Anjum Anand's Baked Spice-Stuffed Apples

"Cooked apples are very good to perk up our ojas (our chi, vitality) so it is good to include them in our diet. This dessert is ideal for those with a kapha imbalance and it should ideally be eaten as it is, on its own.”

Makes 1, can be repeated for more apples

1 sweet apple (I like golden delicious), peeled and rubbed with lemon juice

1 rounded tsp. demerera or raw cane sugar

25g nuts, I like to use walnuts, almonds and lig

htly roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of grating of nutmeg

1 rounded tsp. raisins or other dried fruit

80ml apple juice

8g butter

Preheat the oven to 190C. Core the apple until you have a neat 1” hole. Slice the base of the apple so that it can stand upright.

METHOD
Mix together the sugar, nuts, cinnamon and raisins. Pack into the cavities of the apples. Place in a snug fitting baking dish and pour around the apple juice. Top the apples with the butter. Cover with foil and bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking the apple until soft, basting every 6-7 minutes or so, this takes around 40-45 minutes.




In a hurry?
For a quicker dish, cut and core the apples in half and cook in their skins for 25 minutes.
To learn more about Anjum’s healthy Indian cooking, visit www.anjumanand.co.uk

Barbecue Prawns Marinated in Chilli & Soy

INGREDIENTS

500g raw tiger prawns,

peeled but tails intact

250g cherry vine tomatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large green sweet pepper,

de-seeded and cut into 3-cm chunks

2 red jalapeños, de-seeded and cut

into 1-cm pieces

watercress and toasted pita bread,

to serve

Marinade

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red chilli, de-seeded and

finely chopped

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

grated zest and freshly squeezed

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

Fresh aïoli

2 large egg yolks

4 very fresh garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp Dijon mustard

150 ml good-quality light olive oil

freshly squeezed juice of 1⁄2 lemon

medium sealable plastic food bag

8 wooden skewers,

soaked in water overnight

gas or charcoal barbecue

METHOD
To make the marinade, mix together all the ingredients and blend to a smooth purée using a hand blender.
Put the prawns in the sealable food bag and pour in the marinade. Seal securely. Shake vigorously and when all the prawns look well coated, refrigerate, still in the bag, for about two hours.

Put the tomatoes and half the olive oil in a small saucepan and gently warm for 5 minutes, or just long enough for the tomatoes to start to soften. Remove from the heat and let cool.

To make the fresh aioli, beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with a balloon whisk. Add the garlic and mustard and beat through. While beating the mixture, slowly add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. When all the oil has been added, the aïoli should have a smooth, velvety appearance. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and gently stir through. Refrigerate until needed.

Light your barbecue. Always do this in plenty of time to have built up a good bed of hot ashes or charcoal that have burnt down to a white glow with no visible flames. This normally takes about 45 minutes from lighting.

Take the refrigerated prawns out of the bag and place on a plate, reserving any remaining marinade.
Thread the marinated prawns, tomatoes, sweet pepper and jalapeños onto the skewers in a repeating sequence and continue until all 8 skewers are filled. Make sure you allow for enough of each ingredient on each skewer, and leave enough space at the ends of the skewers to handle when on the barbecue.

In a small bowl, loosen the reserved marinade with 1–2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil. Using a pastry brush, liberally coat the skewers with the marinade just before placing on the barbecue.

Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through. Serve with watercress, toasted pita bread and a good dollop of fresh aioli.

As featured in The Red Hot Chilli Cookbook by Dan May. Published courtesy of Ryland, Peters & Small

Malaysian-style Chicken & Pineapple Curry

There are two things I absolutely must do whenever I go travelling to a new place. Number one is to take cooking lessons from the locals. All the better if this takes place in gorgeous open-air surroundings by a Vietnamese river amidst gardens of fresh lemongrass and Thai basil and a swimming pool for when the exertion of cooking all gets too much, as I was once lucky enough to experience in Hoi An, but any form of cooking lesson is hugely exciting for me, even if it’s just a street food seller taking the time to demonstrate to me how they make their delicious wares. If they let me eat said wares along the way, even better.

Number two is to visit the markets. I have an obsession with local markets; they’re probably one of my favourite things about travelling. You can keep your art galleries and museums; I think the best way to experience culture, anywhere, is to take an hour to wander around the markets and to watch, taste, touch, smell, listen and talk. And, if you’re anything like me, to come back laden with obscure products bearing strange labels that will end up at the back of your cupboards (candied nutmeg, anyone?)



This is a recipe that relates to both of those activities. This summer I spent a week and a half travelling in Malaysia. Aside from waking to the sound of macaque monkeys splashing around in the swamp metres from my bed in the deep, dark heart of the Borneo jungle, the absolute highlight of my Malaysian experience was Penang. This was in no way a surprise. I’d been told by many people that I would love Penang, undisputedly one of the street food capitals of the world, famous for its hawker centres serving up hot, moreish, ridiculously tasty food for less than you’d pay for a cup of tea back in England.

As part of my stay, I took part in a cooking course that began with a trip to the local market to introduce us to some of the ingredients we’d be using later. Actually, I lie – it didn’t begin with this, it began with one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had in my life, which is roti canai: buttery, flaky Indian-style flatbreads cooked on a hot griddle and stuffed with various fillings. Mine was oozing with egg and onion, and I sat there with a cup of hot tea, tearing off gooey, buttery pieces of this ridiculously moreish creation and dipping them in a bowl of vibrant turmeric-rich dahl. It’s Penang’s answer to a croissant, only perhaps even better.

I learned a lot from my market visit that day. One thing I love about south east Asian markets is there’s always some new weird and wonderful ingredient to discover. Introduced to my culinary repertoire on this occasion were ginger flowers – which look like firm, very pale pink tulips and have a peppery taste – and candle nuts. I’d never heard of candle nuts before, but they’re a common ingredient in Malaysian curry pastes, where they add a delicious nutty richness to the mix along with their their fragrant oils. They look rather like large macadamia nuts, with a similar creamy texture.

Later during my cooking class we learned how to make laksa, which is without a doubt the best noodle soup you will ever eat, but unfortunately takes a small army to prepare (there were about twelve of us on the cooking course, and it required all hands on deck to get it ready for lunch time). The resulting sweet-sour-spicy broth, rich in fish and tamarind and herbs, bathing a nest of slippery noodles, is worth it a hundred times over, though. We didn’t use the candle nuts, but I bought a small bag to bring home and experiment with.


This chicken curry recipe is from the lovely Nazlina, who ran our cooking course in Penang. The first time I made it back home, I had a bit of a eureka moment when I licked the spoon to check the seasoning. It was spot on, exactly everything that I want a south east Asian curry to be: rich and creamy with brown sugar and coconut, mouth-tinglingly spicy from fiery chillies, deeply zesty from lemongrass and lime leaves. I’ve made a lot of such Asian curries in the past, but this was by far the best. I think the secret is to marinate the chicken in turmeric and shrimp paste before cooking – it lends an incredible addictive salty/savoury flavour to the finished curry. Combine this with fresh, zesty galangal, ginger, lime leaves, creamy coconut and candle nuts, and you have everything that is wonderful about Malaysian food.

I’ve tweaked it a little from the original recipe: I use chicken thighs (with the bone in – much more flavour and more tender meat that way) rather than a whole jointed chicken, as it’s much easier to eat with fewer fiddly bones to crunch on by accident. I use macadamia nuts now that my candle nut stash has run out (although if anyone knows where I can get them in the UK, get in touch). I also add chopped pineapple to the curry at the last minute. This is definitely unconventional, but I think it really takes the dish to another level. It’s so rich, with the dark chicken meat and the heady combination of spices and aromatics, that you really need something fresh and zingy to brighten everything up. Pineapple is just perfect, softening and soaking up that delicious sauce, adding zingy little bursts of fruitiness that partner perfectly with the tender meat and vibrant sauce.

Serve with lots of fresh lime to squeeze over, chopped coriander, and mountains of steamed rice to soak up the fabulous sauce. This is a very easy dish to prepare, once you get your hands on the ingredients (try an Asian grocer or supermarket, or even a large branch of Morrisons, who do excellent Asian produce), but it’s incredibly rewarding, a real riot of wonderful addictive flavours that blend beautifully. If you’ve never tried Malaysian food before, this is a wonderful introduction.





Malaysian-style chicken curry with pineapple (serves 4):



8 skinless chicken thighs, bone in

2 heaped tsp shrimp paste

2 inches fresh turmeric, peeled, or 2 tsp powdered turmeric

2 hot red chillies

1 inch piece fresh galangal, peeled

3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

6 cloves garlic, peeled

6 macadamia nuts

3 tbsp rapeseed or groundnut oil

2 lemongrass stalks

2 tbsp tamarind puree

200ml coconut milk

100ml water

6 fresh/frozen kaffir lime leaves

4 shallots, finely sliced

2 tsp dark muscovado sugar

Half a large pineapple, finely diced

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Finely chopped coriander, to serve



In a mini chopper or blender, blitz together the shrimp paste and fresh turmeric (if using powdered turmeric just mix the two together in a small bowl). Put the chicken in a large dish and add the shrimp paste and turmeric. Mix together well with your hands then leave to marinate for an hour or so in the fridge.

Meanwhile, make the curry paste. In a mini chopper, blitz together the chillies, galangal, ginger, garlic and nuts until finely chopped. Bruise the lemongrass stalks by bashing them with a rolling pin or squashing with the flat of a knife. In a large lidded pan, heat the oil and sauté the curry paste and lemongrass stalks over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the tamarind, coconut milk and water and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

When the chicken is cooked, finely shred the lime leaves and add to the pan with the sugar and shallots. Remove the lid and simmer for around 15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste and check the seasoning – it will probably be salty enough from the shrimp paste. Add the lime juice, black pepper and pineapple and cook for another couple of minutes, then serve with steamed or sticky rice and fresh coriander.

Get the ingredients for the recipe from www.justingredients.co.uk .

Ching's Xi’an-style Beef Curry

Dinner. Sorted.

“Curry in one form or another is eaten throughout the country, so it is no surprise that it has a place on the Chinese takeaway menu,” says Ching. “Flavours will vary from place to place, but the spices almost always include turmeric, mild curry powder, dried chillies and garam masala.”
-Ching He-Huang


INGREDIENTS
Serves: 2-4 to share
3 new potatoes (400g/14oz in total),
peeled and cut into 1cm ( ½ in) chunks
1 carrot (100g/3 ½ oz),
cut into 1cm ( ½ in) chunks
300g (11oz) beef sirloin,
cut into 2cm ( ¾ in) chunks
1 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of medium curry powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 tbsp of groundnut oil
1 white onion, diced
1 star anise
1 tbsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
100g (3 ½ oz) frozen peas
For the sauce…
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
100ml (3 ½ oz) cold chicken stock
2 tbsps of corn our

Place the potatoes and carrots in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and keep boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside.

Mix the beef in a large bowl along with the turmeric, curry powder and salt and pepper.

Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add the groundnut oil. Tip in the onion and stir-fry until translucent, then add the star anise and the seasoned beef pieces. As the beef starts to turn brown at the edges, add the rice wine or dry sherry.

Pour in the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to boil, then add the parboiled potatoes and carrot, followed by the peas. Bring back up to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Cold & Flu Busting Chicken Madras with Tamarind

Beat the bugs with the goodness of spices!

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
2 sticks cinnamon
2 tablespoons nigella seeds
1 tablespoon each fennel and
fenugreek seeds
1 whole garlic bulb, nely chopped
4 tablespoons grated (peeled)
fresh root ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons chilli powder
salt, to taste
2 medium onions, nely diced
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
700g chicken joints, skinned
To season…
1 teaspoon garam masala
25g bunch of freshly chopped coriander
Serves: 4

Pour some olive oil into a deep saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, nigella, fennel and fenugreek seeds into the olive oil, and cook over a medium heat until the fennel seeds are a roasted colour – this should take no more than 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to cool.

Once the oil-and-spice mixture has cooled, add the garlic and fresh ginger to the pan and cook over a low-medium heat until the garlic is a golden brown colour, stirring frequently – this should take no more than 2–3 minutes.

Add the turmeric, ground ginger, chilli and salt, and mix well and cook for about 20 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, tamarind paste and chicken to the pan, mix well and cook until the chicken is sealed all over, stirring all the time – this should take no more than 10 minutes.

Add enough boiling water to cover the chicken and bring back to the boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Recipe extracted from Indian Superspices. Photography by Nevrus Kaya. More info: www.indiansuperspices.com

How to Make Mulled Wine

We love Christmas traditions, especially when they're infused with spices!
Mulled wine has long been associated with celebration, winter and merriment. It may be because this delicious tipple has an added warming zing of oranges and combined spices, so it's ideal for festive parties when you've just ventured in from the cold outside. Here's our favourite recipe for an exquisite mulled wine, courtesy of JustIngredients.

INGREDIENTS
JustIngredients Mulled Wine Spice Kit (includes vanilla, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, star anise and nutmeg)
2 bottles of good quality, full bodied wine
2 medium fresh oranges
170g brown or white sugar
Some good friends and family to help drink it!

DIRECTIONS

• Add vanilla (halved and scraped), 1 cinnamon stick, cloves, a bay leaf, star anise, juice of both oranges, 2/3s of the sugar and a generous few glugs of wine to a large saucepan and heat for 3-4 minutes.
• When the liquid is bubbling vigorously, add another cinnamon stick, orange slices and the rest of the wine. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on a low heat.
• Grate in half of the nutmeg. Add the rest of the sugar to taste and continue simmering for 2 minutes.
• Finally, ladle into pretty teacups and serve.

You can get your Mulled Wine Spice Kit by clicking here.

Kohinoor's Methi Malai Pumpkin Curry

A delicious curry dish from Kohinoor Rice - perfect if you're avoiding the trick-or-treaters and staying in this evening!

Serves 4 people


Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of Kohinoor Platinum Rice

2. 375gm Kohinoor Methi Malai cook-in-sauce

3. 1 medium sized pumpkin chopped into chunks

4. Chicken (optional)

5. ½ a sliced onion

6. Finely chopped spinach

7. Greek yoghurt (optional)

8. Coriander


Method:

1. Cook Kohinoor Platinum Rice according to instructions on pack.

2. Pre-cook cubed pumpkin - boil for 10 minutes so pumpkin remains firm, not too soft.

3. Lightly fry your cubes of chicken in a wok for 2-3 minutes. (Optional: you can marinade your chicken in lemon juice, chilli and turmeric beforehand for extra zing)

4. Add Kohinoor's Methi Malai sauce, onion and spinach into the pan with chicken and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. Transfer the curry into a serving dish, or into individual bowls. Drizzle over the Greek yoghurt and top with sprinkling of fresh coriander.

6. Serve with rice.


If you're a vegetarian, simply leave out the chicken.

Ginger-infused Yoghurt with Honey & Pomegranate

Haven't had breakfast yet? Try this recipe from Gurpareet Bains. It's quick, easy and super healthy!


INGREDIENTS
1 pomegranate
300ml natural yoghurt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
6 teaspoons honey
Serves: 2

METHOD
Cut the pomegranate in quarters. Using your hands or a teaspoon, gently scoop out the seeds and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, ginger and 2 tsp of the honey, stirring until smooth.
Pour the mixture into bowls serving glasses. Top with the pomegranate seeds and remaining honey and serve.

“Pomegranate is charged with antioxidants that have a similar effect on free radicals as a raging bull has on innocent bystanders, sending them running for cover,” laughs Gurpareet Bains, who describes this great breakfast recipe as ready to eat at “the speed of light.”
“If you’re a wimp or simply not looking for too much excitement first thing in the morning, you can always replace the pomegranate with blueberries or dried fruit and nuts.”

Recipe from Chaat! Magazine issue 5

Chocolate Hearts Recipe

A Perfect Recipe for Chocolate Week

Ingredients
200g Good quality chocolate – at least 50% cocoa solids

Mukhwas – available from Indian grocery shops

Makes approximately 10 hearts.

Equipment:

Saucepan, hot water, heat proof bowl, spatula, heart-shaped moulds

Method:

1.       Place the heart shaped moulds onto a clean tray ready for use.

2.       Bring some water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan that is the right size for the heatproof bowl to sit in the rim without the bottom of the bowl touching the water. 

3.       Place the chocolate in the bowl and melt over the gentle heat, stirring to avoid it sticking and burning on the bottom of the bowl.

4.       Once the chocolate has melted, pour into the mould ensuring the chocolate reaches the edges.

5.       Sprinkle a small pinch of mukhwas into the centre of the heart – it will sink slightly but will set into the chocolate.

6.       Chill for 45 minutes until set and give away to those closest to you and deserved of your chocolate heart!

For more spicy sweets, visit www.pistachiorose.co.uk

Ferns - Authentic Indian Pastes and Pickles

We love products with a bit of spice here at Chaat! Even more so when spicy products offer a truly authentic flavour, following and retaining original recipes. Ferns do just that.

Over 70 years ago, Mrs Fernandes started making curry pastes and pickles in Pune, India. Her authentic produce quickly found favour with the soldiers garrisoned locally, who couldn't spend the time grinding their own spices or preserving pickles. Though much has changed with the passage of time, Mrs Fernandes' pastes and pickles are still made by her family in Pune, using only the best local spices and produce.

We're very excited to be working with such a fantastic company at the magazine. In the meantime, why not like them on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FernsIndianPicklesandPastes and follow them on Twitter @BennettOpie.

Here's a little taste of what's to come in our Christmas issue, you can buy the pastes and pickles from Waitrose.

FERNS' MADRAS

Ferns' Madras Paste can be bought in Waitrose Ingredients: 3 tsps Ferns' Madras Curry Paste 1 tbsp oil 200g diced chicken 1 onion, finely chopped 250g canned chopped tomatoes 2 tbsps fresh coriander, finely chopped 150ml water 2 tbsps natural yoghurt Method: Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion and diced chicken. Add the Ferns' Madras Curry Paste and continue to fry for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for another 3 minutes. Add the water and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, add the yogurt and chopped coriander, and serve. Tip: Why not try beef, lamb or prawn madras?

Tomato Potato Chilli Layer

Prep time:      About 10 minutes

Cook time:     About 40 minutes               

Serves:           4                                 

INGREDIENTS:

4                      Medium potatoes (fluffy),skin on, thinly sliced

1                      Onion, finely chopped

1                      Clove garlic, crushed

2tbsp              Tomato ketchup

400g               Can chopped tomatoes

2tsp                Chilli powder

                  

METHOD:

Preheat oven to Gas 6, 200ºC, 400ºF.

Place sliced potatoes, onions and garlic in a large plastic (microwave proof) bowl.  (They will cook quicker if not packed too densely – bigger bowl in thinner layer works best!).

Rinse slices with water, drain, place back into bowl.  Cover with plastic plate or cling film and cook.

MW = 800 watts Category E

= 5-8 minutes

When potatoes are cooked shake bowl and stand for 1 minute, then drain. 

OR Hob: Place potatoes in a pan with just enough boiling water to cover them.  Lid on bring to the boil and simmer for about 8-10 minutes just starting to soften, drain.

Place potatoes etc in an ovenproof dish.  Heat together the ketchup, tomatoes and chilli, and pour over and lightly combine together. Cover with foil

Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender and golden - Remove foil for the last 15 minutes.

Serve with seasonal steamed green vegetables.

Gluten Free life is Sweet!

 

*Free From Gluten

*No Artificial Flavouring

* Contains Panache!

Valerie Cuppillard has compiled a catalogue of gluten free treats in her book, Gluten-Free Gourmet Desserts and Baked Goods. The pages burst with inventive recipes constructed with a wealth of variations and flavours for those who do not eat gluten.

Vallerie Cupillard is an award-winning author of various cookbooks. With this literature venture she seeks to open doors to culinary discovery, not focussing too much on the gastronomy themes but more on the experimentation of flavours and great possibilities that the gluten intolerant can indulge in.  

The book teaches how leading a gluten free life can be difficult, a tremendous change to the diet that seems greatly overwhelming to the individual. Many believe that eating gluten free means they have to let go of their treats and desserts that they love so much. We all enjoy sweet dishes now and again and with Vallerie Cuppillard’s help so can coeliacs.

 

Gluten is absent in rice, soy, buckwheat, tapioca, millet, quinoa, amaranth, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and coconut. These ingredients can all be used when putting together a great bake! These fantastic products get looked over continuously due to our comfort with white flour. As a result to this we miss out on so many pioneering ingredients from the gluten free world, missing out on the flavours and textures they employ.

Such dishes as Lemon Brioche and Orange Caramel Cake really make the mouth water, how can coeliacs feel left out when such beauties are at hand? The honest ingredients used leave the coeliac at ease. Using only organic essential oils that are pure and natural, without preservatives is both ethical and tasty.

 

Star Recipe - **Banana Gratin with Cardamin - Pg 90 **

 

If you are a coeliac or just don’t eat gluten then check out our next edition of Chaat! We are running a large feature on the gluten free diet with interviews from Phil Vickery and Stevie Parle as well as lots of information from Coeliac UK about the diet and suggestions on how to spice up your gluten free meals.

Chocolate, Cardamom & Strawberry Swiss Roll

"I love the flavour of a little cardamom with strawberries and chocolate.  It is truly a marriage made in heaven."- Jo Wheatley

SERVES 6–8

4 large eggs

100g caster sugar, plus 3 tbsp for sprinkling

40g cocoa powder

40g self-raising flour

25g cornflour

300g strawberries,

hulled and sliced

3 tbsp cardamom sugar (see pages 248–9)

300ml double cream

150ml Greek yogurt

1 tsp orange zest,

finely grated

50g white chocolate,

finely grated

You will also need a 30 x 23cm Swiss roll tin lined with buttered baking parchment

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Using a free-standing mixer, whisk together the eggs and 100g of caster sugar until pale, light and fluffy. The mixture should double in volume.

Sieve the cocoa, flour and cornflour into another bowl and fold into the egg mixture, one third at a time, using a large metal spoon.

Carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 10–12 minutes until puffy and well risen.

Lay a large sheet of baking parchment on the work surface and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of caster sugar.

Turn out of the tin onto the parchment and peel off the baking paper. Roll the cake up, starting from one of the short ends, and with the sugared parchment inside the sponge. Cover with a slightly damp tea towel and leave to cool.

Sprinkle the strawberries with half of the cardamom sugar and leave to one side for 5 minutes.

Whip together the cream, Greek yogurt, orange zest and remaining cardamom sugar until it forms soft peaks.

Carefully unroll the sponge. Sprinkle with the white chocolate and lay the strawberries over them. Spread the cream mixture over the strawberries and re-roll the sponge as tightly as possible.

Cut into slices to serve.


 A Passion for Baking by Jo Wheatley (Constable, May 2012) is available in Sainsbury’s stores.

Spicy Cocktail Recipe

Mango and Chilli Martini

Muddle a small slice of chilli

30ml Absolut mandarin

15ml mango liqueur

25ml mango juice

5ml sugar syrup

5ml lemon juice

Method:

Shake then double strain into chilled martini glass

Garnish with a red birds eye chilli on rim of glass

Courtesy of Dirty Martini, Covent Garden

The Crème de la Crème of the Curry World

As Curry lovers, we are divided. On one side, we have the hot headed chilli chancellors who love to take the mick out of those mild in nature and curry preference.

However, the mild and meek characters among us should not be underestimated in the culinary division. The creamy textures to dishes such as Korma, Masala and Pasanda makes them strong competitors in a war over the best curry. Chaat!'s Top of The Poppadoms poll has seen these mild classics triumph time and time again!

The sad thing is that there are people in this world that simply cannot have cream. Those who are lactose intolerant find it almost impossible to find good a creamy curry, frequently having to settle for second best.  We at Chaat! will not leave anyone out on the chance of a good curry! We have found these people the answer with the Lactofree products range.

Lactofree is not a dairy free product - it is real dairy, but it is skimmed of the lactose (the sugars in dairy) which makes it  suitable for people with a lactose intolerance. Up to 15% (1 in 7) of the UK population are thought to be lactose intolerant which, before Lactofree, meant that they had to avoid dairy altogether and switch to Soya and other alternatives. The problem  was that they were missing out on the essential vitamins and nutrients as well as the good curries! Lactofree allows people with a lactose intolerance to enjoy real dairy in their meals which we at Chaat! support 100%.

The food pioneers Lactofree have teamed up with London restaurant L'atelier des chefs in an attempt to teach the masses how cook lacto free foods. From cupcakes to scallops these classes teach a plethora of delicacies. Chaat! were invited along to try out the Pasanda which was delicious!

 

Chicken Pasanda with Pilau rice

Serves: 6 Persons

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 25 min

Rest time: 30 min

                

Ingredients for the curry:
 

Chicken thighs:                                    12 Whole

Lactofree cream:                                  250 ml

Onions:                                                 1 Whole

Fresh ginger:                                        3 grams

Ground coriander:                                2 Teaspoons

Red chilli powder:                                 1 Teaspoons

Garlic cloves:                                        2 Whole

Green cardamom pods:                        4 Whole

Ground almonds:                                  90 grams

Cashew nuts:                                        20 grams

Water:                                                   80 ml

Fresh coriander:                                    0.25 bunches

Sunflower oil:                                        30 ml

Saffron threads:                                    2 pinches
 

For the rice:

Water:                                                   450 ml

Green cardamom pods:                        3 Whole

Red chillies:                                          1 Whole

Lactofree spreadable:                           50 grams

Basmati rice:                                         300 grams

Cinnamon sticks:                                  1 Whole

Maldon salt:                                          3 pinches

Description:

For the curry:

Peel and slice the onion, peel and thinly slice the garlic, peel and grate the ginger.

Crush the cardamom and remove the seeds. Cut the chicken into pieces and rub the ground coriander, chilli powder and cardamom seeds into it.

Leave to marinade for 30 minutes, longer if possible. Heat a saucepan, add the oil and when hot add the onion and saffron and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, a pinch of salt and ground almonds, cook for a further 2 or 3 minutes the add the chicken and Lactofree cream.

Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Roughly chop the cashews and coriander and top the finished dish with them when serving.

For the rice:

Wash the rice well. Crack the cardamom and slice the chilli thinly. Place the rice in a saucepan and cover with the water (1 and a half times the quantity of rice).

Add the cinnamon stick, cracked cardamom pods, spreadable, saffron and salt. Bring the saucepan to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook the rice for 10-12 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the rice to finish cooking away from the heat. Break the rice up with a fork just before serving with the curry. Serve with the sliced chilli on top.

Chefs Tip:

Try stuffing your chicken thighs with sultanas, chopped coriander and some pistachios. Roll them up and close with a toothpick before cooking the same way.

If you would like to have a go at cooking with professional Chef's visit  L'atelier des chefs website to book a place.

Spicy Lemon Cocktail

Hurray, it’s Friday! And nothing makes the Chaat! team happier during happy hour than an attractive looking cocktail with a chilli in it.
For more delicious recipes and mouth-watering pictures visit Tokyo Terrace


The Spicy Lemon

Makes 1 cocktail

3 oz. gin or vodka
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
teaspoon honey
1 small slice of red chilli pepper (I used a scotch bonnet pepper, but you can chose a more mild pepper if you’d like as long as it’s flavour infuses the alcohol easily)
Slice of lemon and dried chilli pepper for garnish
Ice

Combine the ice, lemon juice, honey and pepper slice in a cocktail shaker. You know what to do…shake it!

Use the strainer to pour the drink over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with the lemon slice and dried chilli pepper. Enjoy!

Chocolate Curry Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

Ingredients
(makes 6)
For the cupcakes:

• 25g cocoa powder
• 80ml boiling water
• 1 large egg
• 105g  plain flour
• 110g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon medium curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 75g unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the frosting:

• 40ml coconut milk
• 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200g icing/powdered sugar
• A pinch of salt

Cooking Directions 

1.     Preheat the oven to 170C/325F. Line a cupcake tin with paper cases.

2.     In a mug, mix the cocoa powder with boiling water until you have a smooth paste.

3.     In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of the cocoa mixture until fully combined. 

4.     Sift all of the dry ingredients together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter and cocoa and beat on low until all the dry ingredients are wet. Increase the speed to medium and beat for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth. 

5.     Add half of the beaten egg and beat for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the egg and beat again for 30 seconds or until all the egg has been incorporated. 

6.     Spoon the batter into cupcake cases, filling them about 3/4 full. 

7.     Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch. Place on a wire rack to cool.

8.     To make the buttercream, beat the butter and half the sugar together until smooth. Add the coconut milk and salt and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, continuing to beat, until you have reached the desired consistency. For more baked goodies see: www.londonbakes.com 

Immune Boosting Curry

SERVES 2–3

1 large onion, coarsely

chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red chilli, coarsely chopped

olive oil, for cooking

2.5cm piece fresh root ginger,

peeled and coarsely chopped

200g cherry tomatoes,

coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

400g raw peeled king prawns

3 tablespoons full-fat live

probiotic yoghurt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

small handful fresh coriander

leaves, coarsely chopped

(optional)

sea salt

Heat a little olive oil in a large pan, add the

onion purée and the chopped ginger, season

with salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until

the purée has changed colour. It will go much

darker in colour and become less pungent in

both taste and aroma.

Once the purée has reached this stage, add

the cherry tomatoes and all the spices except

the cinnamon. Continue to cook for another

10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the king prawns and the yoghurt and cook

for a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

At this stage, stir in the cinnamon and garnish

with the chopped coriander, if using. Serve with

cooked quinoa and a green salad, if you like.

Recipe from The Medicinal Chef by Dale Pinnock (Quadrille, £18.99)

Photograph: Martin Poole