CAULIFLOWER AND PEA CURRY (GOBI MATAR NU SHAAK)

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

This cauliflower and pea curry (top left) is very popular in Gujarat and North India. It’s quick and easy to make, and the vegetables absorb the spices really well. I make this dish regularly at home and especially if I’m in a rush. It’s quite a dry curry so I serve it with some dal or raita, fresh roti and rice.

INGREDIENTS

– 1 large cauliflower – 120ml sunflower oil

– 1 tsp cumin seeds

– ¼ tsp asafoetida (available from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose or Amazon)

– 1 dried red chilli

– 250g fresh peas (defrosted if using frozen)

– ½ red pepper, deseeded and cut into cubes

– ½ tsp ground turmeric – 1 tsp red chilli powder – 2 tsp ground

coriander

– handful of chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

METHOD

Trim the leaves from the cauliflower, then separate the florets from the stalk. Halve each floret down the middle. Fill a large saucepan with hot water, add a pinch of salt and submerge the cut florets in the water. Leave for 5 minutes, then drain.

Place a saucepan over a medium heat, add the sunflower oil and heat for 1-2 minutes. Check if the oil is hot enough by adding a few cumin seeds to the pan; if they start to sizzle and crackle, the oil is ready. Once the oil is hot enough, turn down the heat to low and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, dried red chilli and cauliflower florets. Stir to coat the florets with the spiced oil, then cover and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the peas and red pepper to the pan, then add the remaining spices and ½ tsp salt. Mix gently to coat the veg with the spices as much as possible, then cover the pan. After 2-3 minutes, lift the lid and stir well. Cook uncovered and stir occasionally for a further 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve. If you are not serving the curry straight away, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days, then reheat until piping hot before serving.

OKRA AND POTATO CURRY (BHINDA BATETA NU SHAAK)

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

This dish (top right) is more of a dry, stir-fried curry than a gravybased curry. It’s a delicate dish for which the potatoes are cut into small cubes so they cook quickly. This Gujarati classic is very popular with our guests in the restaurant. I always use fresh okra, which are readily available. It is essential that the okra is dry prior to, and during, the cooking process. Wash it whole, pat dry and remove the stems before slicing and cooking. This ensures the okra will not become slimy during cooking.

INGREDIENTS

– 100ml sunflower oil – 1 tsp carom (ajwain) seeds (available from Ocado and Waitrose) – ½ tsp asafoetida (available from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Amazon)

– 200g okra, washed,

dried and cut

widthways into 1.5cm pieces

– 200g waxy white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes

– 1 tsp ground turmeric – 1 tsp red chilli powder – 2 tsp ground coriander – ¼ tsp lemon juice

METHOD

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat for about 2 minutes. Check the oil is hot enough by dropping a few carom seeds into the pan; if they sizzle, the oil is ready.

Lower the heat to medium. Add the carom seeds and asafoetida to the pan, stir once and then add the okra. Stir to coat the okra in the oil, cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potato, stir a couple of times and then add the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander, lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. Stir to coat the vegetables in the spices.

Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Occasionally lift the lid, allowing the water from the lid to drain back down into the pan, stir and replace the lid. Once the okra

and potato can be cut easily, remove from the heat. Serve with roti and Gujarati dal if liked.