TASTE TRAIL

Kong kokur (saffron chicken)

SERVES 4–5

8tsp sunflower oil or ghee 100g shallots, thinly sliced 8 cloves 8cm cinnamon stick 2tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 2tsp ground fennel 2tsp ground ginger 1tsp salt 2tsp saffron strands, soaked in 3tbsp lukewarm water 1kg whole chicken, skin removed To serve chutneys, relishes, rice or vegetable side dishes

Heat 5tsp 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.

Put 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 oil or ghee. Mix together with a fork.

Apply the spice paste to the whole chicken, ensuring it is thoroughly covered, then leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C F/Gas 6). Put the chicken in a roasting tin and roast in the hot oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the chicken to rest inside while you preheat the grill to high.

Put the chicken under the grill and cook for 15 minutes until browned on top. Serve with your choice of chutneys, relishes, rice and vegetables.

Kashmiri kander/girda (naan or flatbreads)

MAKES 4–5

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1tsp caster sugar 1/2tsp salt 6g fast action dried yeast 2tsp melted ghee 2tsp white poppy seeds

Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl and mix them together. Gently and gradually add 175–200ml lukewarm water, as needed, and then knead for around 8-10 minutes until you have a soft ball of dough. Pour the melted ghee over, turning it to coat the dough and then leave to prove, covered, at room temperature for around 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 220C/ 200C F/Gas 7 and put an ovenproof frying pan such as a cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat up.

Knock back and knead the risen dough for a minute or two, then divide into 4–5 equal-sized balls. Lightly dust with flour and, with wet hands, stretch each dough ball with your palm to around 3mm thick and 5cm in diameter. Gently press a pattern into the surface with your fingertips, then sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Put the first bread in the hot pan and cook in the oven for 1–2 minutes on each side.

Keep warm, repeat with the remaining breads and serve.

Lamb harissa

SERVES 10–12 AS PART OF A SHARING MEAL

sunflower oil, for deep-frying 500g shallots, thinly sliced 1kg bone-in leg of lamb 12 garlic cloves, peeled 11/2tsp salt 2tsp ground ginger 1tbsp fennel seeds 6 whole cloves 8cm cinnamon stick 10 green cardamom pods 6 black cardamom pods 6 black peppercorns 75g rice flour 250ml milk 4tsp ghee, to serve

Pour oil into a deep, heavy-based pan to a depth of 8cm. Set over a medium heat and heat to 180C on a cook’s thermometer. Or drop in a tiny piece of bread: if it sizzles and browns in 15 seconds, the oil is hot enough.

Carefully add the shallots to the pan and deep-fry until crispy and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Put the lamb in a large pan. Add 2.5 litres water and cook over a low heat for 3–4 hours or until the meat falls away from the bone. Skim and discard any scum that rises. When clear, add the garlic, salt and all the spices.

Strain the cooking stock from the meat into a jug, discarding the whole spices. Remove the flesh from the bones and set the meat aside to rest.

Whisk the rice flour into the stock, then pour it back into the pan over a low heat. Add the milk and the lamb and cook for at least 1 hour, stirring frequently, until the gravy is smooth. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Heat the ghee, then pour over the lamb and garnish with the shallots.

Chok wangun (sour aubergines)

SERVES 4

3tbsp tamarind paste sunflower oil, for deep-frying 2 large, long, thin aubergines, quartered lengthways and stalks removed 4tsp mustard oil or rapeseed oil 1tsp cumin seeds 2–3 dried bay leaves 3 whole cloves 1/2tsp asafoetida powder 2tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 2tsp Greek yoghurt 1tsp sugar 1tsp salt 11/2tsp ground fennel 1tsp ground ginger 1tsp ground cumin 1 black cardamom pod, seeds crushed 1/2tsp ground cinnamon steamed rice, to serve

In a small bowl, dissolve the tamarind paste in 600ml hot water and set aside.

Pour oil into a deep, heavybased pan to a depth of 8cm. Set over a medium heat and heat to 180C on a cook’s thermometer. Alternatively, drop in a tiny piece of bread: if it sizzles and browns in 15 seconds, the oil is hot enough.

Carefully lower the aubergine quarters into the oil and deep-fry for around 3 minutes, in batches if necessary until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Heat the mustard or rapeseed oil in a frying pan over a high heat. When hot, reduce the temperature to low and add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves and asafoetida. Fry for 1 minute, then add the chilli powder and yoghurt, whisking to ensure the yoghurt doesn’t curdle, and cook for another 2–3 minutes.

Stir through the sugar, salt, ground fennel and ginger, then add the tamarind water. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Add the fried aubergines and boil for 2–3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 6–7 minutes.

Finally, stir through the cumin, cardamom seeds and cinnamon before serving with rice.

Muslim rogan josh

SERVES 6–7

1kg bone-in leg of lamb, cut into pieces on the bone (ask your butcher to do this) 15g garlic (around 3 large cloves), crushed to a paste 11/2tsp salt 2tbsp rapeseed oil 5cm cinnamon stick 4 whole cloves 6 green cardamom pods 2 black cardamom pods 3 dried bay leaves 2tsp ground fennel 2tsp ground ginger 2tsp ground turmeric 1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper 4tsp shallot paste (see recipe, right) 1tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder, dissolved in 3tbsp water 200ml cockscomb flower extract (optional) 1/2tsp saffron strands, soaked in 4tsp lukewarm water steamed rice, to serve

Put the meat in a deep pan with 1 litre water, the garlic and ½tsp salt. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes until the meat is half cooked. Skim off and discard any scum that rises to the surface, then strain the cooking stock into a jug. Set the meat aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the whole spices and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, then add the ground spices, remaining 1tsp salt, the shallot paste and the chilli powder in its water. Stir continuously until well combined.

Increase the heat to high and add the boiled meat. Sauté for around 4 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Add the reserved cooking stock, cover and cook for 30–35 minutes until the meat is tender. Add the cockscomb flower extract, if using, and the saffron. Mix well and cook for a final 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Shallot paste MAKES 500ML

125g ghee 1kg shallots, finely chopped

Pour the ghee into a heavybased pan and heat to 170C on a cook’s thermometer. Or drop in a tiny piece of shallot: if it floats to the surface, the ghee is hot enough.

Once hot, add the chopped shallots, in batches, and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

When the shallots have cooled, grind to a fine paste with a pestle and mortar. Keep grinding until the mixture turns creamy white in colour and the texture resembles a paste. If you prefer, you can blitz in a blender, but the taste and texture won’t be quite the same.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The paste will keep for up to a week.

Chaman kaliya (paneer in yellow gravy)

SERVES 4

3tbsp mustard oil 500g paneer, cut into cubes 8 green cardamom pods 4 black cardamom pods 4 cloves 1tsp brown cumin seeds 2–3 dried bay leaves 1/2tsp asafoetida powder 1tsp ground turmeric 1tsp ground ginger 11/2tsp ground fennel 1tsp salt 2 whole green chillies, halved lengthways 300ml whole milk 1tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) steamed rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the paneer and fry until light brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add all the whole spices and bay leaves to the pan and cook for 1 minute, then add the asafoetida, turmeric, ginger, fennel, salt and chillies. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then pour in 300ml hot water. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat back to medium, add the fried paneer and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour in the milk and cook for a further 5–6 minutes until the gravy thickens. Mix through the dried fenugreek leaves before serving with rice.