Indian made easy
Indian food is loved by millions of people who have never visited the sub-continent but have been enticed by the smells and tastes of its wonderful cuisine. Being born and brought up in the United Kingdom, I have witnessed the evolution in British eclectic palates to the extent that today, Indian food is regarded as the country’s most popular cuisine. Think of all the succulent and aromatic dishes you have relished in your favourite restaurant. Now think of the joy of serving up these recipes at your own table. The fear that most people have about cooking Indian food is born from their thinking that it involves numerous spices and is time-consuming. This is a myth.
In reality, cooking Indian food uses a very basic technique and the proportion of spices should be added to suit individual taste. A trip to the Asian stores scattered in little Indias nationally, or even online from Indian spice companies, should equip you with your spices – many of which can be blended in one ingredient known as garam masala, leaving others to be stored ready to use.
Being a working mother of three young children I realise the importance of being able to cook dishes for their simplicity, but they have to be full of flavour. I love Indian food, and these recipes, from my new book, have been a real culinary journey for me, as I hope they will be for you.
Perfectly Easy Indian Food, by Shahnaaz Ayub, with photography by James Collier, is published by Clink Street Publishing, priced £19.99.
Pumpkin soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
Method
Heat the oil and fry the onions and the bay leaves until soft. Purée the ginger, garlic and chilli in a small electric grinder, then add to the pan and fry for 1 min.
Add the pumpkin and fry for 2 to 3 mins. Add the tomato, coriander and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 mins. Remove the bay leaves. Purée in a blender and thin the mixture with a little stock, if necessary. Reheat, gently stirring in the cream, lemon juice and salt to taste.
Monkfish kebabs
Serves 4
Ingredients
Method
Mix the lime juice, mint, fresh coriander, chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, ground coriander and a pinch of salt in a large shallow and nonmetallic dish. Add the fish and stir to coat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in a cool place for 30 mins. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in a bowl of warm water while the fish is marinating to prevent them charring under the grill.
Preheat the grill to medium. Drain the fish and reserve the marinade. Thread the monkfish, peppers, mushrooms, baby sweetcorn and tomatoes on to the skewers. Brush the kebabs with any remaining marinade and the sunflower oil and cook under the preheated grill, turning and basting frequently, for about 10 mins or until cooked. Garnish with lime wedges and coriander sprigs when ready to serve.
For more recipes, follow Shahnaaz Ayub on Twitter: @ShahnaazAyub and on Facebook under Perfectly Easy Indian Food
In reality, cooking Indian food uses a very basic technique and the proportion of spices should be added to suit individual taste. A trip to the Asian stores scattered in little Indias nationally, or even online from Indian spice companies, should equip you with your spices – many of which can be blended in one ingredient known as garam masala, leaving others to be stored ready to use.
Being a working mother of three young children I realise the importance of being able to cook dishes for their simplicity, but they have to be full of flavour. I love Indian food, and these recipes, from my new book, have been a real culinary journey for me, as I hope they will be for you.
Perfectly Easy Indian Food, by Shahnaaz Ayub, with photography by James Collier, is published by Clink Street Publishing, priced £19.99.
Pumpkin soup
Serves 4 Ingredients
- 450g pumpkin, weighed after peeling and removing the seeds and diced (or butternut squash if pumpkin is not in season)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tbsp chopped ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 green chilli
- 1 tomato, skinned and chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 tbsp single cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Method
Heat the oil and fry the onions and the bay leaves until soft. Purée the ginger, garlic and chilli in a small electric grinder, then add to the pan and fry for 1 min.
Add the pumpkin and fry for 2 to 3 mins. Add the tomato, coriander and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 mins. Remove the bay leaves. Purée in a blender and thin the mixture with a little stock, if necessary. Reheat, gently stirring in the cream, lemon juice and salt to taste.
Monkfish kebabs
Serves 4Ingredients
- 350g monkish, cubed
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
- 2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
- salt to taste
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 8 button mushrooms
- 8 baby sweetcorn, quartered
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- lime wedges and fresh coriander sprigs to garnish
Method
Mix the lime juice, mint, fresh coriander, chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste, ground coriander and a pinch of salt in a large shallow and nonmetallic dish. Add the fish and stir to coat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in a cool place for 30 mins. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in a bowl of warm water while the fish is marinating to prevent them charring under the grill.
Preheat the grill to medium. Drain the fish and reserve the marinade. Thread the monkfish, peppers, mushrooms, baby sweetcorn and tomatoes on to the skewers. Brush the kebabs with any remaining marinade and the sunflower oil and cook under the preheated grill, turning and basting frequently, for about 10 mins or until cooked. Garnish with lime wedges and coriander sprigs when ready to serve.
For more recipes, follow Shahnaaz Ayub on Twitter: @ShahnaazAyub and on Facebook under Perfectly Easy Indian Food