Chicken tikka masala recipe

Tikka masala is a ubiquitous dish, so much so that nobody is quite sure where the concept and recipe originated. Whether it was India or the UK, there’s no denying that it is a delicious curry.

Serves 4
natural yogurt 250g
garam masala 3 tbsp
ground coriander 2 tbsp
ground ginger 2 tbsp
ground cumin 1 tbsp
smoked paprika 2 tsp
garlic 6 cloves, crushed to a paste
fresh ginger 5cm piece, peeled and grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
chicken breasts 6, chopped into 4cm pieces
sunflower or vegetable oil 4 tbsp
onions 2, peeled and pureed in a food processor or grated
cloves 6
tomato puree 2 heaped tbsp
chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin
double cream 100ml
flaked almonds 75g, toasted, to serve
coriander 1 small bunch, chopped, to serve

Place half the yogurt in a large bowl along with half the ground spices and half the garlic and ginger. Add a generous pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Mix well with a spoon until you reach a smooth consistency.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade coating them well, then cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 4 hours but preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the pureed onion to the oil along with a large pinch of salt. Leave to cook, stirring regularly for 12-15 minutes, by which time the onions should have taken on some colour and become very soft. Add the cloves and the remaining ground spices, garlic and ginger. Continue to fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Add the tomato puree and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Increase the heat and add the tinned tomatoes and marinated chicken. Stir all the ingredients while bringing them to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through. If unsure, pick out the thickest piece and cut it open to check. It’s cooked when the flesh is white throughout.

Stir in the double cream for a little luxury before serving topped with the toasted almonds and chopped coriander.

Lamb doner kebab recipe

 Spiced succulent pieces of grilled lamb served in soft pittas and topped with crunchy salad is similar to the takeaway version in concept, but completely different in terms of flavour.

Serves 4
ground cumin 1 tbsp
olive oil 3 tbsp
garlic 3 cloves, minced
freshly ground black pepper
lamb leg or shoulder steaks 1kg, chopped into 3cm chunks
red onion 1 large, roughly chopped into thin wedges
salt
pitta breads 4 large, to serve
iceberg lettuce ½, shredded, to serve
chilli sauce to serve
garlic and onion dip to serve

Spoon the ground cumin into a bowl along with the olive oil, garlic and a generous amount of pepper. Mix the ingredients together until combined. Add the lamb and red onion. Work the marinade into the meat and onion: this is easily done with a spoon, but I find getting your hands in the mix works best.

Leave the meat to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably overnight. If marinating overnight, ensure the meat is removed from the fridge at least 1 hour before cooking to warm up to room temperature.

When ready to cook, preheat the grill to its highest setting.

Tip the meat and onion onto a tray lined with tin foil and pour over any residual marinade. Season the meat generously with salt at this point and slide the tray under the grill as close to the hot element as possible. Grill for 6-7 minutes on each side, before removing and allowing to rest for 5 minutes – just enough time to prepare the pittas.

Toast the pittas, cut them open and stuff with the shredded lettuce. Fill the pittas with the cooked meat then drizzle with the chilli sauce and garlic and onion dip. Serve your kebabs with not a drunk in sight.

Nadine Ingram’s giant Anzac biscuits

Nadine Ingram, the founder of Sydney’s cult-status bakery Flour and Stone, likes her Anzacs slightly crispier, extra coconutty and XL-sized. “There are many inferior competitors to rival the Anzac biscuit, but none that evoke such a sense of home and country,” she says.

“The pleasing warm smell of golden syrup as they come out of the oven is something I have always loved about them, surpassed only by my occupational advantage of always being able to eat them straight off the baking sheet.”

Makes 12 giant or 24 soldier’s-pocket-sized biscuits

250g unsalted butter
300g golden syrup
2tsp bicarbonate of soda
2tbsp boiling water
250g plain flour
150g light brown sugar
150g desiccated coconut
100g shredded coconut
300g rolled oats
Preheat the oven to 150C and line three baking sheets with baking paper.

Combine the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan and place over medium heat to melt the butter, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, tip the bicarbonate of soda into a small bowl, add the boiling water and mix them together with a small spoon. Place this bowl near the stove, at the ready.

Once you see the butter and golden syrup just beginning to boil remove the pan from the heat and, stirring with a wooden spoon, immediately add the bicarbonate of soda mixture. Mix well, then set aside to cool until just tepid.

Place all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together thoroughly. Pour over the cooled butter syrup and mix it through with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes sticky and everything is well combined.

Flour and Stone cook book cover

For the giant biscuits, scoop half a cup of dough for each biscuit directly on to the prepared baking sheets, then use your fingertips to flatten the dough to a thickness of 3mm, trying to keep them as round as possible. Leave a 5cm gap between each biscuit to allow for spreading. For the pocket-sized biscuits, use a quarter cup-sized measuring cup to portion out the dough. Bake the giant biscuits for 30 minutes and the smaller ones for 20 minutes or until golden. If you prefer your Anzacs crisp, leave them in the oven for a further five minutes.

Remove the biscuits from the oven and slide them on to a wire rack to cool. They will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.