spices Archives - Sugar et al

When I was growing up, the definition of good, delicious food at home was as simple as finger-licking food. Food that is so irresistible that you wipe your plates clean with the last piece of flatbread and lick the last of the dish off your fingertips. This theory cannot be truer for a bowl of good Indian curry. The right consistency, the perfect blend of spices, the rich flavours and also very essentially the aroma that fills the home were the standards that were to be met to be for the humble curry to appeal to palates that were used to eating curries all the time. I made my first Lamb Rogan Josh in my early teens after falling in love with it while watching a cooking show. Alas! No fingers were licked. The gravy had dried out and all that were left were the lamb pieces. They were delicious so I wasn’t discouraged.

Rogan Josh is an aromatic lamb dish that is slow cooked with chillies and spices till the flavours blend into a magnificent curry and the lamb is tender and succulent. The dish is a signature from the Kashmir region of India and what makes it unique, flavours aside is the gorgeous red colour that comes from the usage of chillies that are grown locally in that region. Since the chillies are not accessible to a lot of people, (even those living in other parts of India) people like to use the Kashmiri Chilli powder that is quite easily available in India and in Indian stores abroad. Otherwise, it is best to make a fine paste of dried red chillies which you could find in most supermarkets. This is my chosen way of cooking the dish.
Like any classic recipe, the Lamb Rogan Josh has many different variations today. I have simplified my version over the years for the sake of convenience but also taking care not to compromise much on the flavours.
Talking of comfort food, as much as I love my curries I also have a thing for pies. Living in Australia, you cannot overlook the pies. They are everywhere and they are smashing! The idea of a pot pie however is what delights me the most. A simple puff pastry cover and you have wonderful textures in your food. I love the fact that you can get creative with your fillings and there is so much room for variety. Then why not an Indian inspired hearty, spicy lamb filling that makes your taste-buds go crazy with deliciousness.

This recipe as I mentioned is a simplified one. The original dish is quite rich and spicy. I cook mine in a pressure cooker so it is quite fast but you could cook it in a saucepan as well. If I am serving this for guests I tend to go easy with the oil and spices but if it is for a weekend dinner at home I am careful about the quantities. Once the Rogan Josh is ready, all we do is pour it into a deep dish, cover with puff pastry and bake till brown and crispy. The filling can be made ahead in time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Lamb Rogan Josh Pot Pie
Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
3 green cardamom pods
4-5 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 red onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes
3 dried red chillies (processed to a paste with 2 tbsp of water
400 g boneless cubed lamb (preferable from the shoulder)
salt, to season
11/2 cups water
1 sheet puff pastry (store bought)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oil in a large thick bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds and cook till they splutter (about 1 minute). Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook till onion is soft and translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes and red chilli paste and cook till blended. Turn the heat onto high and add the lamb cubes Sear the lamb cubes evenly on all sides, stirring constantly. Season with salt. Pour in the water and mix. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 40-45 minutes or until meat is tender. Keep adding water if the gravy appears to dry out.

Once meat is cooked through and gravy has thickened up, remove from heat. Cool slightly and pour into a deep dish.

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C (200 degrees for fan-forced). Cup pastry into a large round, an inch larger than the circumference of the pie dish. Place on top of lamb mixture, scrunching edges of pastry around the dish. Brush with a little egg. Bake for 10-15 mins, until puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

Ever since my last act of chocolate indulgence few days ago, I am finding solace in green. I have jumped on the weighing scale every day waiting for the ugly truth to unfold but for once i have to say it has let me down…in a positive way. The last of the little spikey monster has survived the weekend and i am trying my best to avoid eye contact each time i open the refrigerator. The weather has been looking up too, in contrast to the dark wet week that was. And that is also showing on the bright faces at home who love nothing more than the outdoors. All in all, a good week.

Speaking of greens, this is one of my favourite healthy recipes usually following a guilt trip when I am a little tired of eating salad. But actually guilt or no guilt, this is a must try if you wanted to make an easy, no fuss Indian dish. The chicken is moist and packed with herby goodness, not to mention the wonderful aromas that emanate when you are baking it. Tikkas or Kababs, as they are popularly called in India, form a part of every restaurant menu, big or small. My version is a bit more simpler and oil free.

Onions are an integral part of Indian cooking, so leaving it out completely almost makes you want to compensate its absence in a dish. In fact, in many Indian households they take precedence over herbs as garnishes.

The spiced onion jam compliments the flavours of the chicken beautifully. I have married the ingredients and techniques of an onion jam with that of a traditional Indian chutney to create this recipie. And ah..was I pleased with the end result…very pleased indeed!
Most onion jam recipes call for red onions but I have used both red and brown as I personally like the flavour that the brown ones add to the dish.

Serve them as skewers with a salad and a few lemon wedges. Leave out the onion jam if you want to stick to what the post intended to convey…healthy!

Did you say you like pretty plates…like me?

Herbed Chicken Skewers
Yields 5-6 skewers

400 g chicken skinless thigh fillet cubed
11/2 tbsp garlic paste
11/2 tbsp ginger paste
1 cup coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
2 green chillies (optional)
1/2 cup thick yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp chaat masala (optional, available in Indian grocery stores)
Salt to taste
5-6 bamboo skewers soaked in water for 30 mins

Prepare the marinade. Grind the ginger, garlic, coriander, mint and green chillies to a smooth paste in a food processor. Pour the mix into a large bowl and add the yogurt. Add the cubed chicken and spices, salt and mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours for the flavours to blend together.
Preheat oven to 200 C
Thread the chicken onto skewers. Place the skewers horizontally on the edges of rimmed baking dish with a foil underneath to catch the drippings. (See pic) I had run out of foil so had some extra cleaning to do. Cook the chicken on the grill mode turning once after 10 mins till evenly browned and tender about 20-25 mins. Sprinkle chaat masala when out of the oven.
Serve with spiced onion jam, lemon wedges and salad.

Spiced Onion Jam
Yields about a cup

2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 medium yellow/brown onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies(optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp salt or to taste

Melt butter in a pan. Add the mustard, cumin and red chillies and cook till they splutter (about 1 min).Add the onions and cook till they soften(about 5 mins). Add the brown sugar and vinegars and reduce the mixture till it darkens and becomes a thick consistency. Add in the cumin powder. Add salt as per taste.