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Principal The Incredible Spice Men
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[image: image] [image: image] COVER LIST OF RECIPES ABOUT THE BOOK ABOUT THE AUTHORS TITLE PAGE INTRODUCTION: CYRUS TODIWALA INTRODUCTION: TONY SINGH STARTERS, SNACKS & A LIGHT BITE OR TWO FISH & A BIT OF SEAFOOD CHICKEN & POULTRY PORK, LAMB, BEEF & OTHER MEAT VEGETABLES, SIDES, SALADS & CHUTNEYS DESSERTS & A FEW WEE DRINKS SOME SIMPLE SPICE MIXES GLOSSARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS COPYRIGHT List of Recipes Asparagus with Lime & Coriander Hollandaise Apple and Pear Chutney Apple Crumble with Star Anise Bombay Coronation Chicken Bacon & Spicy Courgette Beef Tikka with Crushed Black Pepper Bread & Butter Pudding with Orange & Cardamom Bombay-Style Cabinet Pudding Creamy Cheddary Grilled Fish Creamy Fish Curry Crab & Potato Cake with Mustard & Cumin Cockles with Smoked Paprika & Coriander Chicken Liver Parfait with Ginger Punch Colonel Singh's Spiced Wings Chicken Breast Made Sexy Cabbage & Ribs Cutlets of Lamb, Parsee-Style Chilli Cheese Toast with Spicy Chutney Cauliflower and Chilli Cheese Coriander Coalishlaw Chocolate & Cardamom Mousse Cake with Homemade Honeycomb Dover Sole with Lime & Ginger Dad's Beef Kebabs Duck Egg with Cumin & Asparagus Easy Peasy Chilli Chicken Exceptional Gammon with Cider & Cinnamon Fish with a Zing & Zang Fish with Wild West Beans Ferdinando's Roasted Potatoes Gazpacho with a Kick Goat's Cheese, Red Onion & Caraway Seed Tart Ginger Chicken Escalopes Green Mango & Chilli Salad Green Chilli Mash Ginger Queen of Puddings Hot & Sour Soup with Crispy Fish Hot & Sticky Prawns Haddock Pancake with Zingy Salsa Honey-Roasted Chicken with Outstanding Roasties Indian Herb-Crusted Salmon Kati Kebab & Parsley Pesto Korma Pudding Loin of Pork with Dhal Stuffing Lamb Stew with Black Pepper, Coconut & Clove Mushroom Madras Blazer McSingh's Scotch Pie Meatball Masala Mushy Peas & Tamarind Nicely Spicy Lamb ; Kheema Punjabi Spiced Salmon Prawn Pilaf Pot-Roasted Thighs with Mushrooms & Mash Pulled Pork with Cinnamon & Clove Peanut & Mint Slaw Pear & Honey Tatin with Allspice Ice Cream Roast Fish with Spicy Butter Roast Maple & Chilli Chicken with Polenta Roast Marinated Pork Rioja Cake with Nutmeg Figs & Spiced Cream Rice Pudding, Parsee-Style Spiced Beetroot Soup Smoked Haddock & Mango Tart Spiced Singh Gravlax Smoked Salmon with Spiced Beetroot Salad Salmon Niçoise with Bombay Aloo Stuffed King Prawns Salt & Chilli Ribs Shepherd's Pie with Oomph and Aah Splendidly Spicy Beef Burger Spiced Red Cabbage Spiced Yorkshire Pudding Spiced Pickled Onions Scottish Cranachan with a Wee Twist Singhs and The City Spiced Buttered Rum Todiwala & Singh's Spiced Fish & Chips Tandoori-Roasted Chicken Turkey Tikka Todiwala & Singh's Banging British Breakfast Treacle Pudding with Nutmeg, Lemon & Lime Victoria Sponge with Fennel Warm Butternut Scones with Cheese About the Book Acclaimed chefs Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala are on a mission to wake Britain up to the versatility of spices. For too long, our spices have sat unused and dusty in cupboard shelves, when just a mere sprinking of cumin, a dash of turmeric or a handful of star anise has the power to turn our everyday food into an explosion of tastes and smells. Tony and Cyrus have taken to the road, exploring the British Isles and adding their own spicy twist to our most classic and best-loved dishes. Try jazzing up a Sunday roast chicken with a honey and ginger, adding a cumin and coriander kick to a shepherd's pie or lacing a Victoria sponge with aromatic fennel seeds and cardamom. With delicious, everyday recipes accompanied by Cyrus and Tony's top tips and favourite spices, The Incredible Spice Men will demystify the contents of your spice rack, and open your everyday cooking up to a world of exciting new flavours. About the Authors Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL was born in Bombay and has lived in England for over twenty years. As well as running three successful restaurants, he has written a number of cookery books. A passionate campaigner for sustainability and British produce, Cyrus was awarded an MBE and an OBE, is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, and cooked for the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee Tour in 2012. Tony Singh was born in Leith, and has held positions on the Royal Yacht Britannia and at the Balmoral Hotel, as well as running a string of award-winning restaurants in Edinburgh. A winner of the Scottish Chefs' Award for Scottish Chef of the Year, Tony also oversees several pop-up restaurants and a cookery school. He has a passion for combining British ingredients with flavours influenced by his Sikh upbringing. [image: image] [image: image] Tony and I have been friends for quite a time now, but we come from different sides of the world, and from different religious and social cultures. Tony is a Sikh and a fourth generation Scot, born in Scotland. I am a Parsee and Zoroastrian, born in Bombay, but England has been my home since I moved here over twenty years ago. At the same time, though, Tony and I share much more than divides us: we are passionately British, although still very much tied to the subcontinent, and we are equally passionate about cooking, eating and spicing. Spices are in our blood, so it was almost inevitable that we should join in a quest to reintroduce Britain to the magic that is spices. Together we have become spice missionaries, and we hope very sincerely that we can convert you. I grew up with spices; in India everyone does. My mother was a great cook, for a start – everything we ate was imbued with spices and flavour – and she was also a good teacher. Most of what I know today about cooking and cuisine started in my mother's kitchen. When I reached the age of responsibility – perhaps around seven? – I was sent to buy what we needed for the day's meals, animal, vegetable and spice. By this time, I knew what to look for in a spice: for example, the right colour of cardamom pod and peppercorns that hadn't been adulterated with dried papaya seeds. The stallholders would be scathing: 'Go away, child,' as I carefully watched their scale for an errant finger weighting it down. (Spices at that time were sold in 10g portions, so the scales were goldsmiths' scales, tiny, easy to unbalance.) Later I earned some pocket money by doing the shopping for all of our neighbours. I would spend my earnings on fruit trifle, basically jelly and custard – I've always had a sweet tooth! But the fact is, I knew my spices, and even now, everything to do with spices fascinates me. Spices are, variously and magically, the seeds, bark, buds, kernels, berries, pods, fruits and rhizomes of various trees, shrubs, vines and grasses. Most of the important spice plants come from tropical Asia: these include cassia, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, star anise and cloves. Several spices, such as cumin, coriander, caraway, dill and fennel, originate from nearer home, from Europe and western Asia. And it was only in the sixteenth century that many spices from the Americas were introduced to Europe and the wider world, including such widespread flavours as allspice and vanilla. Spices have been used since time immemorial, not only in cooking but also for medicinal purposes. For instance, cassia and cinnamon are both mentioned in Chinese herbals dating back some 4,500 years. Ayurvedic medicine in India has always valued spices, and in both China and India, spices are still used in cooking as much for their perceived ability to promote health as for the wondrous flavours they impart to food. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in Europe, spices were very highly valued, and unbelievably expensive to buy. They were thought to be so protective against illness, including the dreaded plague, that many were willing to risk their lives in pursuit of them. It was the European appetite for spices, particularly for cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, that was the driving force behind that era's great and dangerous voyages of discovery: Columbus, for instance, only discovered the Americas because he was seeking an alternative, westerly route to the East and its wealth of spices. Spices were always an important item of trade. The Chinese took them along the Silk Road, the Arabs introduced them to Europe. But there was a dark heart to the spice trade. While fortunes were made, many lives were lost in the greedy pursuit of spices. However, control over the pepper trade, for instance, was one of the factors that led to the British Raj, to Anglo-Indian cuisine, to the spread of curry restaurants – and thus spices – throughout Britain from the 1920s. It seems to me that Britain today has forgotten about spices to a large extent. Tony and I want to jog your memories, to get you to dust off old habits, to bring your spice jars from the back of the cupboard to the front (you can even keep them in your fridge – it will preserve the spices for much longer). We want you to re-think how and what you cook, every time you cook. In Britain we have some of the best meats and fish in the world, and a multitude of wonderful home-grown and imported fruit and vegetables. We also have access to some of the best spices in the world. Whenever I go back to India, I have to take spices with me, as the best Indian spices are actually exported to the UK! Learn how to spice up your basic recipes – a pinch here and there – and don't be afraid. 'Spicy' doesn't necessarily mean 'hot': spices are also sweet, warm and pungent, and will add colour, drama and excitement to your everyday cooking. And we mean every day… Tony and I share a simple message: let's spice up Britain again! [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] Over the years of knowing Cyrus, I've absorbed a lot of Todiwala knowledge and philosophy and, although from different countries, essentially we're coming from the same place. We love cooking, food, British ingredients and spices – already a good enough basis for friendship! It's also a good excuse for us to get together, in the television programmes and in this book, to sell our concept of spicing to the Great British public. Cyrus thinks of us as missionaries, aiming for conversion. I think I'm more like a soldier preparing for battle… For I am a Sikh, and the Sikhs are great warriors. I am a Sikh born in Scotland, and I am very proud to be both Scottish and Sikh. The Sikhism I inherited from my grandparents and parents has played a major part in defining who and what I am. Its central belief is equality between all people and this is regardless of religion, caste, colour, creed, age, gender or social status. (This was a really revolutionary idea in the caste-dominated society of India in the sixteenth century, when Sikhism began.) A cornerstone of Sikhism is the langar, or community kitchen, and preparing food, cooking food, helping to serve it and, yes, washing up, were all part of my life from the very earliest days. I was always hungry as a lad, so I soon learned that if I helped my aunties I would get extra goodies to eat – as well as a pat on the head! I later took a Home Economics class at school: I was quite attracted to the idea of cooking as a career by then but, to be honest, I mainly saw it as a skivers' class, like drama. However I won an HE prize, which I didn't tell anyone about for a while: that wasn't what boys (or men) did in Scotland then! And I can't deny the influence both my parents had on me as well. Mum, like Cyrus's mum, was a very good cook. She cooked traditional Punjabi food, which was quite difficult in Scotland because there was nothing in the way of ingredients, but as she'd had British-based domestic science classes at school too, she was able to cook Scottish treats for us – things like drop scones and shortbread (sometimes spiced). She was able to take elements from both cultures – she cooks a mean haggis pakora – and I have to admit that she's probably well ahead in the spice race that Cyrus and I have entered! Dad's input was no less significant. He had probably hoped to hand on his business – a corner shop – to his sons, but at the same time, very generously, he thought it important for us to follow our dreams. As a result, my brother joined the RAF, my younger brother went into window cleaning and I became a chef. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] It was difficult at first. I was classically trained at college in Edinburgh, so kept away from the spices I had been brought up with. However, perhaps not surprisingly, as soon as possible employers saw me, they said, 'We don't do curry, son.' I had to fight extra hard – nobody was used to a chef with a turban – but gradually I got some really good jobs, amongst them the Royal Scotsman and the Royal Yacht Britannia (strictly no spices). Then, funnily enough, I remembered what I should never have forgotten, that spices actually enhance food, that they do just make food taste better. The Great British public, too, seems to have forgotten about spices, although the country has a long history of spice use. The Romans, for instance, introduced many herbs and spices when they were here, over 2,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, the Crusaders brought back spices that they had encountered in the Middle East. At around that time, British food became very highly spiced indeed, possibly to cover up the taste of salt (most meats and vegetables would have been salt-preserved) or tainted meat. The spice then seemed to go out of British life, possibly because of Puritanism – plain is best – although many think that the rigours of two world wars, and food rationing, had a lasting effect on the way the British cook. There are still sneaky reminders of Britain's spicy past, though, in many historic British dishes – the cayenne sprinkled on top of fried whitebait, the devilled sauces for kidneys, mushrooms and eggs, the ginger in gingerbread and parkin, the cinnamon in mince pies, the nutmeg in custards, and the ubiquitous clove in apple pies. It is obvious that British cooking throughout the centuries has absorbed lots of influences, including spices, and I think it can learn to do so again. For a start, ask anyone what the best-known British dishes are, and I bet they list roast beef, fish and chips and – yes – chicken tikka masala! It's said to have been invented in Britain, when a restaurant customer looked at their dry plate of chicken tikka, and asked 'Where's the gravy?' A quick heating through of tinned tomato soup plus a few spices (the masala), and a new Great British classic was allegedly born. Britain has some of the best produce in the world – meat, fish, cheese, cider and (one of my personal favourites) whisky. I think such good produce, although great on its own, can be made even tastier with the addition of spice. You'll see, throughout the recipes in the book, how we have committed what looks like culinary treason on many of the most revered and traditional of British dishes. All I can say is, give it a try, see how you like it. To paraphrase Julius Caesar, another incoming soldier on a mission, 'We came, we saw and (we hope) spices have conquered.' [image: image] Recipe List Spiced Beetroot Soup Hot & Sour Soup with Crispy Fish Gazpacho with a Kick Asparagus with Lime & Coriander Hollandaise Warm Butternut Scones with Cheese Mushroom Madras Blazer Goat's Cheese, Red Onion & Caraway Seed Tart Smoked Haddock & Mango Tart Spiced Singh Gravlax Smoked Salmon with Spiced Beetroot Salad Hot & Sticky Prawns Is it any wonder that most people hate beetroots when we completely waste them by boiling them up or serving them in vinegar? This is a great soup that I make all the time, and I always love seeing people's reactions when I serve it to them. They usually wince at the sight of beetroot, but don't say anything out of politeness, then are completely won over with the first sip. I've served this at some very snooty dinners and it has never let me down. [image: image] SERVES 4 FOR THE SOUP 100g (4oz) split orange or yellow lentils 400g (14oz) beetroot, peeled and cut into 2cm (¾in) chunks 1 litre (1¾ pints) boiling water 180ml (6fl oz) tinned coconut milk, plus extra to taste ½–1 tsp salt, or to taste FOR THE SPICES 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, vegetable oil or other clear cooking oil 2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds, gently crushed a good handful of finely shredded curry leaves (optional) 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves double cream, to drizzle (optional) 1 Wash the lentils well. If using yellow lentils, soak for 3 hours then drain. To a large pan add the prepared lentils, the beetroot and the boiling water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, partly cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes–1¼ hours, until the beetroot and lentils are tender. Add a little more boiling water if the mixture starts to look dry, but don't add too much as you don't want a watery soup. 2 Blend the mixture to a smooth purée, then strain through a fine sieve. Return the purée to a clean pan and stir in the coconut milk and salt. If necessary, add a little more boiling water to thin the soup, but it should be quite thick and velvety. Keep warm over a low heat. 3 To prepare the spices, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and have a lid handy. When the oil starts to just smoke add the mustard seeds, cover the pan (the seeds fly all over the place as they crackle and pop) and turn the heat down. After 10–15 seconds add the cumin and the curry leaves and fry for 1 minute. 4 Tip the contents of the frying pan, including any oil, into the soup and stir well. Taste, add salt if necessary, and dilute with hot water or a little more coconut milk if you prefer a lighter soup. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve in bowls, drizzled with a swirl of double cream if you like. [image: image] I was waiting for staff lunch at my restaurant once when someone slipped a hot, steaming bowl of this wonderful soup – aromatic, pungent and spicy – under my nose. But before I could tuck in, they slipped some deep-fried fish heads into the bowl too! A bit of a shocker, but once I tried it the taste was brilliant, and the texture of the fish complemented the soup perfectly. I've refined it a little, as most people would get a fright at the sight of fish heads bobbing about in their soup! [image: image] SERVES 4 400g (14oz) firm-fleshed fish, such as cod, skin on, chopped into bite-sized pieces rapeseed oil or vegetable oil, for deep-frying 50g (2oz) cornflour 6 spring onions, chopped, to serve FOR THE MARINADE 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 heaped tsp pickled ginger, chopped ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper 1 tsp chilli flakes FOR THE SOUP 3 tbsp sesame oil 2cm (1in) piece of fresh root ginger, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped ½ red chilli, seeds removed if liked, chopped ½ red onion, sliced 8 cobs baby corn (90g/3½oz), sliced lengthways ½ red or yellow pepper, sliced 1 carrot, sliced 1.5 litres (2½ pints) fish stock, or chicken stock 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp cornflour salt 1 Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl that will hold all the fish. Add the fish, stir well to coat and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes. 2 To prepare the soup, heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger, garlic and red chilli over a low heat to soften. After a few minutes add the onion, baby corn, red or yellow pepper and carrot and fry for a further 4–5 minutes. Add the stock, then stir in the two soy sauces, the Worcestershire sauce and the vinegar, and bring to the boil. 3 In a small bowl, mix together the teaspoon of cornflour and 2 teaspoons of water. Stir this mixture into the boiling soup and continue boiling for a few minutes to thicken. Once thickened, add a splash of water if you feel the soup is too thick, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Keep warm over a low heat. 4 To cook the fish, in a large heavy-based pan heat enough oil to come roughly two-thirds up the sides of the pan. You can check that the oil is at the correct temperature by dropping a cube of bread into the hot oil; it should become golden-brown and crisp within a minute. 5 Sprinkle the cornflour onto a shallow plate and coat the marinated fish all over with it. Carefully drop the fish pieces into the hot oil and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. 6 Transfer the hot soup to a serving dish or individual bowls, and top with crispy fish. Sprinkle with spring onions and serve. [image: image] Gazpacho, the chilled Spanish soup, is a classic – but we are here to push a few boundaries, and to encourage you to alter a few bits here and there to create your very own specialities. In summer, when good British tomatoes are in season, the sun is blazing, the barbecue is lit and friends arrive, a good well-chilled gazpacho will make the world go round. The preparations can seem daunting, but believe you me, as long as you have a good blender you will complete the job in a jiffy. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 1 small cucumber or half a large one 1kg (2lb 4oz) ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 green pepper, seeds removed, chopped 2–3 spring onions, white part only, chopped (reserve green parts for the garnish) 1 small red onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 mild green chilli, seeds removed, chopped a large handful of basil leaves a handful of coriander leaves and tender stems 1–1½ tbsp sherry vinegar (or use sherry and a dash of other vinegar) 75–100ml (2½–3½fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil FOR THE SEASONING 1 tsp cumin seeds, very finely ground ½ tsp crushed black peppercorns a few drops Tabasco (optional) 1 tsp salt, then more as desired FOR THE CHILLI CROÛTONS 1 small baguette or half a large one, cut into roughly 20–25 thin slices (stale bread works well) 2 tbsp butter, softened 1 garlic clove, finely crushed ½ tsp chilli powder FOR THE GARNISH reserved spring onion green parts, thinly sliced reserved cucumber skins, drained and finely chopped ½ small red onion, very finely chopped ½ red pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves a few basil leaves, torn ice cubes 1 Peel the cucumber and reserve the skin. Place the skin in a bowl of cold water and set aside for the garnish. Chop the flesh roughly. Place all the soup ingredients, except the reserved cucumber skin, vinegar and olive oil, into a blender and blend until smooth. 2 Add 1 tbsp of the vinegar and 75ml (2½fl oz) of the oil and blend, then taste and add more oil and vinegar if liked. Strain through a coarse sieve over a bowl and press through as much as you can, squeezing out all liquid with a spatula or the back of a large wooden spoon. 3 Stir all of the seasoning ingredients into the strained soup. Adjust the seasoning to taste, then cover and chill until needed. 4 To make the chilli croûtons, preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3. Arrange the slices of bread evenly in single layers on baking sheets. Cook in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then turn the slices over and cook for a further 5 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden. Remove to cool slightly but do not turn the oven off. 5 Mix the butter with the garlic and chilli powder. Just before serving, spread a little chilli butter on all the toasted bread slices. Reduce the oven temperature to minimum and return the toasts to the oven to warm through and keep warm until ready to serve. 6 Gently mix together all of the garnish ingredients except the ice cubes. To serve, portion the soup out into cups or bowls and place an ice cube or two in each. Spoon a little garnish onto each soup, and serve with the chilli croûtons on the side. [image: image] This is one of the simplest, sexiest, most luxurious vegetable dishes you can get, with a wee twist of lime, coriander and a touch of chilli. Also, we couldn't resist sharing another favourite of ours as an option for you: saffron aioli made with rapeseed oil. It's another winner, smooth and creamy but with a warming saffron flavour. Choose which sauce you prefer, or ring the changes and make a different one each time. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 1kg (2lb 4oz) asparagus, washed and ends snapped off (about 8 spears per person) salt FOR THE HOLLANDAISE REDUCTION 20ml (¾fl oz) white wine vinegar juice of 1 lime 40ml (1¾fl oz) water 1 small shallot, chopped 30 coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns sprig of coriander sprig of tarragon 1 bay leaf FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE 150g (5oz) unsalted clarified butter (ghee) 2 egg yolks a pinch of chilli powder juice of about ½ lime, plus wedges to serve 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon salt FOR THE SAFFRON AIOLI (OPTIONAL) ½ tsp saffron strands juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp Pernod Ricard 1 egg, plus 2 yolks 5 cloves garlic, peeled ½ tsp Dijon mustard 250ml (9fl oz) rapeseed oil 1 Put all ingredients for the hollandaise reduction into a small stainless steel or ceramic-lined pan (do not use copper, cast-iron or aluminium, which tend to react with acidic foods). Bring to the boil and boil for 3–4 minutes to reduce the liquid to just 2 tsp of liquor; take care, it will evaporate quickly. Strain the liquor through a sieve and leave to cool. 2 For the hollandaise sauce, gently melt the clarified butter and keep warm. Put the egg yolks and half of the vinegar reduction in a small heatproof bowl. (Reserve the remaining vinegar for another time; it will keep in the fridge for a week.) Set this bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, checking that the water does not touch the base of the bowl, and whisk with a hand-held electric whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Switch off the heat and remove the bowl from pan. 3 Continue to whisk while slowly trickling in the warm clarified butter; the sauce will thicken. Add a pinch of chilli powder, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix in the chopped herbs and place the bowl back over the pan of water to keep warm, without turning the heat back on. 4 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Drop in the asparagus and simmer for 3–5 minutes until just tender. Drain and serve with the spiced hollandaise sauce on top and a wedge of lime on the side. NOTE: For the saffron aioli, toast the saffron in a dry pan for 1 minute, then set aside in a bowl with the lemon juice and Pernod Ricard. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the whole egg and 4 of the garlic cloves. Boil for 8–10 minutes, then remove. Peel the hard-boiled egg and set aside the white (keep it to put in a sandwich). Allow the yolk and the garlic to cool. Put all 5 garlic cloves, the mustard, all 3 egg yolks, the saffron mixture and seasoning in a food processor. Pour the oil into the running processor in a slow, steady stream, until it forms a thick sauce. [image: image] Drop scones – a Scottish tradition, and these ones are based on my mum's recipe. We wanted to try a healthier, more substantial version of the classic drop scone, so we've roasted and puréed a butternut squash and added it to the batter, and spiced it up with some cinnamon. We thought the result was fantastic, and we hope you enjoy them. [image: image] MAKES ABOUT 6 LARGE PANCAKES; SERVES 3 AS A LIGHT MEAL OR BRUNCH, 6 AS A STARTER 300g (10½oz) butternut squash or pumpkin, seeds removed, cut into 5cm (2in) wedges 125g (4½oz) plain flour 1 tbsp granulated sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon 185ml (6½fl oz) milk 2 eggs, separated 40g (1½oz) butter, melted rapeseed oil or vegetable oil, for frying salt FOR THE TOPPING 3 tbsp pesto 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 220g (7½oz) rinded goat's cheese log, thinly sliced 3 red peppers, roasted, skins discarded, torn into strips 90g (3½oz) wild rocket or bitter herbs 2 tbsp good-quality aged balsamic vinegar, or balsamic reduction or syrup 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Spread the squash or pumpkin in a roasting tin, cover tightly with foil and roast in the hot oven for about 30 minutes until soft. Cool slightly, then scrape the flesh away from the skin and mash to a purée. Season well with salt and leave to cool. 2 In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the milk, egg yolks and melted butter, then beat in the cool squash or pumpkin purée. Put this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, and fold gently into the squash or pumpkin mixture. 3 Preheat the oven to low. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and add a small dribble of oil. When the oil is hot, gently add a ladleful of batter to form a large pancake, about 12cm (4½in) in diameter. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface, then turn and cook on the other side for 1–2 minutes or until the pancake is spongy and cooked through. Keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest in the same way. 4 To make the topping, mix the pesto with the olive oil to make a dressing. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the pancakes on a baking sheet, top each with some goat's cheese and red pepper. Grill for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. 5 Transfer the pancakes to individual plates. Top each pancake with a handful of rocket, spoon some pesto dressing over the top and drizzle the balsamic vinegar around the plate. Serve warm. [image: image] A simple yet delicious recipe for mushrooms on toast with a little hint – no, sorry, a decent hit – of curry powder. It is rich, lush and at the same time has a bite to it. The sauce keeps well, so you can easily prepare it a day in advance. Try also using other mushrooms – the flavours here are good with bolder, stronger mushrooms such as chanterelles. [image: image] MAKES 4–6 SLICES (ENOUGH FOR 2–3 PEOPLE AS A GENEROUS SNACK) 25g (1oz) butter, plus 15g (½oz) for frying the mushrooms, plus extra for buttering the toast 1 small onion, very finely chopped ½–1 mild fresh green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1½ tsp Madras curry powder 25g (1oz) plain flour 250ml (9fl oz) vegetable stock, hot 175g (6oz) chestnut mushrooms and/or wild mushrooms, sliced ½cm (¼in) thick 2 tbsp double cream 75g (3oz) Cheddar, grated 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 4–6 slices good-quality bread salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Melt 25g (1oz) of the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and when bubbling add the chopped onion, green chilli and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and golden, then stir in the curry powder and cook for a minute. 2 Remove from the heat, add the flour and mix well – it will become very thick, almost like breadcrumbs. Gradually whisk in the hot vegetable stock to make a very thick sauce. Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes to cook out the raw flour, stirring occasionally. By now the sauce will be very thick indeed. 3 Meanwhile, in a frying pan melt 15g (½oz) of the butter over a medium heat, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4–5 minutes until just golden. Stir the mushrooms into the sauce along with the cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Season to taste then stir in chopped coriander. 4 Toast the bread and spread one side with butter. Spoon the creamy mushrooms onto the toasted and buttered bread and serve. [image: image] What a blast we had when we visited a goat farm down in Wales! Linda and her son, the farmers, showed such care and respect to the animals, and the cheese they produced was fantastic – delicate, not chalky, very fresh and rich. Goat's cheese takes sweetness well, so here we've paired it with an onion marmalade cut with balsamic vinegar and some caraway seeds. These flavours work well with any goat's cheese. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY 225g (8oz) plain flour, plus extra for kneading 75g (3oz) chilled butter, cut into cubes 75g (3oz) chilled lard, cut into cubes salt FOR THE ONION MARMALADE 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 80g (3oz) unsalted butter 800g (1lb 14oz) red onions, finely sliced 160g (5½oz) caster sugar 1 tbsp caraway seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan 80ml (2¾fl oz) balsamic vinegar, or more to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE FILLING 2 eggs 200ml (7fl oz) double cream 200g (7oz) goat's cheese, sliced fresh tarragon and coriander, use leaves only, to garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 To make the shortcrust pastry, put the flour and a pinch of salt into a food-processor. Add the butter and lard, and blitz to the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. Transfer this to a mixing bowl. (If you don't have a food-processor, mix the butter and lard into the flour with your fingertips in a mixing bowl.) Stir in 3–4 tablespoons of cold water – just enough to be able to bring the mixture together into a ball. 2 Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out the pastry to a size that will line the base and sides of a 25cm (10in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Press the pastry well into the crease between the base and the sides, prick the pastry base all over with a fork, and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. 3 Line the tart case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Take out, remove the beans and parchment and return the pastry to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the base is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. 4 To make the onion marmalade, heat a large frying pan, add the oil and butter and heat until starting to foam. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes on a low to medium heat, stirring regularly. Stir in the sugar and cover the pan, then cook for a further 10–15 minutes until the juices have come out of the onions. 5 Uncover the pan and increase the heat, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes to reduce all the juices. While the juices are being reduced, preheat the oven 200°C/400°F/gas 6. 6 When the onion mixture starts to reach the consistency of jam, add the toasted caraway seeds. When the mixture reaches the consistency of marmalade, take the pan off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 7 To make the filling, beat the eggs with the cream in a jug or bowl. Mix in the onion marmalade and pour into the blind-baked pastry case. Arrange the goat's cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, until set and lightly browned on top. 8 Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Garnish with a scattering of tarragon and coriander leaves, and serve with Spiced Pickled Onions (see here). [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] The Ancient Greeks used to grind cumin over food, much as the Brits do black pepper. And there's an idea: why not have a pepper grinder with fresh or toasted cumin seeds in it, perhaps with some coriander as well? Or use my special spice mix in your grinder: toasted cumin seeds, sea salt, a spot of dried thyme perhaps and some chilli powder, if you dare. Try this 'fairy dust' on your chips, or on popcorn or cheese on toast. Originally coming from Egypt, cumin is now grown in southern Europe, North Africa, Asia, China and parts of the Americas. It belongs to the same family as parsley, caraway and coriander. Like coriander, it flowers in umbrella shapes. When the flowers die, the little seed pods appear, each of which contains one seed. Unlike the round seeds of coriander, cumin seeds are oval and ridged. There are two types of cumin spice, which are very clearly distinguished in Indian cookery: the 'true' or black cumin (quite rare except in specialist shops), and white cumin, which is the seed we commonly buy. Both taste strong, heavy, warm and spicy, and very pungent. Black cumin seeds are darker in colour, slightly smaller than white cumin, and the taste is sweeter and more complex. Cumin was used by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans in medicine as well as cookery. Its main quality was digestive – good for flatulence, according to Dioscorides! – and cumin seeds are still used in the seed mixture, paan, served in homes and restaurants after meals. Cumin is a major crop in Turkey, but India remains the principal producer of the spice, said to be the second most important after the peppercorn. Like coriander, it is best bought whole, given a quick dry-toasting, then ground. Cumin bought pre-ground quickly loses its fragrance. Ground cumin is used in many meat curries, kebabs and pies, most masalas, and with a lot of Indian and Middle-Eastern vegetable dishes. Sprinkle some ground cumin on lamb before roasting, a great combination, and try lightly ground seeds in gravlax or British poultry dishes. Cumin is a must in the Tex-Mex chilli con carne, and American 'chilli seasonings' are usually a mixture of chilli powder and cumin. I like ground cumin sprinkled on a fried duck's egg (see here for a simple recipe): you could also hard-boil quail's eggs, peel them and then dip them into a mixture of cumin and fine salt. Delicious. Whole, I would use cumin seeds as a condiment for potatoes and aubergines, in the hot oil poured over a lentil dhal, and in yoghurt sauces and garnishes – it's very good in a cucumber raita, for instance. It's also one of the seeds used atop a peshwari naan. [image: image] This sounds a bit weird, but forget about the ingredients themselves for a second and just think about their taste – the sweetness of the mango and the salty smokiness of the fish. I am a smoked haddock fiend, I love it, and when you add the sweet mango salsa and crisp pastry it all works together perfectly. Fabulous. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 FOR THE MANGO SALSA 2 mangoes, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes 2 banana shallots, finely diced ½ red pepper, finely diced 1 fresh green chilli, de-seeded if liked and finely diced zest and juice of 1 lime 1 bunch tarragon, finely chopped 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped 4cm (1½in) piece fresh green root ginger (mild, young ginger), grated; if not available, use normal root ginger 1 heaped tsp chopped pickled ginger salt FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY 225g (8oz) plain flour, plus extra for flouring 75g (3oz) chilled butter, diced, plus extra butter for greasing 75g (3oz) chilled lard, diced salt FOR THE FILLING 350g (12oz) smoked haddock (peat-smoked if possible, but if not use undyed smoked haddock), skin-on large knob of butter 2 leeks, thinly sliced 3 eggs 300ml (½ pint) double cream salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Mix all of the mango salsa ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours (if you have time, leave it for up to 2 days to allow the flavours to develop). Taste and add more chilli, lime juice and a little sugar if you think it's necessary. 2 To make the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and some salt into a food-processor. Add the chilled butter and lard and work together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then transfer to a mixing bowl. If you don't have a food-processor, mix the butter and lard into the flour with your fingertips in a mixing bowl. 3 Stir in a few tablespoons of cold water until the mixture comes together into a ball (you will need about 3–4 tablespoons of water). Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. If you are in a rush, you can use it straight away. 4 With a little butter, grease a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed flan tin. Roll out the pastry thinly onto a lightly floured work surface, and use to line the prepared tin, leaving any excess pastry hanging over the edges. Prick the base all over with a fork and return it to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. 5 To make the filling, place the haddock in a pan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Poach until the haddock is lightly cooked. Remove the fish from the water and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, flake the fish and discard the skin. 6 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Melt the butter for the filling in a large pan, add the leeks and some salt and pepper, and cook gently, uncovered, until tender. Set aside. 7 Remove the pastry case from the fridge, line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill it with baking beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return the pastry to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the base is golden brown. Reduce the oven to 170°C/335°F/gas 3½ and remove the pastry case. 8 Spoon the leeks over the base of the pastry case, then add about six tablespoons of the mango salsa. Top with the poached smoked haddock. Beat the eggs with the cream in a bowl and add salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the smoked haddock. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until just set and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving with more mango salsa. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] I've always loved the simplicity of gravlax, but we've taken it one step further with the addition of peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin and a little bit of turmeric for colour. What really changes this dish, though, and lifts it from the deep, bass notes of those crushed spices to something really special, are the fresh herbs – mint, dill, tarragon, coriander. Try this with the Peanut and Mint Slaw here, or with some boiled new potatoes, a bit of rapeseed oil and a squeeze of lime. [image: image] SERVES 6–10 AS A STARTER 1 side raw salmon (about 1.5kg/3lb) FOR THE MARINADE large bunch mixed herbs, preferably mint, dill, coriander and tarragon 60g (2½oz) caster sugar 1 heaped tbsp crushed peppercorns, preferably white peppercorns 1 heaped tbsp crushed coriander seeds 1 tsp crushed roasted fennel seeds 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds ¼ tsp turmeric zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime 60g (2½oz) coarse sea salt 1 Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Spread the marinade over the cut side of the salmon. Tightly wrap the fish in at least three layers of clingfilm. 2 Put the wrapped salmon in a large, shallow tray. Rest a slightly smaller tray or chopping board on top of the fish and weigh it down with something heavy, such as tins of beans. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the fish over every 12 hours so. 3 To serve, remove the fish from the briny mixture and slice it thinly, as you would smoked salmon. Arrange a few slices of the gravlax on each plate and serve with some Peanut and Mint Slaw (see here). [image: image] This recipe was based around the salmon smokery we visited in Kelso, near Edinburgh (see overleaf) – a master smoker, turning age-old techniques into a science. It tasted sublime, but it was the texture of the fish that we loved the most, and this recipe really brings that out. The crunchiness of the raw beetroot in this salad gives a wonderful contrast to the soft, yielding smoked salmon. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 AS A STARTER 200g (7oz) smoked salmon, sliced FOR THE BEETROOT SALAD juice of 1 lime 3 tsp clear honey ½ tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 1 fresh beetroot (about 250g/9oz peeled weight), very finely sliced 3 tbsp raisins, preferably golden 3 heaped tbsp torn mint leaves salt FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM juice of 2 limes ½ tsp clear honey 4 tbsp horseradish sauce 150ml (¼ pint) double cream pinch of chilli powder, or more to taste a small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 To make the beetroot salad, whisk together the lime juice and honey in a small bowl. Mix in the smoked paprika and cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the beetroot, raisins and mint leaves and pour the dressing over. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. 2 To make the horseradish cream, whisk together the lime juice, honey and horseradish sauce in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. 3 Stir the horseradish and lime mixture into the whisked cream. Add the chilli powder and salt to taste, and sprinkle on the parsley. Set the salmon slices onto individual plates, and serve with the beetroot salad and a dollop of the horseradish cream. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] I've now been fishing twice in my life. The first time was on Loch Awe when I was working at the Ardanaiseig Hotel: city boy, change of weather, not good at rowing, it was a disaster… The second time was on the Tweed just recently, for the television programme. We were by the near-mythic Junction Pool, where the Tweed and the Teviot rivers meet. Apparently, more Atlantic salmon are caught on the fly here than anywhere else in Europe. We caught nothing, but I'd happily go again – so long as I don't have to look like a Teletubby in those waders next time! Afterwards, we went to the nearby Ednam House Hotel, a hotel dedicated to fish and fishermen, where tartan-trousered Ralph Brooks – the owner-proprietor and chef de cuisine – and his French wife, Anne, showed us their smokery. The fish smoked here are either wild, brought in by anglers (from the Tweed and further afield), or farmed. The gutted fish are dry-cured with salt, then the sides or fillets are gently cold-smoked on wire racks over oak chips. Cyrus and I got to taste some of their newly smoked salmon. It was great, with just the right amount of smoke. It wasn't too salty, and it had a nice yield to the tongue. I made a beetroot salad to go with it, with a horseradish dressing, minimally spiked with chilli. Good smoked salmon doesn't need much. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] But I would have loved it if we'd also managed to get our hands on some of the salmon before it went to be smoked! Salmon is one of my favourite fish: it's oily, sturdy, tasty, and takes to spicing very well. My first choice salmon dish would be a gravlax. In Scandinavia they use the cool northern herb, dill, with salt and sugar, and perhaps a dash of akvavit. It's the salt and sugar that do the curing, the dill that flavours. So why not introduce different, spicier flavours? My Singh version here, with a variety of fresh herbs, along with crushed coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, some turmeric and white peppercorns, works really well. Another favourite is spiced salmon fillet: mine is based on an old recipe that my mum used to make, where the salmon is cooked with its marinade (see here), and Cyrus has a version that is baked with a herby crust (see here). Tuna is the star of a traditional Provençal salade niçoise; I've used salmon (poached with lemon grass) instead, and added spiced instead of plain potatoes (see here). And the mayonnaise that accompanies it shows how easy it can be to spice things up: nothing complicated, I've simply added some sweet chilli sauce! I love smoked salmon, but I'm a smoked haddock man at heart, so I've included two recipes designed for the best, undyed (perhaps even peat-smoked, if you can find it) smoked haddock. Don't ever buy that neon yellow haddock – that's colouring, not smoke. Cyrus smokes fish in his restaurant, over sawdust with added spices such as anise, cassia and bay leaves. It would be fairly easy to try this at home, in a wok, say, with a rack inside and a lid. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] When I did my first live cookery demonstration I was feeling nervous with a wee bit of stage fright, so I wanted to make something really simple that I knew wouldn't go wrong – and this is one of my all-time favourites. The sweetness of the shallot marmalade with the ginger and the chilli is finger-licking good. Leave the shells on when you cook the prawns – to eat, peel them off with your fingers and munch on in. [image: image] SERVES 4 2 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 50g (2oz) palm sugar, finely chopped, or 40g (1½oz) soft light brown sugar 300g (10½oz) raw peeled prawns 100g (4oz) shallots, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 50ml (2fl oz) sweet Thai chilli sauce 1 tsp Thai fish sauce, or more to taste 40ml (1¾fl oz) rice vinegar 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon FOR THE SALAD 100g (4oz) rocket small yellow pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped 40g (1½oz) pickled sushi ginger, well drained and finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 In a large heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then let the mixture bubble until it starts to caramelise and turn a darker brown – but be careful that it doesn't burn. Add the prawns, shallots and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously so they do not burn, until the prawns turn pink. 2 Add the chilli sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar and tarragon, and cook for 1 minute or until bubbling and the prawns are cooked through. Take the pan off the heat. 3 Put all of the salad ingredients except the oil and seasoning into a large bowl. Dribble over the olive oil and season to taste, then toss to mix. Serve the salad with the prawns, and spoon round any excess sauce from the pan. Serve at once. [image: image] [image: image] Recipe List Haddock Pancake with Zingy Salsa Fish with a Zing & Zang Creamy Cheddary Grilled Fish Roast Fish with Spicy Butter Todiwala & Singh's Spiced Fish & Chips Creamy Fish Curry Fish with Wild West Beans Dover Sole with Lime & Ginger Indian Herb-Crusted Salmon Salmon Niçoise with Bombay Aloo Punjabi Spiced Salmon Prawn Pilaf Stuffed King Prawns Crab & Potato Cake with Mustard & Cumin Cockles with Smoked Paprika & Coriander Pancakes: such simple things that, if done well, can be magical. Call them what you will – crêpes, griddle cakes, hot cakes, flapjacks, whatever – as soon as you pour that batter onto a hot pan, it comes alive with taste. Add the smokiness of the haddock and the tart, zingy salsa and you have a moreish light meal that you can come back to again and again. Try swapping the haddock for any other filling that you can think of – anything goes, it's that good. [image: image] SERVES 4 (2 PER PERSON) FOR THE PANCAKES 100g (4oz) plain flour 1 egg, lightly beaten 285ml (½ pint) milk, at room temperature salt and freshly ground black pepper lightly salted butter, melted, for frying FOR THE SOURED CREAM 125ml (4½fl oz) soured cream 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 25g (1oz) chopped fresh chives 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh tarragon ¼ red onion, finely diced 1 tbsp lime juice (juice of about ½ lime) FOR THE SALSA VERDE 30g (1¼oz) fresh coriander, including stalks 30g (1¼oz) each sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, basil and mint; strip off the leaves and discard the stems 1 garlic clove 2 anchovies 15g (½oz) capers 15g (½oz) small gherkins lime juice, to taste 40ml (1¾fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste FOR THE PANCAKE FILLING 1½ tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil 500g (1lb 2oz) undyed smoked haddock, skinned and de-boned, cut into 8 equal pieces 20g (¾oz) lightly salted butter 100g (4oz) baby spinach, to serve 1 To make the pancake batter, sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl, and make a well in the centre. Gradually whisk in the egg and milk, incorporating the flour from the sides, and combine to a smooth batter. Set the mixture aside to rest while you continue with the recipe. 2 Mix together all of the soured cream ingredients except the lime juice. When mixed, add lime juice to taste, along with some salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge. 3 Put all of the salsa ingredients except for the lime juice and olive oil in a food-processor. Pulse to create a rough purée, then tip the mixture into a bowl and season to taste with lime juice and a little salt and pepper. Mix in olive oil to taste, then add more salt, pepper or lime juice as required. Set aside. 4 You can now make the pancakes. Preheat the oven to minimum. Heat an 18cm (7in) pancake pan and add a dot of butter, using kitchen paper to smear it around the pan. Measure out about 2 tablespoons of the pancake mixture into a ladle, then pour this into the pan and quickly swirl it around the base – there should be just enough to thinly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for a few seconds until brown, flip onto the other side for a few seconds until brown, then slide onto a warm plate and keep warm in the oven. 5 Wipe the pan clean and continue cooking pancakes in the same way until you have a total of 8 pancakes. 6 To make the filling, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed non-stick pan, then add the haddock pieces. Cook the pieces, without stirring, until the bottoms have a nice golden brown colour; then turn the pieces over, add the butter and cook until that side is golden. When the fish is nearly done, add 2 teaspoons of salsa verde per person and cook for a further minute. Don't be alarmed if the fish breaks up a little. 7 Divide the fish between the pancakes and roll each pancake like a spring roll. Serve on a plate with the baby spinach and soured cream. [image: image] In all honesty, I do not know the full origins of this tamarind-flavoured dish. We Parsees make something similar, but it's also common in Goa, Kerala and other regions. I really enjoy the use of tamarind here, as I would normally expect to see tamarind used with fish in Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese dishes. To use it in an Indian meal like this just shows how spices can move across cultures. [image: image] SERVES 2 250g (9oz) white fish fillets, such as sea bass or bream, cut into 7.5cm (3in) pieces juice of ½ lime 1 tsp turmeric 1 tbsp coriander seeds 2 tbsp natural cashew nuts 1 tsp cumin seeds 3–4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1–3 fresh green chillies, seeds removed if liked, thinly sliced, plus 1 fresh green chilli per person for garnish, seeds removed, and sliced lengthways with stalk intact 2–3 tbsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp jaggery (Indan raw cane sugar), or 1 heaped tsp soft brown sugar pinch of salt 1 Rinse the fish and pat dry with kitchen paper, and place in a dish. Squeeze the lime over the fillets and sprinkle with half of the turmeric, then mix well and set aside. With a pestle and mortar, crush the coriander seeds to a powder and set aside. Grind the cashew nuts in the pestle and mortar with a splash of water to make a creamy paste, transfer to a bowl then set aside. 2 In a food-processor or mini-chopper, blitz together the ground coriander seeds, cumin, garlic and the remaining turmeric, adding a splash of water if necessary. Add this to the cashew paste and mix well to form a smooth spice paste (masala). 3 Heat the oil in a casserole dish, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently until coloured and softened. Add the chillies and stir, and after a few seconds add the masala and sauté well to cook the masala and ensure the spices get well absorbed. The masala is ready when it is well browned and oil begins to show at the edges. Watch it as it is cooking as it may well stick to the bottom of the pan; remedy this by adding a tablespoon or so of water every so often. 4 Meanwhile, mix the tamarind paste with the jaggery or sugar and 250ml (9fl oz) of water, and stir well. When the masala is ready, add the tamarind mix and bring to the boil, then simmer until the sauce reaches the consistency of single cream; the masala is fully cooked when the chilli in the sauce does not hit the throat when tasted. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 5 Gently add the fish pieces and simmer for 3–5 minutes. Then cover the pan, turn off the heat and let the fish rest for a few minutes to cook thoroughly. Serve with rice and a prepared green chilli to garnish. [image: image] [image: image] Marinades are a great way to get the flavours of spice into food. Indian cuisine uses many different marinades, but not usually with cheese! It may sound like a strange addition, but believe me it is delicious. [image: image] SERVES 2 2 × 400–500g (14oz–1lb 2oz) whole sea bass, bream or sole, cleaned, gutted, scaled, fins removed and gashed diagonally on both sides; if using sole, remove the dark skin rapeseed oil or vegetable oil, to brush fresh lemon, to serve salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE MARINADE 2 garlic cloves 2cm (¾in) piece fresh root ginger 100ml (3½fl oz) double cream 100g (4 oz) Greek-style natural yoghurt 100g (4oz) strong Cheddar, grated ¼ tsp ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg ¼ tsp ground mace 6 cardamom pods, crushed to a powder with a pestle and mortar (¼ tsp) 1 green bird's-eye chilli 50g (2oz) ground almonds (optional) ½ tsp salt, or to taste 1 To make the marinade, crush the garlic and ginger together with a pestle and mortar. You should have 1 tbsp of mixture. Place this and all of the remaining marinade ingredients except the ground almonds in a food-processor or blender, and blitz to a fine paste. If the mixture seems a little runny add the ground almonds; this will help the marinade to stick to the fish. 2 Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, season with salt and pepper and spread the marinade over both sides. Place the fish on a tray, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for a couple of hours. 3 Preheat the grill to high and brush some oil over the grill rack to prevent the fish from sticking. Put a tray beneath the rack to catch any marinade during cooking. Grill the fish for 5–6 minutes each side; when cooked the fish should be nicely browned and the flesh opaque. Gather up the juices and marinade from the tray and add to the dish with a spritz of lemon juice. Serve with buttered rice. [image: image] [image: image] The name 'nutmeg' comes originally from the Latin words for 'nut' and 'musk', and the perfume of nutmeg is indeed musky, warm and sweet, so is well-suited to both sweet and savoury dishes. It is vital in a béchamel, but goes just as well in a custard. You can use it in potato dishes, with spinach, in soups, curries, egg dishes and a multitude of drinks and chutneys. I often use it in fish dishes, and it features in our recipe for Coronation chicken (see here). Along with rosewater, it flavours the baked egg custard that is traditionally served at Parsee weddings: when set, it's cut into pieces, and served at the beginning of the meal. (We like to start and finish joyous occasions on sweet notes!) Nutmeg is quite expensive, so my mum didn't use it much, except in her caramel custard and some fudges. She kept it in a tiny 1930s jar, which I still have at home. The nutmeg tree is unique in producing a brace of spices: nutmeg and mace. Myristica fragrans is a medium to large evergreen tree, which used to grow only in the Moluccas archipelago in Indonesia. The 'mystical fragrance' of the trees and their fruits was so potent that you could apparently smell the islands from ten miles out to sea! Nowadays the trees are grown elsewhere in the tropics, notably Grenada in the West Indies. The fruit of the nutmeg tree is the size of an apricot. When ripe, the outer flesh splits open, revealing the seed. This brown shiny seed is encased in a lacy red membrane, the aril, which when dried gives us mace. The nutmeg seed itself is dried for a month or so, until the inner kernel rattles inside its shell. The shell is removed and the kernel is ready for use. When fresh, you can actually see the essential oil of the nutmeg – I squeezed some onto my fingers on camera – but even after drying, you can test for freshness. Press a needle into the nutmeg: if you can see a little oil, it's good. Always buy whole nutmegs and grate them yourself. Mace, sold in yellow blades (the dried arils) or ground, adds a milder but still pungent nutmeg flavour to pies, pâtés, sausages and stuffings. Tony knows, of course, that both nutmeg and mace are essential flavourings in that Scottish favourite, haggis. Toast mace first in a low oven, to slowly draw the moisture out, then grind in an electric grinder. When nutmeg was most valued in Europe, the wealthy used to grate nutmeg over drinks and foods because of its supposed protective medical properties. The diarist Samuel Pepys used a few gratings in a spoonful of honey to allay cold symptoms, and it's said that nutmeg can, if taken in excess, bring on hallucinogenic episodes. [image: image] This dish is a little bit fiddly, but the good news is that you can get all of the tricky work done a day in advance. Make the spicy butter and keep it cool, and get your fish parcels ready and in the fridge. When you're ready to serve it, all the hard work's been done – just take it out, roast it and you're good to go. A great party piece. [image: image] SERVES 6 200g (7oz) smoked streaky bacon 20g (¾oz) sage leaves 1 × 1kg (2lb 4oz) hake fillet, skinned and deboned; if not available, use 2 × 500g (1lb 2oz) fillets 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil freshly ground black pepper FOR THE CORIANDER BUTTER 125g (4½oz) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1 small garlic clove, finely crushed 1 tbsp honey 1½ tbsp coarse grain mustard a few drops Tabasco 1 tbsp whisky 25g (1oz) fresh coriander, chopped 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan and lightly crushed salt FOR THE WATERCRESS 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 300g (10½oz) watercress juice of 1 lemon 1 First make the coriander butter. Put the butter in a bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until it all comes together. Scrape the mixture onto a piece of clingfilm or greaseproof paper, roll it into a sausage shape and put it into the fridge to chill (or the freezer for a short while, if you're in a hurry). 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. On a piece of aluminium foil large enough to cover the base of a roasting tin, lay out the bacon so that it covers the foil and the rashers overlap slightly. Sprinkle with pepper and place the sage leaves on top of the bacon. Now place the hake in the centre; if using two fillets place one on top of the other, with some sage leaves tucked between the two. Fold the bacon over the fish so that it envelops it in a parcel. Tuck any loose ends underneath the fish. 3 Lift the piece of foil, with everything still on top of it, and place it in a roasting tin. Drizzle with the oil and roast on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes, or until some of the milky white liquid has escaped from the fish and the flesh is opaque. If you want the bacon extra crisp then flash it under a hot grill for 1–2 minutes at the end of cooking. 4 To prepare the watercress, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, toss in the watercress and fry the watercress for 1–2 minutes until just wilted. Squeeze over the lemon juice. Serve the fish with the watercress and top with a couple of slices of the spiced butter; you can pop the plate under the grill or into the oven for about 30 seconds if you want the butter to melt a little. Serve with some boiled new potatoes. [image: image] For Indian people, food needs to have a little zing here and little zing there, and now we have influenced the British palate, too. This recipe for zingy fish and chips is simple to make and so satisfying for the soul. We made this dish when we visited Hastings, where local fish include bream, whiting and Dover sole, but select the fish you prefer; for this recipe fillets work best. Always try to use only sustainable British fish, approved by the Marine Conservation Society. [image: image] SERVES 6 6 single-portion fillets of your preferred white fish, wiped dry FOR THE MARINADE juice of 1 lime or lemon 1 tsp turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 heaped tsp red chilli powder 4 garlic cloves, well crushed 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 heaped tsp salt, preferably sea salt FOR THE BATTER 400g (14oz) self-raising flour 1 tsp peppercorns, crushed 500–600ml (17fl oz–1 pint) traditional cloudy lemonade pinch of salt FOR THE SPICY CHIP SEASONING 1 tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt FOR THE CHIPS 1.5kg (3lb) potatoes, or more to taste (I am a Parsee, we thrive on potatoes), preferably Maris Piper or Rudolph Red but not new potatoes rapeseed oil, vegetable oil or dripping, for deep-fat frying salt 1 In a large bowl, mix together all of the marinade ingredients until the salt has completely dissolved. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Spread each fillet thoroughly with marinade, place the fillets on a flat dish in which all the fish can fit, cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. 2 A chilled batter will have a better texture, so put the flour in the bowl in which you will mix up the batter, stir in the crushed peppercorns and a little salt, and refrigerate until you are ready to cook – or better still, place in the freezer if space allows. Also chill the lemonade before cooking, and mix together the ingredients for the spicy chip seasoning and set aside. 3 To make the chips, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1cm (½in) thick 'fingers'. Put these in a pan of cold water with plenty of salt, and bring to the boil. Cook until soft when pressed with a knife. Drain and cool in the colander. Pat dry. 4 Heat the oil or dripping in a deep-fat fryer or heavy-based saucepan to 150°C/300°F. Do not leave the hot oil unattended. Cook the chips in batches for about 6 minutes each batch, or until the chips are turning lightly yellowish. Carefully remove and drain on a dish lined with kitchen paper. Preheat the oven to minimum. 5 Increase the temperature of the oil in the fryer to 180°C/350°F and fry the chips again to a beautiful brown colour. Drain well on kitchen paper, then dust with the spicy seasoning. Keep the chips warm in the oven, and place another baking tray inside to warm up. 6 When all of the chips are ready, you can make the batter and cook the fish. Keep the oil in the fryer at 180°C/350°F. To make the batter, whisk the cold lemonade into the chilled seasoned flour. 7 Dip a portion of fish into the batter and carefully lower it into the hot oil. Fry for 4–6 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to the empty tray in the oven. Continue to cook all of the fish in the same way. Serve the fish with the spicy chips. NOTES: A drizzling of lime or lemon juice on the chips makes them even tastier – no vinegar for us. Another excellent addition would be a smooth and spicy mayonnaise dressing. You don't have to batter and deep-fry the marinated fish; it would also be delicious pan-fried, meunièred (served with browned butter, lemon juice and parsley), or just plain grilled. [image: image] This flavoursome and robust curry was demonstrated to me by Mrs Kutti, our host on my last visit to Kerala; it is easily adaptable to all seafood and also chicken. Coconut oil is commonly used in the coastal regions of India, but you can use rapeseed oil or vegetable oil if you prefer. [image: image] SERVES 6 3 tbsp coconut oil, rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 1 heaped tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp crushed garlic (about 3 cloves) 2 green finger chillies, deseeded if liked, cut into four 2 small onions, sliced 4–5 fresh curry leaves, either whole or shredded 1 tsp turmeric (optional) 1kg (2lb 4oz) firm-fleshed fish steaks, such as bream or sea bass 3–4 cardamom pods, crushed with a pestle and mortar 3–4 cloves, crushed with a pestle and mortar 1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns 2 tomatoes, skinned and seeds removed, diced 2 × 400ml (14fl oz) tins coconut milk, one tin diluted with one tin of water 1 tbsp palm vinegar or cider vinegar (optional) 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (optional) juice of ½ a lime (optional) salt 1 Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a medium-high heat until the oil hazes. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Cook for 30 seconds or so, reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onions and a generous teaspoon of salt, and cook for a few minutes to soften the onion. 2 Add the curry leaves and the turmeric, if using, and cook for 1–2 minutes, then add the fish steaks and cook well on both sides, being careful not to break up the fish. Move the fish to the side of the pan, add the crushed cardamom, cloves and peppercorns, and cook for a further 1–2 minutes. 3 Add the tomatoes and the diluted coconut milk, bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the second tin of coconut milk and bring the curry back to the boil, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Boil until the sauce has thickened a little, then stir through the vinegar, coriander and lime juice, if using, and leave it to stand for a few minutes before serving. If the sauce is too thin, remove the fish to a warm dish and boil the sauce gently in the pan to reduce the liquor, then pour it over the fish. Serve with steamed rice. This is very hearty, a real rib-sticker of a dish – the sort of thing that a Wild West cowboy would definitely eat. It's very simple, a lot of fun to make, and the fish goes so well with the spicy baked beans. Dab can be found in larger supermarkets and is well worth searching out, but if you can't get hold of any of the options below try some sea bream fillets instead. [image: image] SERVES 4 75g (3oz) Parmesan 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp chopped coriander 4–6 fillets meaty white fish such as dab, coley, dogfish or sea bream 3 tbsp olive oil 100g (4oz) butter 3 tbsp capers ½ lemon salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE WILD WEST BEANS 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 3 small red onions, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2.5cm (1in) piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped 1 tsp finely chopped fresh green chilli 1 tsp garam masala 1 × 420g (14oz) tin baked beans squeeze of lemon juice 1 First prepare the beans. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and gently cook the onions until they start to colour. Add the chopped garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until everything starts to colour. Add the chilli, garam masala and 150ml (¼ pint) of water, and continue cooking until nearly all the water is gone. 2 Add the baked beans, bring to a slow simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt to taste. Keep warm while you cook the fish. 3 Mix together the Parmesan, parsley and coriander, and set aside. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan and, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook the fish on one side for 2–3 minutes. Turn the fish over and add the butter. When it foams and turns golden, baste the fish and cook for a further 3–5 minutes. 4 Add the capers to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes, continually spooning the butter over the fish. Remove the fish from the pan, and add the parsley mixture and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with the baked beans. [image: image] This recipe is a very versatile one, and would work just as well with a variety of fish. Any sweet, meaty white fish, such as hake, cod and John Dory would make a good alternative, or you could try sea bass or bream fillets if you want a lighter option. If you're using bass or bream you can skip the oven stage, and simply fry them in the pan: start them off skin-side down, then cook for a few minutes on the flesh side. [image: image] SERVES 2 12 asparagus spears 4 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp chilli powder 2 Dover sole, scaled, cleaned and trimmed (dark skin removed if you can, otherwise you could slash it in several places with a sharp knife), or other fish of your choice 1–2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE SAUCE 140g (5oz) unsalted butter 50g (2oz) chopped fresh root ginger 4 tbsp lime juice (about 3 limes) 30g (1¼oz) fresh pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, drop in the asparagus and simmer for 3 minutes or until just tender. Remove from the water, drain and set aside. 2 To prepare the fish, heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Mix together the flour, chilli powder and some salt and pepper, and dust the fish in it, then shake off any excess. Heat a large, non-stick, ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat; use two frying pans if the fish are too large to fit in a single pan. (If you have no ovenproof pans, then preheat a lightly oiled baking sheet.) Add the oil and heat it until it hazes. Add the sole (skin-side down if you've part-skinned them) and fry, without moving them, for 3–4 minutes until they form a golden crust. Turn over and transfer the frying pan to the top of the hot oven (or transfer the fish to the warmed baking sheet and place in the oven), and cook for a further 8–10 minutes until cooked through and the flesh is opaque. 3 For the sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes until it turns a nut-brown colour. Reduce the heat to low, add the ginger, lime juice, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander and warm it through; don't overheat it or it will separate. Season to taste. Serve the sole with the asparagus and spoon the sauce over the top. [image: image] A delicate blend of spices, but one that works magically with salmon – especially wild salmon, if you can get it. For a smoother crust, grind the spices in a pestle and mortar before adding them to the food processor. [image: image] SERVES 6 6 × 150g (5oz) salmon fillets, skin on 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil, for frying 50ml (2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil or cold-pressed extra-virgin rapeseed oil FOR THE CRUST 150g (5oz) fresh white bread, crust removed a large handful of fresh coriander 3 garlic cloves ¾ tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 sprig of fresh thyme 1 mild green chilli, seeds removed if liked, chopped ½ tsp salt 50ml (2fl oz) rapeseed oil or vegetable oil FOR THE MARINADE 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice 1 First make the crust topping. Blitz the bread in a food-processor to a soft crumb consistency. Add all of the remaining crust ingredients, and blitz again until you have a green crumb mixture. Taste the mixture, adjust the seasoning to personal preference and set aside. 2 To make the marinade, mix together the turmeric, salt and lemon juice. Apply it well all over the fish. The fish can be cooked immediately, but if time allows, cover and refrigerate for 2–3 hours to allow the flavours in the marinade to mature. 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4, and place a rack near the top of the oven. Drain the fish well of any liquid and dab dry with kitchen paper. 4 Heat the tablespoon of rapeseed oil or vegetable oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat, and fry the fish fillets skin-side down, without moving them, for 2–3 minutes until the skin is crisp and browned. (You may need to do this in two or three batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which results in soggy skin.) Turn the fillets over and cook on the flesh side for a minute or so. 5 Transfer the fish, skin-side up, to a roasting tray. Place them close to one another, and spoon the crumb mixture over to coat all the pieces in a nice thick layer. Drizzle over the olive or rapeseed oil, place the tray in the oven and in about 6–8 minutes your crust should be ready and your salmon cooked to medium. If you like a crisper crust or your salmon fully cooked through, then leave the dish in a few minutes more, but the fish should be in the oven no longer than 10–12 minutes in total. Serve with boiled new potatoes and a salad. [image: image] There are classics and then there are classics, and niçoise hasn't changed much at all in all of the years that I've been cooking. What could make this tried-and-tested-dish even better? Some Scotch salmon and Bombay aloo. The spicy potato just elevates it to another level. [image: image] SERVES 4 FOR THE BOMBAY ALOO 300g (10½oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes 2 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp sesame seeds 15g (½oz) chopped fresh root ginger ½ large onion, diced 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp mango powder (if available, otherwise use a squeeze of lemon juice) 1 tsp garam masala salt FOR THE SALAD 16 quail's eggs or 4 hen's eggs, at room temperature 200g (7oz) fine French beans, blanched in boiling water and refreshed in cold water 24 cherry tomatoes, cut in half 24 plump black olives, stoned 2 large shallots, sliced into rings a small handful of fresh coriander leaves FOR THE CLASSIC VINAIGRETTE 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 3½ tbsp olive oil FOR THE THAI MAYONNAISE 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce or sriracha sauce FOR THE SALMON 1.5 litres (2½ pints) fish stock a few sprigs of fresh thyme 4 slices of lime 4 lemon grass sticks, bruised and roughly chopped 4 × 150g (5oz) salmon fillets, skinned and boned 1 To make the Bombay aloo, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water until cooked but still firm. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and set aside to dry out. Retain the cooking water. 2 Over a medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the cumin, mustard and sesame seeds until they start to pop. Transfer the seeds to a small plate, retaining the oil in the pan. Put the ginger in the pan and fry for 1 minute, then set aside with the popped seeds. 3 Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the frying pan and gently cook the onion until softening but still opaque, then add the turmeric, chilli powder and mango powder if using (but not the lemon juice), and cook for a further 2 minutes. 4 Add the popped seeds and cooked ginger and stir. Add a splash of the potato cooking water, and some lemon juice if no mango powder was used, then stir in the garam masala. Increase the heat and add the potatoes, and stir gently until fully coated and dry. Season with salt. 5 To prepare the salad, cook the eggs in rapidly boiling water: quail's eggs for exactly 2 minutes, hen's eggs for 3½ minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into cold water for a few minutes until cool enough to peel by hand. Set aside. 6 Put all the remaining salad ingredients except the coriander leaves in a bowl. Mix together the vinaigrette ingredients, and dress the salad generously. Mix well and divide between 4 wide serving bowls or plates, then set aside. Make the Thai mayonnaise by mixing together the two ingredients and set aside. 7 To cook the salmon, put the stock, thyme, lime and lemon grass in a large pan and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 5–10 minutes so that the flavours infuse. Add the salmon fillets and poach gently for 5–10 minutes; remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes. 8 Remove the fillets from the poaching liquor and flake one onto each salad bowl or plate. Slice the peeled eggs in two and add to the salad. Top each serving with some Bombay aloo, sprinkle coriander leaves over and serve with the Thai mayonnaise. [image: image] [image: image] This is my absolute favourite. If someone was to ask me what my signature dish was, this is it, stolen – sorry, 'borrowed' – from my mum. When we were growing up we didn't have much money, so she would send us down to the fishmonger to ask for the leftover salmon bones and heads. She'd work her magic and make them absolutely delicious – even now when I make this dish at home, I still use some salmon bones alongside the fillet. This is the best spiced salmon dish you'll ever try. [image: image] SERVES 4 4 × 150g (5oz) salmon fillets, skin on 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 1 tsp carom seeds or ½ tsp fenugreek seeds FOR THE MARINADE 200g (7oz) leeks, finely diced 250g (9oz) tinned chopped tomatoes 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 fresh mild green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped 7cm (2¾in) piece fresh root ginger, finely grated 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala salt FOR THE RICE 280g (10oz) basmati rice, washed well 30g (1oz) finely chopped fresh tarragon 30g (1oz) finely chopped fresh chives 30g (1oz) finely chopped fresh coriander 1 Mix all of the marinade ingredients together. Add the salmon, toss to coat in the marinade, cover and chill for 1 hour or overnight. 2 When ready to prepare the meal, cook the rice in a large pan of boiling water for 8–10 minutes until tender but holding its shape. When cooked, drain then gently fold in the chopped herbs and season with salt to taste. Set aside and keep warm. 3 To cook the fish, heat the rapeseed oil or vegetable oil in a pan over a medium-high heat, add the carom or fenugreek seeds and swirl for 30 seconds, then add the salmon, skin-side down, and spoon its marinade around it. Cook for 3–4 minutes each side, or until just cooked through (or cooked to your liking). To serve, spoon some rice on warm serving plates. Top with the fish and spoon around the sauce from the salmon. Serve with some roasted cherry tomatoes. [image: image] Prawns, rice and spices. What more to say? I love this dish and, though I've put it in here as a main course, I'm a greedy so-and-so – I eat this as a side dish! A helping of pilaf, a couple of roasted Toulouse sausages, a dollop of crème fraîche on the side. Wonderful. [image: image] SERVES 4 50g (2oz) butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 small carrot, roughly chopped 1 tsp tomato purée 1 litre (1¾ pints) chicken or vegetable stock 350g (12oz) basmati rice 5 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 3 cloves 3 cardamom pods, bruised with a rolling pin 10cm (4in) piece cinnamon stick, broken into 4 pieces ½ tsp turmeric 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 400–500g (14oz–1lb 2oz) peeled, raw prawns 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 3 plum tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and diced juice of 1 lemon (optional) salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Heat a large pan and melt half of the butter in it, add the onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat for 6–7 minutes until lightly browned. Add the tomato purée and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. 2 Strain the stock into a measuring jug; you need 650ml (1 pint 2fl oz) of strained stock. If there is more than this, return it to the pan and boil rapidly until reduced to this amount; if less than 650ml, then top up with more fresh stock. (You can keep the leftover onions and carrots and use them as a side dish with another meal.) 3 Rinse the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs relatively clear. Melt the remaining butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan and add the garlic, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and fry gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cook for a further minute. 4 Add the rice and stir well to coat. Add the strained stock, season with salt and bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down to the slightest simmer, put a lid on the pan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes – do not lift the lid during this time. After 10 minutes the rice should be cooked and fluffy and all the moisture absorbed; if not, place the lid back on and leave on a very low heat for a further 2–3 minutes. 5 Heat the rapeseed oil or vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they have turned pink and are cooked through. Strain off any liquid. 6 Uncover the rice and gently stir in the hot prawns, coriander, diced tomatoes and lemon juice, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. [image: image] [image: image] Cinnamon is a warm, earthy and sweet spice, fragrant, with hints of citrus and clove. We bake with it in the West: it's good in drop scones, Christmas buns and cakes. My mum used to put it in her shortbread, which my friends didn't like (an Indian step too far, perhaps), but it shows that she was definitely reintroducing the Brits to spices before I was! It appears in desserts, fruit pies, crumbles (wonderful with rhubarb or apple), and mulled drinks (great in the spiced rum here). I like it with black pepper and mint in a dish of strawberries, and who doesn't appreciate teatime buttered toast sprinkled with ground cinnamon! In the subcontinent, cinnamon is used in curries, and meat and poultry stews of all kinds: its distinctive flavour can be found in a wide range of dishes. Cinnamon is ground in garam masala. We used it in a masala paste for lamb meatballs (see here), but if you kept excess paste in the fridge (covered with a little oil), you could smear it over pork chops or chicken legs for a simple, instant spicy dinner. True cinnamon – Cinnamomum verum – comes from Sri Lanka. Like cassia (see here), the spice is the aromatic bark of an evergreen tree belonging to the laurel family. Cinnamon is harvested from young trees, which are coppiced to keep them small. Shoots grow from the cut bases, and are harvested in the rainy season at six months. The outer bark is removed and discarded, and the inner bark is cut from the trunk – a highly specialised job, requiring a lot of skill. This very thin inner bark is then packed together with other shoot layers and left to dry, at which point they curl up into the familiar quill shape of the spice. (Cinnamon can be differentiated from cassia because of these thin layers; cassia has only one thickish layer.) They're then cut down to size before being sold, but these quills can actually be up to a metre long, something that amazed the team when we filmed the television series! To give the bark time to grow again, the tree is left to regenerate for a couple of years: amazingly, a good tree can produce for up to 200 years. Cinnamon and cassia have been known and used in cooking and medicine for thousands of years, by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and are mentioned in old Chinese and Indian medical texts. Cinnamon is frequently used in masala chais, or spiced teas, and the principal importer of cinnamon is said to be Mexico, where it is frequently used to flavour drinks of coffee and chocolate. Even stirring your own coffee, tea or hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick could spice up your cuppa quite a bit… [image: image] Stuffed king prawns are hugely popular in Goa, and several recipes have evolved there. Here is my own, taken from various experiences meeting some fabulous cooks, and trying my best to learn a few bits and bobs here and there. This is traditionally cooked in banana leaf and served with a coconut curry, but I've found that foil parcels give perfect results. [image: image] SERVES 2 3–4 large uncooked king prawns, shell on ½–1 unwaxed lemon, juice extracted and skins reserved, plus extra juice to serve ½ tsp turmeric 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil 1–2 green chilli, seeds removed if liked, finely chopped 3 large cloves garlic, crushed ½ green pepper, cut into small dice 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tomato, skinned, de-seeded and chopped 15–20 cooked and peeled medium prawns, finely chopped 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 1 hard-boiled egg, white only, chopped ½ tsp lime juice salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 To prepare the king prawns, remove the shells. With a small, sharp knife, slit each prawn lengthways from head to tail; go right to the bottom of the flesh but make sure you don't separate the two halves entirely. With the tip of the knife, remove the black vein along the back. Cut off the head, then open the prawns out like a butterfly and skewer each one from head to tail. 2 Make a marinade by mixing together the lemon juice and turmeric with some salt and pepper. Rub this all over the skewered prawns and set them aside while you cook the filling. 3 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the chilli and garlic for 1 minute, then add the green pepper and onion and continue to cook for about about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the cumin and ground coriander and cook for a further minute. Add the chopped tomato and turn the mixture out into a flat dish to cool. 4 Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/gas 1. When the pepper and onion mixture is cool, mix in the chopped prawns and all the remaining ingredients, and season to taste. 5 Place each skewered king prawn on a piece of aluminium foil and spread the spiced prawn mixture on each one, covering evenly. Fold each prawn lightly in foil to make a parcel. Measure 150ml (¼ pint) water in a jug and rub the reserved lemon skin between your fingers in the water to extract as much flavour from the rind as possible. 6 Take a baking tray and sprinkle the lemon liquid on the bottom, then place the prawns in their foil parcels on top and cook for 12–15 minutes. Check one parcel to ensure that the king prawn is cooked – the parcels may need a few minutes more in the oven. Serve with an extra spritz of lemon juice. Enjoy the prawns with either some rice or crusty bread. [image: image] This simple crab cake recipe works best with a combination of white and brown crab meat – but if you want to create a visually dazzling dish then tip the balance even further in favour of the white meat. This is derived from a classic dish, but I've put my own spin on it – I'm sure the traditionalists will complain… [image: image] SERVES 4 AS A MAIN, MORE AS A STARTER OR CANAPÉ 1–2 tbsp pure coconut oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil ½ tsp black mustard seeds ½ tsp dried white lentils, or yellow split peas ½ tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp finely chopped or grated fresh root ginger 1 tbsp chopped fresh green chilli 6 baby red shallots, finely chopped (or 2 small red onions) ¼ tsp asafoetida (optional) 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or use 2 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut, soaked for 30 minutes in 50ml/2fl oz warm water) 1 tbsp diced fresh tomato 250g (9oz) fresh white crab meat 1 tbsp fresh brown crab meat 1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh coriander 3 large floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2–3 curry leaves, shredded (optional) plain flour, to dust 2 eggs, beaten 200g (7oz) breadcrumbs, rice flour or medium semolina rapeseed oil or vegetable oil, for shallow frying juice of 1 lime, to drizzle salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 For this recipe it's particularly handy to have all the ingredients prepared and in little bowls or ramekins, so that everything is to hand once cooking is underway. Heat the oil in a wok until nearly at smoking point – watch it carefully – and then ensure the heat is medium. Toss in the mustard seeds and cover loosely with a lid, so that the mustard seeds are contained when they start to pop. 2 When the seeds start to release a nutty aroma and the popping reduces, add the dried white lentils or yellow split peas and stir with a wooden spoon for a few seconds. They should change colour slightly and at that point add the cumin seeds, stir for a very few seconds, then add the ginger, chilli, shallots and asafoetida. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes or so, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent and soft. 3 Add the coconut and cook for a couple of minutes. The coconut should toast a little, and there should be very little liquid in the wok. Add the diced tomato and both crab meats, and mix well, cooking until the mixture is heated through. Finally add the coriander and some salt, and transfer to a bowl to cool. 4 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until soft. Drain them in a colander and return them to the pan on the heat for 1–2 minutes to dry out. Mash them, with a potato ricer if you have one, and season with a little salt and some pepper to taste. Mix in the shredded curry leaves, if using. 5 There are two ways to make the fishcakes: either mix together the mashed potato and crab mix; or shape some potato on your palm, place some crab filling, and add more potato to seal. Choose your method and make the fishcakes to your preferred size. 6 Pat the fishcakes with a little flour, dip them briefly in the beaten egg and finally into the breadcrumbs, rice flour or semolina. If you have the time to spare, put them into the fridge for half an hour to firm up. 7 Heat a large non-stick frying pan, add a good splash of oil and fry the fishcakes for a few minutes on each side, until they are browned and warmed through; you may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Drain on kitchen paper and spritz with a little lime juice before serving. Serve with a little mayonnaise or perhaps with some Coriander Coalishlaw (see here). [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] The respect that Tony and I have for the cockles pickers of the Gower peninsula is unconditional. We spent a morning working with them and learnt so much – so I would like to dedicate this recipe to the amazing local folk who harvest these tiny pots of delicious golden meat. My recipe is as simple as simple can be, but do try to get the best smoked paprika and some good garlic; it really does make all the difference. Enjoy every morsel with some good crusty bread. [image: image] SERVES 4 AS A STARTER, 2 FOR LUNCH 1kg (2lb 4oz) uncooked cockles or mussels in the shell 60ml (2¼fl oz) white wine a few sprigs of coriander, to garnish FOR THE BUTTER 3 tbsp lightly salted butter, softened 2 small garlic cloves, grated 1 tbsp lime juice ½ tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander freshly ground black pepper 1 In a small bowl, mix together well all of the ingredients for the butter, then set aside at room temperature 2 Rinse the cockles or mussels in a few changes of cold water to get rid of any grit, and drain thoroughly. Put them in a casserole pan with a tight-fitting lid and add the white wine, cover and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Take care not to overcook them, but check that most shells have opened. 3 With a slotted spoon, transfer all of the cockles or mussels to another bowl, retaining the juices in the hot pan. Over a high heat, reduce the juices to 1–2 tablespoons. Meanwhile, discard any cockles or mussels that did not open, and set aside a few that did open. From the remaining opened shells, remove the meat and put into a bowl. 4 Add the reduced juices to the butter and mix well. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add half of the butter mixture and the cockles or mussels, and toss for a few minutes. Add some more butter and toss for 1 minute more; ensure all are piping hot before removing from the heat. Serve over some greens, or inside a hollowed-out crusty white roll, and garnish with coriander and a few cockles or mussels in the shells. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] When I was little, my family was quite poor. My mum had to be very imaginative, sometimes with quite limited ingredients. For instance, she used to make a salmon curry-stew from the heads and bones, something the fishmonger would probably throw away. We even sucked the marrow out of the larger spine bones. We ate crab and mussels too as well as a curry Mum made from smoked cod's roe, and we also had cockles from time to time. Sometimes we would find fresh cockles, but we usually had them pickled. The cockles are boiled, then seasoned with malt vinegar and white pepper. These are the traditional British cockles sold at seaside stalls and in sea-front chippies: eaten from a small container with a little plastic two-pronged fork. Sadly, most of the fresh cockles gathered from our shores are now shipped to France, Holland and Spain (as are oysters, langoustines and scallops). Apart from in Wales, of course, where a traditional Welsh breakfast is cockles, laverbread (a local seaweed, known in Japan as nori), and bacon. [image: image] The dominant vinegar flavour may be traditional, but I like to play around with the sweetness of cockles – and of other bivalves, even prawns – and cook them with perhaps lime or lemon juice instead of vinegar, and also give them a bit of a bite with some chilli. Ginger would be good too, as would capers. You could also use them to make a pasta sauce, Italian style. We visited the Gower peninsula in Wales to see cockles being harvested. I don't envy those boys gathering the cockles from the mud (into which I nearly fell, tweed two-piece kilt and all). It's a really hard life, getting up and out for four in the morning, in all weathers, for less than 50p per kilo. There are 30 families involved in the Gower organisation, many of them fourth generation. We cooked a cockle stew afterwards, using smoked paprika and some fresh coriander. It was delicious! And you can either serve them in their shells for a special meal (see here), or if you want to try a twist on this you could even shell them; the sweet spiced meat would make an amazing filling for a crusty bread roll. And as if spicing up cockles wasn't enough, when in Hastings we even spiced up that favourite British seaside takeaway, fish and chips with mushy peas (see here and here for our recipes). Cyrus marinated white fish with turmeric, cumin, coriander and chilli powder before he battered and fried it. The chips were fried conventionally, but then he sprinkled them with chilli and cumin for a little lift. I added my bit with spiced mushy peas, which were spiked with tamarind instead of vinegar, and made unctuous with butter, like the best mashed potato. When we served them up to the hungry locals we suspected the fish might not be the only thing to get battered, but thankfully the bevy of bikers who tasted our spicy take on their favourite dish gave us the thumbs up! [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] Recipe List Chicken Liver Parfait with Ginger Punch Bombay Coronation Chicken Tandoori-Roasted Chicken Colonel Singh's Spiced Wings Easy Peasy Chilli Chicken Pot-Roasted Thighs with Mushrooms & Mash Chicken Breast Made Sexy Roast Maple & Chilli Chicken with Polenta Honey-Roasted Chicken with Outstanding Roasties Ginger Chicken Escalopes Turkey Tikka An old standard, you can't go far wrong with chicken liver parfait. Here, we've spiced it up by adding a ginger kick. The fiery sweetness of the preserved ginger means that you don't need to serve this with a chutney on the side – so it's brilliant for taking on picnics. You can replace the ginger with cognac-soaked sultanas, if you fancy something a bit different. [image: image] SERVES 4–6 AS A STARTER 6 rashers streaky bacon 300g (10½0z) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 1 onion, sliced 400g (14oz) chicken livers, trimmed, rinsed and cleaned 8 garlic cloves 100ml (3½fl oz) whisky 100ml (3½fl oz) ruby port 1 bay leaf sprig of thyme pinch of grated nutmeg pinch ground cinnamon 100g (4oz) preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Line a terrine dish, or a 600ml (1 pint) casserole dish, with the bacon rashers so that the slices only just overlap. Grease a piece of aluminium foil that will cover the dish. 2 Pour one tablespoon of the melted butter into a frying pan and cook the onion until softened but not browned. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat another tablespoon of the melted butter and cook the chicken livers and garlic for a few minutes on each side, or until lightly browned but still pink in the centre. Set the livers aside and discard the garlic. 3 Add the whisky and port to the onions, then the bay leaf and thyme, and boil until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Strain the whisky and port liquid onto the warm chicken livers. Discard the onions and herbs. Put a kettle on to boil. 4 Place the livers and liquid into a food-processor and purée. While the mixture is being processed, slowly add two-thirds of the remaining melted butter – it's important to do this slowly, otherwise the mixture will curdle. 5 When all of the butter has been incorporated, stir in the nutmeg and cinnamon and pass the mixture through a sieve into a jug. Pour into the lined terrine or casserole dish and cover the dish with the greased foil. 6 Place a large roasting tin in the oven and place the terrine into it. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the terrine dish. Cook for 40 minutes or until just set. 7 Remove the terrine from the oven, sprinkle the stem ginger on top and pour over the remaining melted butter. Set the parfait aside to cool. Once cool, place in the fridge and leave overnight. To serve, slice the parfait and serve with lettuce leaves and crisp sourdough toast. [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] [image: image] The Coronation chicken usually found in Britain is often sweeter and jammier than the Indian creation, but this recipe brings flavours that are truly resplendent. It uses a whole chicken, much more than is needed for a few sandwiches, but enough for six as a filling salad; any left over can fill sandwiches. If you want to use up some leftover roast chicken, braise it gently as below before mixing it with the mayonnaise dressing. [image: image] SERVES 6 AS A SALAD 3 tbsp sunflower oil 7.5cm (3in) piece cinnamon stick or cassia bark, broken in half 6 black peppercorns 3 small bay leaves 2 red onions, chopped 7.5cm (3in) piece fresh root ginger, cut into small pieces 1 tsp cur