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A simple syrup of rice vinegar, palm sugar, water and salt is brought to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar, then cooled. Cucumber, shallot and chilli are sliced thin and combined in a small bowl. The cooled syrup is poured over. Rested for 10-15 minutes for the vegetables to wilt slightly into the dressing. Served in small individual ramekins as a dip, OR in a larger bowl as a side, with peanuts sprinkled on top.
Cumin seeds bloom in hot oil; chopped onion is fried until gold; ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chilli and coriander toast briefly; tomato softens into a quick sauce. The potatoes go in first (they need longest), the cauliflower follows; both cook covered until tender, stirred occasionally. Garam masala and chopped coriander at the end.
Whole-wheat (atta) flour is mixed with salt and just enough warm water to make a soft dough; rests for 20 minutes. Potatoes boil whole, peel hot, mash with cumin, garam masala, ginger, green chilli, amchoor and coriander. The dough divides into balls. Each ball flattens into a small disc; a heaped spoon of potato sits in the middle; the dough pleats up around the filling and pinches closed; flattens again carefully; rolls out gently to a 20 cm disc. Each cooks on a hot tawa or non-stick pan with ghee, 2 minutes per side, until crispy and gold.
Achiote seeds are bloomed in hot oil to draw out their deep yellow-orange colour, then strained out so only the tinted oil remains. The oil colours the toasted rice and onion before stock is poured in for the steam. Sweetcorn and peas join the rice during cooking and the finished dish is the colour of a summer evening.
Mexican chorizo is rendered in the pan to release its red, paprika-laden oil. Onion and garlic soften in the oil, then long-grain rice is toasted before tomato puree and stock are poured in to colour and cook the grains. The result is rice the colour of terracotta with a slightly smoky, slightly spicy chorizo backbone running through every bite.
Spinach, coriander, parsley and a charred poblano are blended with chicken stock to make a vivid green cooking liquor. Long-grain rice is rinsed and toasted in oil with onion and garlic, then the green stock is poured in and the rice covered to steam. The grains finish the colour of fresh basil with a clean herbal flavour that pairs with anything off the grill.
A whole aubergine is charred directly over a gas flame until the skin is blackened and the flesh inside is soft. The charred skin is peeled off and the flesh roughly mashed. A masala of onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli and tomato is cooked down to a thick base, and the smoky aubergine flesh is folded through with a finishing touch of garam masala and coriander. Vegetable-side or vegetarian main; the smoke is what makes it.
Potato cubes par-boil for 6 minutes to set the inside, drain, dry. Fried in olive oil at medium-high until deeply golden all sides (15 minutes). Off heat, garlic, coriander, chilli flakes, salt, lemon juice toss through. A handful of fresh coriander leaves on top.
The okra is washed, dried thoroughly and trimmed, then cut into 2 cm pieces. A dry-fry over high heat for 10 minutes cooks away the surface moisture that causes slime. Onion is then browned with whole cumin in a separate go, ginger and garlic added, tomato cooked down with the ground spices, and the dry-fried okra folded in for a final dry simmer. Finished with garam masala, amchur and coriander.
Bombay Potatoes is comfort food at its finest. Small potatoes are partially cooked, then coated in a richly spiced oil infused with seeds and aromatics. Some potatoes are mashed to create a creamy base, while others remain whole for texture. The result is a warm, golden, deeply spiced side dish that's utterly satisfying. This is a vegetarian staple of Indian home cooking.
Boniato is peeled, cubed and simmered in salted water until completely tender. Once drained, the boniato is returned to the warm pot to steam-dry, then mashed with butter, warmed garlic-infused olive oil, sour orange juice (or a lime-and-orange substitute), salt and pepper. The texture should be soft and spoonable, not stiff. Sour orange is the signature; without it the mash tastes flat.
Plain yogurt whisks with a little water (or milk) to a smooth pourable raita texture. Ground roasted cumin, finely chopped mint, salt, sugar (a pinch, balances the sour), and Kashmiri red chilli powder mix in. The boondi (ready-made; sold at Pakistani / Indian shops) folds in 5-10 minutes before serving, too early and they go soggy. Garnished with a sprinkle of cumin and chilli.
Borani banjan is an Afghan aubergine dish that does the same work as a moussaka or a melitzanosalata: pan-fried aubergine slices, a quick spiced tomato sauce, and a generous lid of garlic-and-mint yogurt that bridges all the warm and cold elements. The aubergine slices salt and sweat for half an hour first (which keeps them from drinking too much oil) before they fry hard in olive oil until golden and silky. Onion and tomato cook to a quick sauce with turmeric and a kick of chilli. The aubergine and sauce layer in a wide dish, then the chaka (yogurt whisked with garlic and salt) spoons over the whole thing while it is still warm. Scatter dried mint and drizzle olive oil to finish. Eat warm or at room temperature, with bread.
Courgettes are diced and cooked with onion, garlic and roasted poblano until just tender, then sweetcorn and tomato are added to break down briefly. The dish is finished with crumbled queso fresco and coriander. Cumin and Mexican oregano sit underneath; the courgette stays just shy of mushy.
Small corn tortillas are shallow-fried until golden and crisp. While still hot, they're spread with warm refried beans and topped with crumbled queso fresco. A drizzle of chimol salsa is the standard finish; mantequilla and a slice of avocado are easy luxuries.
Mince browns with onion, garlic, curry powder, ginger and a small chopped chilli; the filling is cooled. Spring-roll pastry strips are folded into triangular pouches around a teaspoon of filling, sealed with a flour-water paste, and deep-fried 170°C until deep gold. Crisp shell, hot savoury inside.
Cooked chickpeas (tinned for speed, OR overnight-soaked and home-cooked for the best texture) toss with diced red onion, finely chopped tomato, small-diced boiled potato and chopped fresh coriander. The dressing: lemon juice, chaat masala (a salty-sour spice mix sold at Pakistani shops), roasted ground cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder and a pinch of salt. Hot chilli sauce and tamarind chutney drizzle on; the chaat tosses; crushed papri tops; eat immediately.
Coriander and parsley leaves blitz briefly in a food processor with garlic, cumin, paprika, saffron, salt and lemon juice. Olive oil drizzles in slowly to emulsify. Tasted; adjusted with more lemon, salt or cayenne. Used straight, or rested for 30 minutes for the flavours to settle. Keeps a week in a jar in the fridge.
Chicken thighs cube small; marinate for 1 hour in yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala and cornflour. Deep-fried in two stages, first to cook through, second to crisp. While the chicken rests, a hot tempering of curry leaves, garlic, dried chillies, soy and vinegar sputters in a wok. The fried chicken tosses through the tempering for 30 seconds and goes straight to the plate.
Chilli and red onion raita is a cooling, yoghurt-based Indian condiment with toasted cumin, fresh coriander, and a gentle heat from green chilli. It provides a refreshing contrast to spicy curries and works equally well as a dip alongside poppadums.