the base of each.

3. In a stand mixer, combine the sour cream, condensed milk, melted mint chocolate and melted butter until smooth and light.

4. Add in the milk powder and continue to whip until fluffy.

5. Next, add in the flour, cornflour, and baking powder.

6. Beat until just incorporated – do not overmix.

7. Fill the moulds to just under half way. Pop in two (or three) Mint Aero Bubbles and cover with more batter. The moulds should be filled ¾ of the way up. Repeat for the next 5.

8. Place all of the fondants on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes exactly.

9. Remove from the oven and immediately turn out onto a plate.

10. For the Fennel Seed Crème Fraîche, whip 200g Crème Fraîche with 1 tsp freshly-ground fennel seeds. Serve alongside the fondants for a lovely, fresh balance against the rich chocolate + a hint of spice.

The perfect way to round off any Indian meal.

Love Sanjana

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There’s nothing more comforting than meltingly-soft potatoes enveloped in creamy, spicy-sweet sauce – even when it’s dinner for one at the Modha residence.

Nobody likes cooking for one, do they? For me, it’s a tedious task knowing I’m the only one who will get to sample my efforts. I’m a feeder – I come from a long line of feeders who taught one another to feed others until they could eat no more. Like my mum, I’ll make dinner by the bucket load regardless of whether I’m feeding one mouth or ten. It’s most definitely in our blood.

I understand this is the case for lots of Indian girls who are told from a young age that finding the perfect husband involves filling his belly with spicy food, carbs and sugar. Either it’s the way to a heart or the way to heart problems – I forget which one.

That’s not to say I started cooking to find a fella. Hell, I started cooking because I was an eight-year old chubster with a penchant for pasta. It just so happened that the future Mr K.O (yes, I got engaged!) loves eating as much as I do. In fact, Kashmiri Dum Aloo was one of the first dishes we shared together in my favourite Indian restaurant. And anyone who knows how to feed me, the Feeder, is a keeper.

Enough about me, more about the food

This dish should be slow-cooked with a lid on. An old school trick to stop any steam escaping is to seal the lid with a ring of wheat flour dough. This type of cooking is known as dum cooking. Dum simply means ‘warm breath’ to connote the steam inside the pot. Once cooked, the dough seal is broken and the beautiful aromas are released – of course, the bread is eaten along with the curry. However, if you don’t fancy doing that, you can use a cartouche to lock in any moisture. A cartouche is just a round lid made of greaseproof paper that’s placed directly on top of the food in the pot to slow down the reduction of moisture in cooking.

The balance of spices in this dish will depend on your taste and varies from recipe to recipe. My version mainly uses dried red Kashmiri chillies, ground fennel seeds, ground ginger and green and black cardamom. This deep combination of spices is balanced by the use of tomato purée and either single cream or yoghurt. Don’t hold back on seasoning this with plenty of salt and sugar – they truly bring the spices to life.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

450g new potatoes (I used Jersey Royals), leave the skin on
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp concentrated tomato purée
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
270ml water
1 tbsp grated ginger
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
3 tsp sugar
3 tsp salt
300ml single cream or whisked plain yoghurt
2 tsp honey

Oil to deep fry the potatoes

For the spices:

½ tsp green cardamom seeds, ground
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground, plus 1 extra tsp for adding at the end
4 dried red Kashmiri chillies, ground (don’t bother soaking them)
½ tsp black cardamom seeds, ground
½ tsp cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Chopped coriander, ground fennel and Kashmiri chilli flakes to garnish

Method

1. Wash and soak the potatoes in cold, salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

2. Heat enough oil to deep fry the potatoes in a large wok to around 180°C. Fry the potatoes until golden all over. Don’t worry about cooking them all the way through at this point. Drain on a piece of kitchen paper and set aside.

3. In a large casserole dish, Dutch oven or pan with a tight-fitting lid, gently heat 1 tbsp oil. Add all of the ground spices, concentrated tomato purée, fresh ginger and garlic. Cook on a medium/low heat for around 5 minutes, stirring all the time. If you find it’s sticking, add a little hot water and continue to cook until the water has evaporated away and the spices are aromatic.

4. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, 270ml hot water, salt and sugar. Stir. Add the potatoes and mix again.

5. Make a cartouche or cut a round of greaseproof paper to the size of the inside of your pan. Sit it directly on top of the curry and put a lid on top of the pan.

6. Turn the heat down to the lowest it can go and cook for at least 30 minutes or until the potatoes are meltingly tender.

7. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the lid and cartouche. Turn the heat off and allow the curry to cool for 10 minutes. Add the honey and cream or yoghurt, stirring quickly and all the time until it’s fully combined. Stir in the extra 1 tsp ground fennel seeds.

8. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander, ground fennel and Kashmiri chilli flakes.

I like to serve this with Saffron Golden Sella Basmati Rice (I'll post a recipe soon!) and either Peshwari Naan or chapattis.

This is great if you’re planning on satisfying and impressing lots of hungry tummies, or in need of comfort when cooking for one (scoff any leftovers the next day).

Love Sanjana

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Velvety, bitter chocolate cream cheese sits on top of a crisp base of almonds and ground ginger biscuits. Top with nuggets of crunchy almond and fennel seed-studded praline and drizzle with luxurious homemade caramel sauce. 

Have we died and gone to cheesecake heaven? Maybe.

The fact of the matter is, once you’ve tasted chocolate and fennel seeds together, you’ll never look back.

My love affair with the delicious duo all started as a curious fourteen year old when my family were dreaming up desserts to take to our temple for Diwali. My mum made chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate and fennel ganache and that was all it took; I’d found my first love.

Ever since that sweet little Diwali, I’ve been stuck in a little bubble experimenting with chocolate and fennel desserts. This is my most delicious creation so far. Are you ready?

My original baked cheesecake recipe is adapted from Kurma Dasa’s Great Vegetarian Dishes. This book helped inspire my love for cooking and I doubt my passion would have grown the way it did without it. In this version I’ve strayed significantly from the recipe in the book, but the basis remains the same.

If you’re throwing a dinner party, celebrating a special occasion or just feeling a little bit indulgent, this cheesecake is the perfect way to show off. With its balance of truffle-like, aromatic and sweet flavours and smooth and crunchy textures, one slice just isn’t enough.

Spoil yourself.

Eggless Dark Chocolate Truffle and Fennel Seed Cheesecake with Almond Fennel Seed Pralines and Caramel Sauce
(Serves 12)

Ingredients

For the almond biscuit base:

300g ginger biscuits, ground finely
125g melted butter
100g ground almonds

For the dark chocolate truffle and fennel seed filling:

1kg cream cheese
510ml double cream
375g sugar
135g cocoa powder
85ml lemon juice
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tsp ground fennel seeds

For the almond fennel seed praline:

260g sugar
60ml water
80g skinless almonds, roughly chopped
1 tsp whole fennel seeds

For the caramel sauce:

350g sugar
100ml water
240ml cream, warmed
40g salted butter

Method

1. For the almond biscuit base: combine the biscuits, almonds and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a greased 12-inch springform tin. Dust the sides with ground almonds if you have any left over. Refrigerate whilst you get on with the filling.

2. For the dark chocolate truffle and fennel seed filling: in a large bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until it has thickened. Do not overmix.

3. Pour the mix on top of the chilled biscuit base and smooth the top with a wet spoon.

4. Place the cheesecake in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 1 ¼ hours or until firm and golden. If you find that the top of the cheesecake is going too brown, cover with foil and continue to bake.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate for 8-10 hours.

6. For the almond fennel seed praline: combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook until copper coloured. Add the almonds and fennel seeds stir through. Quickly pour onto a greased baking sheet on top of a baking tray. Spread out and allow to harden at room temperature. Once completely cooled, break up into small pieces using a toffee hammer, pestle or rolling pin.

7. For the caramel sauce: heat together the sugar and water in a large. Bring to the boil and cook until copper coloured. Turn the heat off. Quickly and carefully pour in the hot cream, whisking all the time. This will bubble and spit (which is why a large pan is necessary) so be very careful. Whisk in the butter. For an extra glossy sauce, finish with a few whizzes from a hand-held blender. Pour into a sterilised jar or cream pourer.

8. Make some holes in the cooled cheesecake with a bamboo skewer and pour 6 tablespoons of caramel sauce on top. Leave to soak in for 30 minutes. Scatter over the crushed pralines. Cut and serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

Love cheesecake? Check out these other delicious versions:

Eggless Saffron & Lemon Srikhand Cheesecake
Eggless Blueberry and White Chocolate Baked Cheesecake
Eggless Cardamom and Chocolate Cheesecake

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One of my most magical childhood memories is sitting in the back seat of my parents’ red VW Golf during the mid-nineties, slowly peeling back the red-stained paper from a little bundle of ‘Special Meetha Paan’: Areca nuts, fennel seeds, shredded coconut and rose paste, smothered in a ‘secret’ syrup, then tightly wrapped in a peppery betel leaf.

My last trip to everyone’s favourite paan house got me thinking; I was missing a trick. I’ve always loved the fresh flavours, but all that chewing can be terribly hard work. Then suddenly it dawned on me, why had I never made my own Paan Ice Cream?

It’s swelteringly hot over here (in comparison to last week’s pesky rain) and so I let myself go, forgot the diet for an evening and decided to finally give it a go. The first batch curdled on me because the milk I had steeped betel leaves in was too hot to add to the cold cream and custard. Boo, hiss. As this was not the time nor place for paneer, I binned it and started again.

The second batch was perfect; it had the right balance of sweet, aromatic and peppery. Sounds like my kind of ice cream.

Serve Paan Ice Cream as a refreshing after-dinner treat and an alternative to mints. It’s the most wonderful palate cleanser too, so a little bit between a starter and main course would go down a treat.

Here’s my recipe for Paan Ice Cream.
 

For more information on the history of paan, see my blog post for Food Network UK.

Want brand new recipes before anyone else? Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for fresh recipes straight from the kitchen, ask me cooking questions, see what I’m munching my way through during the week or just tweet to say hello.

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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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How long did you think it would be? I mean, how long did you really think it would before I came back with another paneer recipe? You must have known it wouldn’t be long because you all know how I can’t resist that rich, creamy, irresistible goodness!

Kofta (as they are usually referred to in the South Asian Subcontinent) have a heavy presence over various cuisines; from the Arabian Peninsula to what was once Persia to North Africa and also Eastern Europe. The concept of the kofta (or kufteh, köfte, keftes, kufta, ćufta… I could go on for a really long time so I really think I should stop here) is that a ground form of particular ingredients are spiced (according to what herbs and spices are predominantly available in that country) and rolled into a certain shape. Now, they are usually rolled into spherical shapes but in some Arab counties they are shaped rather like long kebabs, therefore the concept obviously varies according to where it is being made. Kofta can be fried, steamed, grilled or baked according to what ingredients you added to the mix. I liken this particular recipe to a softer version of the Italian potato dumpling, gnocchi but non-vegetarian kofta would most likely equate to meatballs in Italy. Ground meat is usually the key ingredient but here at KO Rasoi I like to do things a little differently so, being the paneer monster I am, I gave in to my yearnings…

I just had to share this recipe I created with you guys because it makes the softest, melt in the mouth kofta coated with the silkiest, delicate spicy-sweet sauce you have ever tasted. If this hasn’t sold you then the combination of honey, fennel and cardamom in the tomato, almond and cashew nut sauce will certainly get your tastebuds dancing to a Bollywood beat. That’s how certain I am that you will like this.

I’m not even going to say anything else except ‘good luck’ (… In putting your spoon down once you pick it up and start eating).

Ingredients

(Serves 4-6)

For the kofta

450g paneer (fresh or grated on the fine side of a cheese grater if you are using a block of paneer)
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green chilli, chopped
2 tbsp coriander, chopped finely
1 tbsp cornflour, plus more for coating
1 1/2 tsp salt

Oil to deep fry

For the sauce

¾ cup blanched almonds
¾ cup blanched cashews
¾ onion, minced
6 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
1 ½ tbsp ghee
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 red chillies, minced
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp fennel powder
2 tsp clear honey
1 tsp ground cardamom powder
2-3 cups water
Salt to taste
¼ cup coriander, chopped

Method

1. Mix together all of the ingredients for the kofta and knead for 3-4 minutes until you have a dough-like consistency. Set aside.

2. Grind together the almonds, cashews, 1 cup of water, and the onion. Set aside.

3. Heat the ghee in a large non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, garlic and chillies. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato puree and ground almond and cashew paste. Cook this until oil emerges at the surface.

4. Add the cumin and coriander powder, fennel powder, honey, cardamom powder and salt. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes and adjust the thickness of the sauce boiling with some water. Season with salt and garnish the sauce with a little chopped coriander if you wish.

5. Roll the kofta into oval shapes making sure there aren’t any cracks in them. Use a little oil to stop the mixture from sticking to your hands.

6. Heat enough oil in a pan to deep fry the kofta.

7. Roll the kofta in a little cornflour and dust any excess away.

8. Fry the kofta on a medium heat until they are a very light golden colour and drain on kitchen paper.

9. Assemble the dish just before serving by gently mixing the kofta with the sauce. You can make this ahead of time by keeping the kofta and sauce separate until you are ready to serve.

Serve with some steaming hot basmati rice and naan. Enjoy this… I really did!

The results of the Create for a Chilli Chopper will be on their way to you soon!

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