Elegant Indian

Fans of the blog (and close friends of mine) know that I was lucky enough to attend a masterclass with Atul Kochhar last week at his restaurant Benares in London. A great time was had by all. A few of the recipes he demoed were actually based on recipes he submitted for Great British Menu, a show in which chefs from around the UK compete against one another to earn the right to cook a dish at some event (the event changes each year). Anyhow, now that I had the knowledge, I had to cook this stuff up.

I can't tell you how wonderfully everything tasted. It is just such INTERESTING food, with the harmony of spices, contrasts in temperature.... I could go on. In all, we were all VERY pleased with how it all turned out. Prepping most of it ahead of time was the key.

Starter: Crisp-Fried Spicy John Dory with Grilled Tomato Chutney, Cucumber Salad and Crushed Peas (Machchi Amritsari)
JOHN DORY
4x120 g John Dory fillets, skin on (or any white fish - I used sea bass)
1 tablespoon lime juice
groundnut oil for deep-frying
1 teaspoon chaat masala
salt and pepper

CUCUMBER SALAD
1 small cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into julienne
2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and cut into julienne
½ medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
10 sprigs cilantro

DRESSING
2 tablespoons chilli jam
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil

GRILLED TOMATO CHUTNEY
4 medium tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small green chile
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted, crushed
2 tablespoons lime juice

BATTER
1 ½ teaspoons each ginger and garlic pastes, mixed together
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon red chile powder or crushed black pepper
¼ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon mango powder
¼ teaspoon ajwain seeds (optional)
100 g gram flour
1 tablespoon cornflour
120 ml sparkling water

CRUSHED PEAS
100 g freshly shelled peas
15 g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pinch asafoetida
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon red chile flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon single cream

Mix together all the ingredients for the cucumber salad. In a separate bowl, mix the dressing, adding just enough lime juice and oil to slacken the jam, and to your taste. Chill the salad and dressing.

Preheat the grill. To make the tomato chutney, lay the whole tomatoes and garlic on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Grill until well charred. Peel the garlic, then place on a large board with the grilled tomatoes and the rest of the chutney ingredients. Chop together finely to combine. (Or pulse in a food processor to a chutney consistency.) Keep chilled until required.

Marinate the fish in the lime juice with a pinch of salt for 20 minutes.

To make the batter. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then slowly pour in the sparkling water, whisking as you do so. Wipe the fish with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture, then add to the batter. Leave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the crushed peas. Lightly blanch the peas in boiling salted water for 1 minute, then drain. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the asafoetida and, as it foams, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the chile flakes and the blanched peas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the stock and cream, and season. Remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, crush the peas. Keep warm while you fry the fish.

Heat some groundnut oil in a large wok over a medium heat, then deep-fry the fillets for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crisp on both sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with the chaat masala.

To serve, toss the cucumber salad with dressing to taste. Spoon the crushed peas onto large warm plates. Place the fish on top, then pile some of the cucumber salad on the fish. Spoon a little tomato chutney around the plate.

Main: Tandoori Chicken with Black Lentil Sauce and Herb Pulao and Mango-Apple-Rocket Salad

CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts, on the bone, skin removed
mixture of melted butter and oil, for basting
1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon chaat masala
salt

FIRST MARINADE
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice

SECOND MARINADE
250 g thick plain yogurt
1 teaspoon GARAM MASALA
100 ml vegetable oil
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 pinch edible red coloring, optional

BLACK LENTIL SAUCE
200 g black lentils
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 green chiles
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
½ green chile, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon GARAM MASALA
½ teaspoon fenugreek leaf powder
30 g butter
2 tablespoons single cream
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

HERB PULAO
15 g butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
100 g sliced onions
1" inch cinnamon stick
2 black cardamoms
1 blade mace
500 g Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 10-20 minutes
3-4 tablespoons mixture of spinach, cilantro and mint, pureed
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese or cream

MANGO-APPLE-ROCKET SALAD
20 g baby rocket leaves
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into julienne
1 green mango, cut into julienne
vinaigrette, made with lime juice

Make three or four deep incisions in each chicken breast, without cutting all the way through. Mix together the ingredients for the first marinade with 1 tsp salt. Rub all over the breasts, then leave in the fridge for 20 minutes so the juices can drain.

Mix the ingredients for the second marinade with 1 tsp salt. Add the chicken and turn to coat, then leave in a cool place for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, make the black lentil sauce. Put the lentils, 2 tbsp oil, the ginger, garlic and whole chillies in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently until the lentils are soft. Discard the garlic and chillies.

Prepare the seasoning by sauteing the cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste and chopped chile in the remaining oil until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and spices.

Add the cooked lentils to the seasoning and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the butter, cream and coriander with salt to taste. Blend with a hand blender to give a sauce consistency. Set aside, and reheat for serving.

Preheat a tandoor until moderately hot or preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

Next make the pulao. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan and fry the onions with the cinnamon, cardamom and mace until golden brown. Add the rice and 1 liter of water with 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan tightly and cook until the rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed. Add the spinach puree and cheese or cream just before serving.

While the rice is cooking, skewer the chicken breasts and cook in the tandoor for 10 minutes. If using an oven, place the breasts on a non-stick baking tray and cook for 3 minutes; reduce the oven heat to 160°C/gas 3 and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Baste the chicken breasts with the butter and oil mixture and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the tandoor or oven, baste the chicken again and sprinkle with the lime juice and chaat masala. Keep hot.

Toss all the ingredients for the salad together.

To serve, ladle the sauce on to four large round plates and spread out to cover. Place a large quenelle of herb pulao in the centre of each plate, set a tandoori chicken breast on the rice and garnish with the rocket and mango salad. Serve with naan.