Good to be back here! It’s a long shift in my kitchen tonight as I prep for a private catering event later today. Christmas parties everywhere! The biriyani masala mix is well under way, wafting its aromas at this rather ungodly hour 😳 While I wait, having of course done all my chopping, I thought […]
Mattar Pulao (Peas Pilau)
Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 35 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients 2 cups Basmati Rice 1/2 cup frozen peas 4 tbsp vegetable oil 1 medium onion, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1″ root ginger, minced 1 bay leaf 1″ stick cinnamon 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 cups hot water salt to taste How to […]
Mackerel with Spinach (Macher Chorchori)
Based on the traditional Bengali dish known as ‘chorchori’ (medley) this is variation which I learnt to cook from my father, a master of culinary creativity. An easy to cook recipe bursting with flavour and goodness. Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 30 mins Serves: 2 3 tbsp oil 1 tin mackerel fillets in brine, […]
Aloo Bhorta
Aloo Bhorta (spicy mashed potato) is a timeless comfort food which can be enjoyed equally with rice or rotis. As a Bengali, my staple meal growing up consisted of boiled rice and my mum often prepared this bharta in traditional Bengali style, either using mustard oil as a base or ghee; the latter treating one’s […]
Shobji Bhaji (Vegetable Stir Fry)
Sometimes there really is nothing like good old Bengali cooking. This is a very simple, yet beautifully presentable recipe, representative of the staple ‘dry’ vegetable dish served with every Bangladeshi meal. The panch phoron seeds lend a wonderfully aromatic flavour that is so typical of Bengali cooking. The key here is to stir fry the […]
My Chicken Curry
I used to love my Mum’s simple chicken curry with its distinctive flavour of green peppers and whole spices. Ironically though, when visiting my parents’ home, Mum would often ask me to make ‘my’ chicken curry to give her respite from her own cooking. Now let’s get this right, my version of chicken curry is based […]
Chasing away the wintry blues
I had promised myself an early night, but instead, I found myself writing up recipes for this week’s advanced class and then landing here. Oh well, so much for catching up on sleep… With the chilly weather and uninspiring November rain settling in, we look for pleasure in creature comforts, being the forever wanting mortals […]
All Things Chai…
Chai for me is to be enjoyed on its own. Simple. No food required. I often long for a ‘dhaba’ (roadside restaurant) style desi (with reference to all things South Asian) chai. The last time I enjoyed the authenticity of sitting by a roadside kiosk at dusk, sipping a hot, sweet masala chai, was during […]
Bengali Fish Curry
The simplicity of this basic Bengali fish curry is its greatest appeal. It is mouth-wateringly flavoursome and when served with boiled rice is indulgently reminiscent of my mother’s cooking… Cooking Time: approx. 45 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients FOR THE FISH 6-8 medium pieces white fish 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp ground cumin […]
Spicy Fried Aubergines
Inspired by my recent trip to the beautiful city of Istanbul, I present to you this timeless vegetarian recipe, simple yet appealing as an accompaniment to pilau rice. Cooking Time: approx. 45 minsServes: 3-4 Ingredients 1 large aubergine (eggplant) 6 tbsp vegetable oil plus more as needed 1 tsp garlic and ginger paste 1/2 tsp […]