RAIN OR SHINE

Asma Khan, one of the UK’s most prominent female chefs and owner of the Darjeeling Express restaurant in London, shares recipes and family stories in Monsoon (DK, $39.99)

SHIMLA MIRCH PANEER TARKARI

5 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

2 dried red chiles

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2½ lb bell peppers of different colours (to suit your preference), washed, cored, seeds removed, and cut into 1-in squares

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp chili powder

1½ tsp salt

500g paneer, roughly crumbled (an interesting swap is chopped hard-boiled eggs or canned sweet corn)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped cilantro, to garnish

For the roasted spice mix

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

1-in cinnamon stick, broken into small pieces

4 whole cloves

8 peppercorns

2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over a low to medium heat. Add all the ingredients for the roasted spice mix to the pan and keep stirring to ensure they all roast evenly, about 3-5 minutes. All the spices will darken a couple of shades and some of the oil-based spices, like the cloves, will release a distinctive, smoky aroma. Transfer the roasted spices to a plate and spread them out so they cool down faster.

Once cool, transfer the spices to a grinder and pulse in short bursts to help break down the cinnamon and cardamom. The aim is to get a rough powder. If there are stubborn bits of cinnamon or cardamom that are not powdered, discard them.

Warm the oil in a karai or wok over a medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, then add the whole dried chiles followed by the garlic. Stir until the garlic is tinged brown at the edges. Add all the cubes of bell pepper and continue to stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric, chili powder, and salt, and stir-fry for a few more minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the ground roasted spice mix and keep stirring. When the edges of the pepper cubes start to curl (the pepper should still be a bit crunchy), add the crumbled paneer (or chopped eggs/sweet corn) and stir for a couple more minutes so that the paneer is evenly distributed. Add the lemon juice and stir well.

Taste for seasoning, garnish with the chopped cilantro, and serve. If you are making this dish in advance, add the lemon juice and herbs after reheating the peppers.

OMELETTE CURRY

For the gravy:

½ cup (100ml) vegetable oil

1-in (25-cm) cassia bark (or cinnamon stick)

2 bay leaves

½ cup (150g) Spanish onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

½ lb fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp sugar (any type)

½ cup (120ml) water

1 tbsp lemon juice

For the omelette:

6 large eggs

2 tbsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 green chiles, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Start by preparing the gravy. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the cassia bark and bay leaves, followed by the sliced onions. Stir the onions until they start to turn dark brown, ensuring they cook evenly. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, and stir for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir for a few minutes before adding the chili powder, salt, and sugar. Add the measured water and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.

While the gravy is simmering, prepare the omelette. It maybe easier to make two omelettes if you have a small or medium frying pan. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the salt and pepper to the eggs and whisk again before pouring into the pan. Sprinkle over the green chiles and cilantro, and cook until the eggs are set. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

When cool to the touch, cut the omelette into thick strips. Ideally you want to have six thick strips. If you cut the strips too thin, they will break up and disintegrate in the gravy.

Remove the lid from the gravy and stir. If there is still a lot of liquid, increase the heat and let it evaporate. The gravy should have the consistency of thick soup.

Add the omelette strips and stir to cover all the strips with the gravy. Add the lemon juice, taste for seasoning, and serve warm.

KITCHEN TABLE

RAIN OR SHINE

SHIMLA MIRCH PANEER TARKARI

OMELETTE CURRY