Mehak Kansal
Images and text from Bindas by Mehak Kansal, photography by Sam Folan. Murdoch Books RRP $45.
Simple chicken tikka
This is an easy-peasy chicken tikka recipe that you can simply throw together and pop into the oven with minimal fuss: perfect for a midweek family dinner.
Serves 4
650-700g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp full-fat Greek style yoghurt
2 Tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)
2 Tbsp ghee
2 Tbsp garlic purée
2 Tbsp ginger purée
3 green birds-eye chillies, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garam masala
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 long red Romano peppers, sliced, or 200g (7oz) mini red bell pepper (capsicum)
Olive oil, for drizzling
2½ Tbsp runny honey
Handful of coriander, chopped
Sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
In a bowl, combine the chicken with the yoghurt, tomato paste, ghee, garlic, ginger, chillies, ground spices and lime zest and juice. Mix well, then tip into a baking tray. Scatter the onions and peppers over the top, then drizzle with the olive oil and honey.
Season with salt and bake for 15-20 minutes, then give it all a mix and bake for another 15 minutes.
The chicken should be cooked through, and the onions and peppers should be blistered and caramelised. Scatter over the fresh coriander and serve with your chosen accompaniments.
Goan chicken and prawn satay curry.
Goan chicken and prawn satay curry
This recipe pays homage to the Indian coastline, and Malaysia. This curry is aromatic, sweet, creamy, spicy and moreish.
Goan influences can be seen in the spices, and also the richness of the peanut butter, soy sauce and coconut milk.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp ginger purée
1 Tbsp garlic purée
2-3 red chillies, chopped
500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized chunks
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1-2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
100g green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped
400g can extra-rich coconut milk
2-3 Tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
200g raw king (jumbo) prawns, peeled, deveined and butterflied
Salt
Method
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies, and cook for 5-8 minutes until caramelised and soft.
Add the chicken and spices, and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the peanut butter, green beans, coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil, and season with a generous pinch of salt.
Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, blipping gently, for 8 minutes to reduce.
Once the sauce has thickened and reduced, add the prawns and cook for 1 minute until they are pink and cooked through.
Taste and adjust the sugar, salt and soy sauce as needed until that umami note sings.
Garnish with chopped coriander and red chilli, and serve.
Sweet potato tabbouleh.
Sweet potato tabbouleh
This is my take on the classic Middle Eastern salad, using deliciously spiced sweet potatoes to give it more flavour and dimension.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled
80g bulgur wheat
2 handfuls of parsley, chopped
Handful of mint, chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
6 dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
½ cucumber, chopped into small chunks
For the dressing
juice of 3-4 lemons
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 garlic clove, grated, or 1 tsp garlic puree
½ tsp ground coriander
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave syrup
Salt
Method
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the sweet potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes until soft, then drain and set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into small chunks.
Tip the bulgur wheat into a separate saucepan and add enough cold water to half-fill the pan. Bring to the boil, then cook for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Drain any excess water using a sieve and set aside to cool.
Once cool, add the sweet potato and bulgur wheat to a salad bowl, along with the fresh herbs, onion, apricots and cucumber.
In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning if needed, and enjoy.
