Perfect The brunch Sunday
Author serves up fusion of dishes from all over the globe
FROM AFRICA to India, the Middle east, France, the UK and New Zealand, The Laden Table will take you on a journey full of flavour with dishes from the melded cultures that make up Ashia’s extended family.
Ashia says: ‘‘Being of Indian heritage, my love of cooking first started at an early age. I remember the fragrant smells of spices cooking, beautifully aromatic, heady, a mixture of hot, salty, sweet and sour, perfectly balanced. Recipes were never written down but remembered by taking part, helping and learning as you went, developing your tastebuds, which became more attuned with age and experience. And this led to cooking by instinct, which is how I cook now.”
The recipes in The Laden Table are created for the way we live today. Eating fresh, seasonal ingredients with no compromise on flavour. This book is designed for sharing, connecting and making memories with those you love.
SPICED LAMB SHAKSHUKA
Originally from North Africa, shakshuka is essentially a vegetarian dish, but I have given it a twist by using mince. Growing up we often had lamb or beef mince curry with potatoes and peas served with fried eggs and roti for the perfect Sunday brunch. This is my fusion version of those two wonderful dishes, combining the spicy tomatoes, mince and eggs.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced 2–3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp salt
500g lamb mince 400g can diced tomato 1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground coriander 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin 1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric 1⁄2 tsp rose harissa or harissa 2 small potatoes (200g), diced
1⁄2 cup frozen peas
4–6 eggs handful of chopped fresh coriander kesra bread or naan, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a large lidded pan over a medium heat. Cook onion until translucent, then add garlic, salt and the mince.
Fry the mince until browned, then add the tomato, tomato paste, spices and diced potatoes. Cook for a further 20 minutes over a low heat. Add the peas. If you need more sauce, add 1⁄4 cup water.
Cook for a further 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the potatoes are cooked.
Make 4–6 wells in the sauce and break an egg into each. Pop the lid on and cook the egg to your liking.
Sprinkle with a handful of chopped coriander and serve with kesra bread or naan.
Tip To make this dish vegetarian, swap the mince for a mix of butternut squash and diced mixed coloured capsicums (500–600g combined). You can also swap the peas for red kidney beans and swap the coriander for parsley.
— Serves 4–6
PLAIN NAAN Ingredients
3 cups plain flour
11⁄2 tsp sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder 1⁄2 tsp baking soda 1⁄4 cup milk 1⁄3 cup unsweetened yoghurt 1 Tbsp melted butter, plus extra
3/4 cup warm water Toppings (optional) poppy seeds, cumin seeds, chilli flakes, chopped fresh coriander or mint
Method
Turn the oven on to grill.
Sift flour into a bowl, then add sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix to combine. Make a well in the centre, add milk, yoghurt, butter and water, mixing to a soft, pliable dough. On a floured work surface, knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth. Divide the dough into 6–8 portions. Roll out into oblong naan shapes about 15–17cm long.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook each naan on one side and then place on a baking tray and brush the uncooked side with melted butter and any toppings you desire. Repeat this process with the remaining naan.
Grill naan in the oven until browned and blistered. Serve warm. — Makes 6–8 naan