KITCHEN TABLE
SATISFY THAT CRAVING
Craving something salty and savoury, spicy, comforting, special or sweet? Social media superstar Seema Pankhania has got you covered in Craveable (Ten Speed Press, $39.99).
BEET AND FETA CHAAT
Image credit: Craveable by Seema Pankania.
8 oz/225g cooked beets
2 large tomatoes, cored
1 x 14-oz/400g can of chickpeas
½ a red onion
2 green finger chillies or red serrano chillies
A small handful of fresh mint
3 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp honey or brown sugar or agave
½ tsp ground cumin
¾ cup/180g Greek yogurt
100g feta
1 cup/75g Bombay mix or other crunchy, spicy snack mix
A small handful of pomegranate seeds, optional
Salt
Cut the beets into large chunks and the tomatoes into small pieces.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
Finely chop the onion, chillies, and mint.
Make the tamarind dressing by combining the tamarind paste with the honey, 2 tbsp of water, and a pinch of the cumin. Season with salt.
In a bowl combine the beets, tomatoes, chickpeas, and onion and lightly season with salt. Spread the yogurt on your serving plate and top with the beet mixture.
Drizzle the tamarind dressing over the vegetables and crumble on the feta, then sprinkle with the chopped mint and chillies and the Bombay mix.
Finish with the pomegranate seeds, if using, and a sprinkling of the remaining cumin, and enjoy.
FEEL BETTER GINGER AND LIME CHICKEN SOUP
Image credit: Craveable by Seema Pankania.
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 inches ginger, half grated, half finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds – try cumin seeds instead!
1 whole chicken or 4 bone-in chicken thighs
½ head of cabbage
225g small pasta or egg noodles
2 green chillies, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
A small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
¼ cup full-fat yogurt, for serving
Vegetable oil
Salt
Heat a big glug of oil in a large stockpot. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for 3 minutes, then add the turmeric, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and chicken. Pour in cold water so that the chicken is covered. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred the cooked meat, discarding the skin and bones.
Roughly chop the cabbage and add it to the soup. Cook for 10 minutes. In a separate pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, combine the chopped ginger, chillies, and most of the green onions and cilantro in a heatproof bowl. Heat up ½ cup of oil and pour this over the green onion-ginger mixture. Squeeze in the lime juice, then taste and season generously with 1 tsp of salt.
Plate up your soup with pieces of chicken and cooked pasta, then sprinkle with the reserved cilantro and green onions, dollop on the yogurt, and drizzle with the green onion oil.
SMOKY CAULIFLOWER AND PEPPER SHAWARMA BOWL
Image credit: Craveable by Seema Pankania.
4 white pitas
4 tbsp olive oil
2¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
1 400g can of chickpeas, drained
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp dried oregano
Salt
1¾ cups /350g basmati rice
1 tsp ground turmeric
For the sauce
½ cup thick Greek yogurt
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic, grated
To serve
½ a head of lettuce, shredded
1 cucumber, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
A small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Sriracha or your favourite hot sauce
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
Cut the pitas into triangles and toast with 1 tbsp oil and ¼ tsp of the paprika.
On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, bell pepper, and chickpeas. Grate the garlic over the top, add the remaining 2 tsp paprika, the cumin, oregano, 1 tap of salt, and the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil. Rub the spices into the cauliflower well and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked through
Wash the rice and put it into a pan. Add water to the pan, filling to about 2 inches above the rice, then add the turmeric and 1 tsp of salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, decrease the heat to low, put a lid on the pan, and set a timer for 10 minutes. Drain the rice and put it back into the pan with the lid off. Let steam until you’re ready to eat.
Combine the ingredients for the sauce and add 3 to 4 tbsp of water to thin it down if needed. Serve the rice in bowls with the roasted vegetables, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, and pita. Generously drizzle with the sauce and Sriracha and serve.
Craveable by Seema Pankania is published by Ten Speed Press, $39.99.