Ottolenghi tandoori confit chickpeas

[StrawberryEater]

I know this is a popular recipe amongst MNetters. I have tried it recently and loved it.

I want to make it but this time for a large group so need to make twice as much. Normally I’d double a recipe to make double the quantity, but given the amount of aromatics used, think this might not be the right recipe to do that with. I mean, 22 cloves of garlic and 6 red chillies seems a LOT, even if you double the chickpeas! Ditto the oil. Obviously in a one pot dish, you don’t always simply double all the quantities.

Anyway, am hoping someone has tried this and can share tips/suggestions please?

Thanks!

I haven't doubled it but as a rough rule of thumb when I'm doubling recipes I follow this advice..

How to Double Cooking Recipes
In cooking, some ingredients are less sensitive to scaling than others. It's usually safe to go ahead and simply multiply by two for base ingredients like vegetables, broth, and protein, but for flavor elements (like spices) it's better to start by multiplying by 1.5 and then tasting and adjusting from there, especially if you're not always precise about leveling off measuring spoons. Some flavors punch above their weight more than others — like salt or anything spicy — and in too large of a concentration, can really overpower a dish, whereas others that are more subtle — like parsley — won't be too noticeable if you go overboard. Any alcohol in a recipe should also first be doubled by 1.5 and then adjusted from there if needed, with the same concerns about over concentrated flavors as with pungent spices

Thank you @BigDahliaFan. Given it is a recipe that slow cooks over a couple of hours, I’m not quite sure it is something that can be tasted and adjusted as I go along - some things like the salt can be added at the end if incorrect, but the whole dish really falls or stands on the ingredients being cooked together for a long time. That said, the advice you have set out is really helpful as a general principle. I might just have to make some instinctive guesses and keep my fingers crossed!

Silly suggestion perhaps, but could you make the exact recipe in two pans then just stir them together at the end? You know the proportions work in the recipe.

Nothing silly about that, I'd do it.

I've made this a few times. I'd definitely double the garlic because I love it and you want everyone to have some cloves.

I'd probably do 1.5 times the oil and chilli. I don't think you'd need twice the oil. The chilli infuses throughout the oil and adding lots more will make it hotter which you don't want.

I love this dish. I’ll have the other half thanks x

I made this a few times after seeing this on mumsnet a few months ago. It was very spicy and I am Indian! You could probably tone down the herbs and oil ie use one quantity if you are making a double portion.

Is the chilli essential to this dish? Veggie sil is coming for dinner but she's allergic to chilli.

I don’t think that’s silly at all. It’s a great idea. But I don’t think I have 2 casserole dishes.

I think so. The chilli imparts flavour, not just heat.

I definitely won’t double the number of chillies, but will probably use 1.5x as someone else suggested. I didn’t find the dish too hot when I made it. I’m also Indian and think of myself as a bit of a wimp when it comes to chillies compared to my family, so maybe you were using ones which were too hot?