It’s the simple pleasures in life I’ve always appreciated the most; chapattis with mango pickle, paratha dipped in raita and from time to time, maybe peanut butter and banana sandwiches (let’s keep that one between us).

From sitting on a Mombasa beach nibbling on maize, smothered with lemon and red chilli powder, to scoffing cassava fries doused in citrus hot sauce in university halls, these flavours are an integral part of my food memories.

I think it reason this combination works so well is because the chilli heat is mellowed out with the sharp acidity of fragrant lemon. Indeed, it’s not only Indian and East African dishes which take full advantage of this mouth-watering duo – just think about your favourite Mexican salsas and Thai salads made with the native lime.

I never remove seeds or membrane from fresh chillies – I don’t see the point. However, if you prefer to remove them for a mild flavour then remember to adjust your use of lemon accordingly. A general rule of thumb is that the hotter the chilli, the more the lemon will be able to stand up to it. If your chillies are milder, add less lemon to ensure its flavour doesn’t become overpowering. If, by chance it does, a pinch of sugar should help.

For a speedy side or snack, this sautéed cauliflower tossed with fresh green chillies, mustard seeds, turmeric and lemon juice is the perfect dish. Serve it alone, in a lunchtime wrap with falafel and yogurt, or as part of a larger meal with your favourite curries and Indian breads.

Tip: in most dishes, a pinch of sugar and salt balance the chilli and lemon combination perfectly.

Chilli and Lemon Cauliflower
(Serves 2-4)

Ingredients

500g cauliflower, broken into bite-sized florets and boiled until al dente
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
½ tsp turmeric
3 green chillies, sliced finely (or to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt or to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds have popped, add the asafoetida, turmeric, chillies, sugar and salt.

2. Quickly add in the parboiled cauliflower and sauté on a high heat for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Keep them moving to avoid the spices from burning.

3. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander.

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Guess who’s back? Over the next four weeks I’ll be running a series called Indian Cooking Step-by-Step in which I’ll be exploring classic recipes from a handful of Indian regions. Join me as I prepare Khaman – a Gujarati favourite in under 50 minutes.

I’m not too proud to admit that I’m a terrible teacher, but when it comes to cooking Indian food, I can’t help but put my two pence in. I become a wannabe Gujarati (hailing from the state of Gujarat in western India) Mary Poppins who’s full of the old-school tips I picked up watching various female family members squabble over how much ginger to put in the daal.

Khaman are fluffy, steamed, savoury cakes made with chickpea flour and a divine topping of tempered mustard seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves, shredded coconut and coriander.

The tempered topping is the most magical part of the recipe, as hot oil with sizzling spices is (very carefully) splashed with water, and then drizzled over the top of the delicately-spicy savoury cake.

The result is a light hot and sour cake drenched with an aromatic, sweet emulsion and finished with an intense freshness from the colourful garnish. It makes for the perfect starter when served with my Coriander and Lime Chutney.

Ever attended a Gujarati wedding? Every menu almost certainly features Khaman, along with our other characteristic obsessions: Samosas, fluffy rice and buttermilk soup or daal.

Getting up to be served food, guests will moan about stingy portions of Khaman then, during dinner and without asking, the same people will slip several pieces onto your plate whilst you’re not looking because they come to realise their eyes were bigger than their bellies.

Read more about Khaman and get the recipe here.

Missing you all so much. Happy cooking – I’ll be back in a jiffy.

In the meantime, if you’re at all interested in my daily musings, food-related chit chat with just a little of the real, unedited Sanjana thrown in, follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Would love to see you there.

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Last week I ordered a salted lassi at an Indian restaurant and got it in a pint glass. I didn’t even get a straw. It was an entirely bizarre experience which I can’t say I’d like to try again – lassi moustaches really don’t suit me.

Forget beer and wine, I think nothing compliments an Indian meal better than lassi. It’s a cooling, yogurt-based drink with palate cleansing properties that balance out a spicy Indian meal perfectly. You really couldn’t get a more traditional drink.

The roots of lassi are firmly embedded in Punjabi cuisine from Northern India and parts of Pakistan. Many Indian and Pakistani regions have adapted the refreshing beverage to suit their individual cooking styles and tastes. 

A quick guide to lassi

As well as being popular in the Punjab, salted lassi (or chaas) is also the drink of choice to accompany the classic working mans lunch for the many farmers in Porbander (Gujarat). Chaas usually accompanies a lunch of buckwheat chapattis (rotla), rice and lentil stew (khichdi) and aubergine curry (oroh).

Chaas differs to lassi slightly in its consistency, which is made slightly thinner with water. Like salted lassi, it can be blended with various herbs and spices to create a cocktail of mouth-watering flavours.

Basic Salted Lassi
(serves 4)

Ingredients

7 tbsp Greek yogurt
650ml iced water
1 tsp salt

Method

1. Blend all of the ingredients together and pour into salt and sugar-rimmed glasses.

Toasted Cumin Lassi

Blend together: 
1 x recipe for basic salted lassi
1 tsp toasted, ground cumin seeds
1/8 tsp black salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Tempered Lassi with Curry Leaves

Temper 3 curry leaves, ½ tsp mustard seed and  ¼ tsp asafoetida in 1 tsp oil until the mustard seeds pop. Pour over 1 x recipe for basic salted lassi.

Chilli and Coriander Lassi

Whisk together:
1 x recipe basic salted lassi
2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1 hot green chilli, chopped finely

The post The Ultimate Savoury Lassis appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

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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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.

Once upon a time I made the mortal mistake of slicing a chilli and then rubbing my itchy eye. I propose that the pain factor is on par with a stinging nettle thrust into the eyeball. Coming from a chilli-mad family I was almost as irritated as my weeping red eye that I hadn’t been forewarned to never ever let this happen. And never will it happen again (I hope).

Other activities to avoid after handling chillies:
Blowing your nose
Cutting your nails
Scratching any sort of itch on your body, nor anyone else’s for that matter
Petting the dog/cat/bird/domestic rodent
Squeezing your spots- you shouldn’t be doing this one anyway
Going to the bathroom- you really don’t want to do that

 Your fingers will be glad to hear (?) that with this recipe there is no contact with the inside of the chilli and the whole thing is used, so no wastage. Eating whole chillies may sound completely insane and lethal but you should know that once you eat one chilli and enjoy it, the next time you’re probably going to want it to be hotter… and so on, and so on, and so on. It’s a bit like building up resistance or immunity, which is great because chillies (in moderation) are great for the body.

This will last weeks and weeks in the fridge (covered) because the thick, sour yogurt will envelope the whole chillies in a protective little blanket. So don’t worry, you won’t need to eat all of those babies in one go.*

*Please don’t actually try to do that because KO Rasoi refuses to be liable for the many hideous repercussions.

The post Whole Chillies in a Zingy Mustard Yogurt 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.

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Graduation was fantastic! Thank you for all of the congratulations and good luck wishes you left for me. As always, your support is invaluable. Time to start a fresh, new chapter of my life, and the only way to fire up such chapters is with fresh, innovative food.

This dish combines firm field beans with a creamy, clean tasting yogurt sauce. Perfect for those who like subtly spiced dishes or those who simply fancy a change from heavily perfumed concoctions.

You can buy field beans from all good Indian grocery or health food shops; they can be found fresh, dried and frozen so keep your beans eyes peeled. Their texture is best described as a cross between white soya beans and cannellini beans. Delicious in soups and stews, they are more popularly added to curries in Gujarati cuisine. The famous young field bean (whole) and aubergine curry (vaalore ringdra) is evidence of its popularity; it has dominated wedding menus for years. And I ain’t gonna question that!

Vaal- Mature field beans with the pod removed
Valore- Young field beans (the whole pod, including the beans inside)

Enjoy this with hot chapattis, steamed brown rice, a crisp green salad and a fresh take on life.

Fresh Field Beans (Vaal) in a Peanut and Yogurt Sauce
(Serves 4)

4 cups fresh vaal, boiled in salted water (with a pinch of baking powder) then rinsed under cold water
½ cup peanuts, ground
½ cup chickpea flour
½ cup yogurt
5 cups cold water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 hot green chillies, minced
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 red chilli, halved lengthways
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
Salt to taste

Method

1. Mix together the yogurt, water, ground peanuts and chickpea flour until smooth.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add the asafoetida, garlic, both types of chilli and ginger. Sauté briefly, then add the yogurt mixture. Stir this continuously until it reaches boiling point.

3. Add the turmeric, salt and cooked vaal. Allow to simmer for around 5 minutes and finally stir in the chopped coriander.

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As promised, here is a recipe for a traditional, flavour-packed dry curry which pairs brilliantly with Gujarati Kadhi. If you know someone who is notorious for complaining about ‘boring old lentils’- or indeed you are that person, then I very much doubt you will feel the same way about this dish. Traditionally, the predominant flavours are garlic and a little cinnamon. Have I ever told you how amazing cinnamon is with lentils? I have now.

The strong flavours of this Dry Mung Bean Curry completes a meal when paired with mellower dishes like Kadhi and plain rice. I really hope you give it a try… It’s one of my favourites!

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

1 ½ cups mung beans
1 small pinch baking powder
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida (optional)
5-6 curry leaves
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 medium hot chillies, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
1 tsp cinnamon powder
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
¼ cup chopped coriander

Method

1. Wash the mung beans and boil them in plenty of hot water with a pinch of baking powder until al-dente. If you have a pressure cooker that’s about 6-7 whistles. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds (wait for them to pop) then add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, garlic and chillies. Sauté until aromatic. Obviously don’t let it burn.

3. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and mung beans and cook for two minutes. Be careful not to mash it up as you stir.

4. Add the salt, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon powder and cook for a further two minutes.

5. Throw in the chopped coriander, combine and serve.

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