REAL Indian food

An authentic Indian feast to make at home, by Harpreet Kaur of Taj Cape Town

BHUNE MAKAI KA SHORBA

(golden corn soup)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

30ml (2 tbsp) oil

2 bay leaves

4 green cardamom pods

125ml (½ cup) sliced onion

15ml (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated

5ml (1 tsp) green chilli, chopped

125ml (½ cup) sliced carrot

2 tomatoes, chopped

5ml (1 tsp) Madras curry powder

2.5ml (½ tsp) ground turmeric

4 mielies, roasted, kernels removed from cob

60ml (4 tbsp) roasted chana dal powder

800ml water

Handful fresh coriander roots

Handful fresh mint

Salt

Method:

Heat oil in a large pot and fry bay leaves and cardamom until fragrant. Add onion, ginger, chilli, carrots, tomatoes, curry powder and turmeric and sauté for 5 minutes. Add roasted corn kernels, reserving some for garnish. Add chana dal powder and water and bring to a boil. Add coriander and mint. Remove from heat and blend until smooth. Heat through, season and serve with reserved corn kernels.

STRAWBERRY KE SHAHI TUKRE

(bread pudding)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 slices white bread

250ml (1 cup) clarified butter/ghee

250ml (1 cup) rabdi (reduced milk)

12 strawberries, thinly sliced

4 silver leaves

4 sprigs fresh mint

15ml (1 tbsp) slivered almonds

15ml (1 tbsp) pistachio nuts, slivered

Mango and raspberry coulis, to serve

Method:

Cut bread into rounds and fry in ghee. Soak bread in the reduced milk. Arrange strawberries on bread and garnish with silver leaves, mint, almonds and pistachios. Serve with mango and raspberry coulis. (To make coulis, boil 1 cup fruit with cup water and cup sugar until reduced. Make mango and raspberry separately and then mix together.)

SARSON KE PHOOL

(pickled broccoli)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

125ml (½ cup) thick yoghurt

30ml (2 tbsp) pickle paste

2ml (¼ tsp) ground turmeric

15ml (1 tbsp) oil

600g broccoli florets, blanched

5ml (1 tsp) chat masala powder

2.5ml (½ tsp) onion seeds

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

Method:

In a bowl, mix together yoghurt, pickle paste, turmeric and oil. Add broccoli, coat well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C.

Place broccoli on an oven tray and roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chat masala, onion seeds and lemon juice and serve with onion rings, carrot curls, beetroot curls and lemon or lime wedges.

KHURMANI KI TIKKI

(apricot and potato cakes)

Serves 4

Cakes:

500ml (2 cups) mashed potato

Salt

5ml (1 tsp) fresh ginger, grated

5ml (1 tsp) green chilli, chopped

2.5ml (½ tsp) roasted cumin powder

5ml (1 tsp) potato starch

Stuffing:

30ml (2 tbsp) soft dried apricots, diced

125ml ( ½ cup) chana dal (yellow lentils), boiled

2.5ml (½ tsp) chilli powder

Salt

2.5ml (½ tsp) chat masala

2.5ml (½ tsp) fresh ginger, grated

2.5ml (½ tsp) green chilli, chopped

2.5ml (½ tsp) cumin powder

15ml (1 tbsp) fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Oil, for frying

To serve:

250ml (1 cup) plain yoghurt

60ml (4 tbsp) sweet mango relish

8 soft-dried Turkish apricots, stewed

Fresh coriander and mint

Method:

For the cakes, mix all the ingredients well and divide into 16 balls.

For the stuffing, mix all the ingredients (except the oil). Stuff each potato ball with this mixture, shaping them to seal the stuffing inside. Heat the oil in a pan and pan-fry the potato cakes in batches until crisp on both sides. Serve immediately with yoghurt, mango relish and stewed apricots, garnished with coriander and mint.

TANDOORI PINK SALMON

Serves 4

Ingredients:

30ml (2 tbsp) ginger garlic paste

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt

4 x 150g salmon portions

5ml (1 tsp) red chilli powder

125ml (½ cup) red chilli paste

5ml (1 tsp) garam masala powder

15ml (1 tbsp) mustard oil

250ml (1 cup) plain yoghurt

5ml (1 tsp) caraway seeds

125ml (½ cup) butter, for basting

5ml (1 tsp) chat masala

Method:

Mix the ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and a little salt and spread all over the salmon. Leave to rest for five minutes.

Mix together chilli powder, chilli paste, garam masala, mustard oil, yoghurt and caraway seeds and season with salt. Spread all over the fish and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

Char-grill the salmon under a preheated grill or in a hot griddle pan, basting with butter. Sprinkle with chat masala and serve with trimmings of your choice.