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Original poster

March Cookery Book Club - Made in India and Prashad

208 replies

HuevosRancheros · 01/03/2015 18:32

Welcome to the Mumsnet Cookery Book Club :)

Every month we choose two books to cook from - we aim to cook at least two new recipes during the month, reporting back to the group on how we got on.

This month our books are Made in India by Meera Sodha and Prashad by Kaushy Patel

Recipes are also available on line if you don't have access to the books - Meera Sodha's here and Prashad's here

If you would like to see what we cooked last month, the thread is here

Everyone is welcome, don't be shy :)

OP posts:
antimatter · 08/03/2015 10:36

Ingredients are visible but not the whole method of cooking.
I can only imagine that once spices are grinded and mixed with yoghurt, garlic and onion you rub all that mixture into the chicken and under it's skin, marinate it for 24 hours and roast

Whole roast Masala chicken
Ingredients
1 tbsp cumin seeds
¾ tbsp coriander seeds
5cm cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
50g ground almonds
¼ tsp ground turmeric
4 tbsp whole-milk yoghurt
1¾ level tsp salt
¼ medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 large chicken (around 1.75kg)
Method

  1. Put the cumin seeds and coriander seeds into a dry frying pan over a high heat until the coriander seeds turn from meadow green to a lightly toasted golden colour. Tip the toasted spices into a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, along with the cinnamon stick, cloves and peppercorns,
Pantah630 · 08/03/2015 14:21
  1. Put the cumin seeds and coriander seeds into a dry frying pan over a high heat until the coriander seeds turn from meadow green to a lightly toasted golden colour. Tip the toasted spices into a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, along with the cinnamon stick, cloves and peppercorns, and grind together. Put them into a big bowl and add the ground almonds, turmeric, yoghurt and salt.
  2. Bash the onion and garlic to a pulp with a small pinch of salt, then add this to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
  3. Get an oven dish big enough to fit the chicken in, and line the dish with foil. Make a small slit at the bottom of the chicken breast on both sides, then rub some of the spice marinade between the skin and flesh, getting into the nooks and crannies. Don’t be shy now. Rub the rest of the marinade all over the chicken. Cover with foil and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
  4. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
  5. When the oven is hot, cover the chicken loosely with foil (so that the marinade does not burn) and cook for 1 hour. Remove the foil after an hour and cook for another 20 min to brown it nicely on top.
  6. Check that the chicken is done by piercing a thigh with a knife and making sure that the juices run clear.
Pantah630 · 08/03/2015 14:27

We had the keralan coconut fish curry for lunch, very tasty and I managed to cook despite having a bad case of vertigo as it was quick and easy, I used haddock as no hake available on the fish counter. I bypassed the curry leaves, despite having some in, when I remembered I didn't like the flavour of them when used in a NS Kitchen Diary recipe last year. Will definitely make this again.

couldhavebeenme · 08/03/2015 18:35

Have done the tamarind potato and tomato curry from prashad today. Reduced the chilli significantly to one dried chilli and no chilli powder - this was just right for daughter then I added some chilli flakes for the adults. The amount in the recipe I think would make it very hot! Lovely flavours overall. Served with the raita suggested (cucumber and carrot) and rotli breads. Unfortunately the rotli did not behave as per recipe and I wished I had done the chapatis from made in India instead as they were easy and lovely. However it may be just me rather than the recipe as have made rotli before no problem...these ones were stubborn and refused to puff up, dough very sticky and I did have to swear at them a few times... nothing to do with late pregnancy hormones oh no they tasted fine though!

TwoLittleTerrors · 08/03/2015 19:42

The recipes in prashad is definitely on the hot side. DH loves very spicy food though. (He doesn't think the extra hot in nandos is hot). That's why he loves the food I cook from prashad and fushia Dunlop.

pregnantpause · 08/03/2015 21:21

I made made in India cauliflower, coconut and cashew curry this evening . Had it with the suggested plain basmati. It is delicious, the cashews particularly complimented it. Can't wait to have the leftovers tomorrow. Grin

Pantah630 · 08/03/2015 22:10

That's good pregnant got it on my menu for next week Grin

pregnantpause · 09/03/2015 00:31

Pantah I'm sure you would adjust yourself but, once more I think her oil quantity is extravagant. 4 tablespoons?! I used 2 max. And that's for the cashews ( which I'd usually have dry toasted and next time would dry toast) and the onions combined. Just no need for excess oil swimming around IMO.

I omitted the seeds of the chilli and it was on the mild side so perfect for dc, but with plenty of flavour. I spent an hour preening after dh said that he wished you could order curries like that in a takeout- so there'd be no cooking but all the taste. I love taking credit for recipes that aren't mineWink

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/03/2015 06:58

Oh no, I think I might have to buy Made in India

I knew this would happen! Grin Angry Wink

OP posts:
Pantah630 · 09/03/2015 07:05

Grin Huevos

pregnant I don't go by the quantities of oil either, rarely use more than 1tbsp let alone 4. Will follow your advice re dry frying cashews. Always remove seeds and membrane from chillies here as DH and DS1 don't do hot but love the flavours. I'm really impressed with this book, looking to fit the mushroom pilaf in this week if I get to the shops as well and will be rustling up some chai masala too.

glorious · 09/03/2015 07:44

Same problem here huevos, and I'm wondering whether I can smuggle it onto the shelf without DH noticing. We only have an ancient Madhur Jaffrey book for Indian, so it'll fill a gap right?

Did the pistachio chicken last night which several of you havery done. I really liked it, subtle but still layered spicing and very easy. It was good for 2yo DD who likes a bit of spice but not too much (unless it's wasabi Shock). DH wasn't sure the pistachio came through vs any other nut but I thought they did lend that fragrant sweetness.

Need to do something online from Prashad, off to choose now.

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/03/2015 08:10

It fell into my basket Grin

Deliciously Ella fell in too, giving me free, but delayed, delivery :)

Similar to Anna Jones, from what I can see on her site, so it will be virtuous food to counteract any frying I may happen to do Wink

Mushroom pilaf sounds good, look forward to hearing about that :)

OP posts:
Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/03/2015 08:11

Glorious, I made the chole from Prashad online a while ago, to test-run her recipes before getting the book, and really liked it :)

OP posts:
TwoLittleTerrors · 09/03/2015 08:14

glorious you are the devil for telling me there are curry recipes in the book for 2yo. I'm also thinking how am I going to squeeze this one onto the bookcase. Normally I buy the ebook version, but made in India doesn't have one.

I also just bought myself dim sum
www.amazon.co.uk/Dim-Sum-Small-Bites-Foreword/dp/0857832689

At the same time I'm going through the spring chapter in diana Henry's a change of appetite. I know I don't have the time to cook from made in India but you all make it sound like a must have!

TwoLittleTerrors · 09/03/2015 08:16

I looked at deliciously ella in water stones and I couldn't see myself cooking from it. I just can't get over the amount of raw cocoa the recipes use. They are so expensive.

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/03/2015 08:57

Two you are probably right, but I plan on mostly making savoury things... I am just starting out on veganism, so need some tips on dairy substitutes. Not so bothered about the wheat aspect, but always keen to try new things.

Saying that, I have just treated myself to this smoothie from her blog. Really nice :)
(DD is off sick from school so I am having a treat-breakfast to cheer me up. Tomorrow I plan to have something virtuous with celery in it Grin)

OP posts:
Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/03/2015 09:09

And I'm not sure I believe all the hype around raw cacao powder. I can understand using it in baking where the chemical reaction will be different - e.g. Red velvet cake - which is why I happen to have it in the house.

But if you're just chucking a couple of teaspoons into a smoothie, the extra minerals that you get, that you wouldn't get if you used regular processed cocoa, are minimal imo, you would get those minerals in much larger (meaningful!) quantities from other sources. It's like the Himalayan salt argument, as far as I can see. Yes, it hasn't had the minerals removed, but you use such small quantities if it, the benefits are exceedingly small. But I am happy to stand corrected if there is contrary information out there :)

OP posts:
glorious · 09/03/2015 18:27

Oi don't blame me! Can't guarantee any more toddler friendly ones beyond the pistachio chicken, as I haven't yet got my hands on it... Grin

glorious · 09/03/2015 18:29

But would be interested in your views on the dim sum book, two

BrassicaBabe · 09/03/2015 22:27

Love love the Made In India book.

I had the king prawn with garlic and mustard seeds today as part of my 5:2 diet.

Planning on chapattis and caul/pea/cashew curry tomorrow. (Not a fast day! Although spent time sticking recipes I it MFP to work out calories Grin)

Silverjohnleggedit · 09/03/2015 23:00

Just made the coriander chutney and the coriander chicken curry from Made in India. Another family favourite!

Haywire · 10/03/2015 10:58

Morning all over the last week have made a few things from Made in India

Spicy Lamb burgers with the baked masala chips and her tomato chutney. Really good esp the burgers super flavourful and a bit like a delicious kebab in burger form, a good Friday night tea. Tomato chutney good flavour but too many bits of skin for me often find this with cherry toms.

the coconut fish curry - really lovely, used haddock for this will make again for sure. made her green beans with ginger and mustard with it a good side dish.

the workers curry- basic chickpea curry quite a plain recipe added some spinach as had some to hand in a way quite pleasingly minimal.

hoping this week to try the samosas with beetroot and Feta and perhaps some kind of cauliflower thing.

Deliciously ella fell into my basket recently too but have not had a good look at it yet but does look similarish to Anna Jones.

vixsatis · 10/03/2015 16:11

Made "Mum's chicken curry" from made in India, with an extra chilli. V. good and v. easy

pregnantpause · 10/03/2015 16:37

Made in India Quick fish curry made for lunch for dc and me- it was perfect comfort food. We've had a stomach bug, and this was a perfect light and warming meal now we have our appetites back( not to mention the cod was heartily reduced in lidl) . It's not going to blow anyone away, but is soft warming and easy- and good for dc as there is no heat in it, just warmth.

BrassicaBabe · 10/03/2015 22:53

Chapattis, daily dal and chicken tikka for dinner tonight from Made In India. 'Twas fab!