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Spicy chana curry, seekh kebabs, pattices, and mango vodka lassi
Serves 8 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 500g chana dal
- 3tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped, then crushed to a paste with a little salt
- 1tbsp freshly ground coriander
- 2tsp freshly ground cumin
- 1tsp hot paprika
- 1½tsp turmeric
- 5 tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 1tsp roasted cumin seeds
- 1tsp garam masala
- juice of ½ lemon
- 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 15g bunch of coriander, leaves picked and chopped
- lemon slices, to garnish
For the pattices
- 1kg King Edward potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces
- 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- large pinch of saffron, soaked in a few tbsp hot milk
- 1cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1tbsp cornflour
- 1tsp chat masala
- 10g bunch of coriander, leaves picked and chopped
- 3tbsp cooked and drained chana dal (taken from curry above)
- sunflower oil, for frying
- a few fried curry leaves, to serve
For the 16 seekh kebabs
- 500g lamb mince
- 25g finely grated paneer
- 1tsp ground cumin
- 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped, then crushed to a paste with 1tsp salt
- 1tsp garam masala
- 15g bunch of coriander, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 16 x 12-15cm bamboo skewers, soaked in just-boiled water until cold
For the mango vodka lassi
- 600ml organic natural yoghurt
- ½tsp sugar
- 250ml mango purée or 1 x 425g canned mango slices in syrup, drained and puréed with a little of the syrup to loosen
- 75ml mango-flavoured vodka
Method
To make the chana curry, rinse the chana dal, put in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer for 35-40 minutes, cooking until just tender (add more cold water if it looks dry; it should be just covered with liquid throughout). When the chana dal is cooked, reserve 3tbsp (leaving the liquid behind) for the pattices. Set aside the remaining mixture.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions and garlic and cook gently for about 8 minutes. When they are soft, add the ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika and turmeric. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the
chana dal with the cooking liquid and 150ml of boiling water. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Roughly crush the roasted cumin seeds and add to the curry along with the garam masala, lemon juice, chillies and ginger. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Check the seasoning and add a pinch of salt if necessary, then the chopped coriander. To serve, divide among individual bowls and top with a small lemon piece.
To make the pattices, put the potatoes in a pan with 1tsp of salt and enough boiling water to cover. Boil for about 15 minutes until soft. Drain well, return to pan and mash with the other ingredients except the reserved chana dal. Shape into 24 balls. Make an indentation in each one and place a little of the chana dal inside, then reshape the ball. Flatten each pattice until about 4.5cm across. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the pattices in batches until golden on both sides. To serve, top with a few fried curry leaves.
To make the seekh kebabs, put the mince in a bowl, add all the other ingredients and mix with your hands to a paste. Using wet hands, divide the mixture into 16 balls and shape each one into a long sausage around the skewers. Chill until ready to cook. Heat the grill to high and lay the skewers over a wire rack set over a large baking tray lined with tinfoil. Grill, about 14cm from the heat source, for about 4½ minutes on each side. Once cooked, the kebabs can be reheated in a steamer for a few minutes before serving.
To make the mango vodka lassi, mix the yoghurt with the sugar and ½tsp salt in a jug, then whisk in 400ml cold water to make a froth on top. Mix the mango purée and vodka together in a bowl and divide among 8 small glasses. Gently pour the yoghurt mixture over the mango layer in each glass and serve.
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