THE SUBTLE POWER OF SPICES

Ireland’s favourite Indian chef Sunil Ghai shares his secrets in Spice Box, published by Penguin, £22.

MURGH KUBANI

100g dried apricots

Put the dried apricots in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak overnight (or for at least 30 minutes).

50 ml vegetable oil

3 green cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1½ tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to taste

3 fresh green chillies, halved lengthways (optional)

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp ground cinnamon

4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into large pieces (50g)

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

Pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp cream or milk

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, plus extra small leaves to garnish

Add the onion and salt and cook for about 10 mins. until softened. Add the green chillies (if using), ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the coriander, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and 50 ml water so that the spices don’t burn. Cook for 1 minute, then add the chicken and tomato and cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil starts to separate out from the sauce around the edges of the pan.

Stir in the soaked and drained apricots and 450 ml water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the saffron with the cream or milk it was soaked in and ½ tsp of salt (or to taste). Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to mash the apricots. The chicken should be tender and completely cooked through.

Stir in the chopped fresh mint, remove the pan from the heat and allow the curry to settle for 5 minutes. Garnish with a few small fresh mint leaves, then serve with boiled basmati rice and warm naan.

TADKA DAL

200g yellow split peas or chana dal

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp fine sea salt

Soak the yellow split peas in a large bowl of cold water for 20 minutes, drain and rinse three times.

Put the drained split peas in a large heavy-based saucepan with 700 ml water along with the garlic, turmeric and salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes, until the split peas are completely soft with absolutely no bite – you should be able to easily crush them between your fingers.

40 ml vegetable oil

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the coriander and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Tadka:

1 medium red onion, finely diced

1-2 fresh green chillies halved lengthways

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp ground turmeric

200g tomato passata or 1x 227g tin of chopped tomatoes

2 knobs of butter

Add the onion and green chillies, increase the heat to high and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to brown the onions. Add the ground spice and cook for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the butter.

10g fresh dill, chopped (stems and all)

Once the yellow split peas are soft, stir in the tadka and the fresh dill. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the dal to settle for 5 minutes.

Serve with plain boiled basmati rice.

ALU BAINGAN

50 ml rapeseed oil

2 fresh or dried red chillies, halved lengthways

2 tsp nigella seeds, plus extra to garnish

2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the red chillies, nigella, fennel, cumin and mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

1 red onion finely diced

1½ tsp fine sea salt

1½ tbsp grated or finely chopped fresh ginger

1½ tbsp grated garlic

1½ tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp paprika

1½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

50g tomato purée

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

1 large potato peeled and cut into small dice

2 aubergines cut into small dice

Add the onion and salt to the spices in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the ground coriander, paprika, cumin and turmeric and 100 ml water so that the spices don’t burn. Cook for a few minutes until the oil starts to separate out around the edges. Add the tomato purée and another 200 ml water and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Stir in the coconut milk, then add the potato. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, then add the aubergines and cook for 15-20 minutes more, still covered, until the vegetables are tender.

Stir every so often so that the curry doesn’t catch at the bottom of the pan.

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander plus extra to garnish

½ tsp fennel seeds, ground in a pestle and mortar

1 lemon wedge

Stir in the cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh coriander and ground fennel and squeeze in the lemon juice. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the curry to settle for 5 minutes.

Garnish with a little more chopped fresh coriander and a pinch of nigella seeds.

Serve with plain boiled basmati rice or warm naan.

KITCHEN TABLE

THE SUBTLE POWER OF SPICES

MURGH KUBANI

TADKA DAL

ALU BAINGAN