Kala Chana Curry

 

Kala Chana Curry

• 200g kala chana (yellow chana), soaked overnight in 625ml water.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp garlic and chilli paste
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies
• 2 tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
• 200g coconut milk
• Large pinch of salt

Method:

Pour the soaked kala chana with the water into a large saucepan, add the baking soda, simmer over a medium heat for around 30 minutes or until tender.  Don’t worry about any foam that rises to the top, just skim this off.  Once cooked, set aside.

Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan over a high heat.  When hot add the mustard seeds and when they start to pop turn down the heat and stir in the curry leaves.  Once you get hit with the aromas stir in the asafoetida, ground coriander, chilli powder, cumin and turmeric.  Let this sizzle for a minute then add the onions and fry until soft and translucent.  Stir through the garlic and ginger paste along with the chillies (leave these whole) then add the tomatoes, mix well then add the coconut milk along with the kala chana and any remaining cooking water, let this simmer for 10 minutes or so until it thickens slightly, add salt to taste then serve.

All of the above ingredients are available in most supermarkets or your local Indian supermarket.  I have to say I had never heard of asafoetida but I found this online with Ocado.  It doesn’t smell very nice but once fried it improves, trust me!

We had this alongside my chilli paneer, rice and papadams and my mint and coriander sauce, mango chutney and a selection of pickles I picked up from the Indian supermarket.  This was a huge hit, so tasty and full of flavour, the aromas were amazing, give it a go and let me know what you think!

Kala Chana Curry, Chilli paneer, mint and coriander sauce with mango chutney

Chilli Paneer

 

Chilli Paneer

• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 200g cubed paneer
• 2 bell peppers cut into chunks
• 3 spring onions roughly chopped
• 1 chilli finely chopped

For the sauce

• 250ml tomato ketchup
• 3 tbsp hot sauce (of choice)
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• Big pinch of salt
• Good few grinds of fresh black pepper

This is a great dish to prepare ahead, firstly put all of the ingredients for the sauce into a measuring jug/bowl and whisk together, it’s as simple as that!  Leave to one side until ready to cook the rest of the dish.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the paneer and cook until browned.  Add the peppers, spring onions and chilli and fry until cooked through but still retaining some crispness.  Add the sauce, stir through and cook until heated through. 

If you are not a fan of too much chilli you can leave out the chilli and reduce the amount of hot sauce or add more if you are a heat fiend! 

 This is a great dish to have with rice, it makes enough for 2 people or more if serving alongside other dishes.  This dish is quick and easy and a great meat free Monday dish. 

Chilli Paneer

Homemade Doner Kebab

 

Homemade Doner Kebab

• 500g minced beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic granules
• Ground black pepper
• Large pinch of salt

Method:

Place the mince meat into a large bowl, add the yoghurt, milk, onion, spices and seasoning and mix together until fully combined.  Put the mixture into a loaf tin and leave to sit in the fridge for at least an hour (longer if you have the time). 

Homemade Doner Kebab

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, put the loaf tin onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from the oven, cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes before thinly slicing.

I served my kebab on flatbreads with salad, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and homemade tzatziki.  Pittas are also great for this dish, giving you that real takeaway feel.  You can leave out the chilli flakes if you don’t want a spicy kick or put more in if you prefer it hotter!  

Likewise you can drizzle over your hot sauce of choice if you really want to add the heat.  This is a great fakeaway for the weekend and pretty healthy too if using lean mince (not too lean though as you need some fat in the kebab).  Hope you enjoy as much as we did.