Indian summary
In her new cookbook, On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes and stories from Kashmir to Ladakh, Romy Gill explores this lesser-known part of India. Photography by Matt Russell.
Skewered lamb kebabs Sheekh kebab
SERVES 3–4
Ingredients
• 1 kg minced lamb (ideally leg meat)
• 2–3 teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon saffron strands
• 1 tsp black cardamom seeds, crushed to a powder in a pestle and mortar
• 1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds, crushed to a powder in a pestle and mortar
• handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
To serve:
• sliced shallots
• lime wedges
• chutney of your choice (optional)
METHOD
Combine all the ingredients, except the egg, in a large mixing bowl. Mix together, kneading as you would a dough, until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Remove from the refrigerator, then place the mixture in a food processor. Add the egg and blend to a paste. Divide the mixture into six equal-sized portions. Wet your hands with cold water and mould each portion around a skewer, gently pressing and shaping each into a long sausage. With damp hands, smooth the surface of each kebab.
Meanwhile, prepare a barbecue or preheat the oven grill to high. Cook the skewers on the hot barbecue or under the grill for 8–10 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes and rotating them frequently until well browned and cooked on all sides.
Serve scattered with coriander and sliced shallots, with lime wedges for squeezing and a chutney of your choice, if you like.
Saffron chicken Kong kokur
SERVES 4–5
Ingredients
• 8 teaspoons sunflower oil or ghee
• 100g shallots, thinly sliced
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 cm cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons ground fennel
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons saffron strands, soaked in 3 tablespoons lukewarm water
• 1 x 1 kg whole chicken, skin removed
• chutneys, relishes, rice or vegetarian side dish, to serve (optional)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/gas 6). Heat five teaspoons of the oil or ghee in a large pan, add the shallots and fry until golden brown, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, blitz to a paste in a food processor.
Place all the whole and ground spices, along with the salt, in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, and grind to a fine powder. In a bowl, combine this spice powder with the shallot paste and saffron water, along with the remaining three teaspoons of oil or ghee. Mix together with a fork. Apply this spice paste to the whole chicken, ensuring it is thoroughly covered, then leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Place the marinated chicken in a roasting tray and roast in the hot oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the chicken to rest in the oven while you preheat the grill to high.
Place the chicken under the grill and cook for 15 minutes until browned on top. Serve with chutneys or relishes of your choice, rice and any vegetarian side dish.
Momos dumplings
MAKES 30
Ingredients
For the dough:
• 300g atta chapati flour plus extra for dusting
• pinch of salt
• 190–200 ml water, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
For the filling:
• 30g white cabbage, finely grated
• 30g carrot, peeled and finely grated
• 30g potatoes, peeled and finely grated
• 20g onion, finely chopped
• 20g spinach, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander • 1 teaspoon salt
METHOD
To make the dough, sift the flour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt. Gradually add the water, mixing and kneading until you have a flexible dough. Drizzle the oil over the dough, turning it to coat, cover with
a dish towel and leave to rest for 20–30 minutes at room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
Divide the dough into about 30 equalsized balls, each weighing around 10–12 g Dust the work surface with flour, then roll one of the balls into thin circles, about 8 cm (3 in) in diameter, one at a time. Place 1 heaped teaspoon of the filling mixture in the middle of each circle of dough, then use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the sides together to seal each parcel.
Repeat until all the dough and filling are used up. Fill a steamer pan with water, cover the base of the steamer with baking paper and pierce a few holes in it.
Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Working in batches, place the momos on the baking paper, cover the pan with the lid and steam for 10–12 minutes until the momos look transparent.
■ On the Himalayan
Trail: Recipes and Stories from Kashmir and Ladakh by Romy Gill (Hardie Grant, £27) Photography: Matt Russell.