Waitrose Atul Kochhar's Pappu dosakai (pumpkin with lentils)

http://www.waitrose.com/home/tv/Weekend_Kitchen/atul-kochhar-s-pappudosakaipumpkinwithlentils.html

Recipe - Serves: 4

Ingredients

500g pumpkin or squash
150g yellow split peas (or Bengal gram*)
Pinch of salt
2 green chillies, slit lengthways
2 onions, finely sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground coriander, toasted
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp finely chopped garlic
4 tbsp grated fresh coconut
28g pack coriander, chopped
Thin slices of fresh coconut to garnish 

* Not available in Waitrose but in specialist Indian food stores

Method

1. Peel and deseed the pumpkin or squash and cut into 2.5cm dice. Cook the yellow split peas in boiling salted water for about 30 minutes (20 minutes if using Bengal gram), until just turning soft. Drain off all but a cupful of water.

2. Add the pumpkin or squash, green chillies, onions and tomatoes. Simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the pumpkin has softened.

3. Add the chilli powder, coriander, turmeric, chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Stir in the grated coconut and simmer for 5 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary. Add the chopped coriander and remove from the heat.

4. Serve in bowls garnished with the fresh coconut and accompanied by Indian breads. 

For the paratha:

Ingredients:

250g wheat flour
1 tsp salt
150ml water
3 tbsp ghee or butter

Method:

1. Mix the flour, salt and water together and knead until it forms a dough. Rest for 10 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 5-6 equal parts and shape into round balls.

3. Flatten out each ball with a rolling pin into 5 inch or 12.5cm diameter discs.

4. Apply a thin layer of ghee or butter on one side and sprinkle with a little dry flour, then fold the disc in half. Apply another thin layer of ghee or butter and sprinkle with a little more dry flour. Fold in half again to form a triangle shape. Press the triangle of dough firmly and roll out with a rolling pin, making sure you maintain its shape.

5. Bake the bread on a flat griddle. When brown specks appear apply a little butter on both sides and cook for a little longer. Serve hot.

Biryani

Biryani (Draft)

Serves 4 (or 2, with enough leftover for next day’s lunch)

400g cooked basmati rice
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 x thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp curry powder (I used mild, but use whichever strength suits your tastebuds)
1 tbsp plain flour
500ml lamb stock
2 tbsp mango chutney
Splash of red wine vinegar (I didn’t have any, so used a splash of red wine instead)
250g leftover lamb meat, chopped

1. Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and gently cook the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli until soft, approx 8-10 mins.

2. Add the curry powder and stir through for 1 min. Add the flour and stir through, then cook for 2 mins to cook out the rawness.

3. Increase the heat and gradually add the lamb stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 mins, until the sauce has reduced slightly.

4. Stir in the mango chutney, the vinegar, then the lamb.  Stir to combine.

5. Strain the lamb stew through a sieve into a small saucepan to give you a rich thick gravy. Reserve the gravy for step 8.

6. In a deep baking dish, add a layer of half the cooked rice, followed by a layer of the lamb stew. Add another layer using the rest of the rice. Cover the dish with foil.

7. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and cook the biryani for 30 mins until piping hot.

8. Heat the gravy on the hob. Plate up the biryani and drizzle over the gravy. Serve with fresh coriander and yogurt, if desired.

Roast Chicken Casserole

Roast Chicken Casserole

Serves 4
600g (1lb 5 oz) chicken breasts, skin removed
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
Black pepper
160g (6oz) cauliflower florets
1 medium leek, finely sliced
Few springs of rosemary
500 ml (18fl oz) low-salt chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon
325g green vegetables - e.g. broccoli, asparagus, kale, spinach - chopped into bite size pieces
1 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/400F/Gas Mark 6. Place the chicken breasts in an ovenproof dish with 1 tsp of oil and black pepper, and roast until done (20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts). Also roast the cauliflower and leeks with rest of the oil and black pepper until nicely done. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, remove from the oven and cool slightly. Then cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken, roasted cauliflower and leeks in a large casserole dish. Scatter over the rosemary and pour over the stock and lemon juice. Place on the hob and bring to the boil. Simmer for five to ten minutes, until the chicken is piping hot. Add the green vegetables and simmer for a further three to four minutes, until tender. Serve immediately, seasoned with black pepper and parsley.

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup

Serves 1
160 g (6 oz) cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, in their skins
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
250ml low-salt vegetable stock, heated
Black pepper
1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/400F/Gas Mark 6. Place the tomatoes, garlic and spring onions in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle over the oil and vinegar and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning over half-way through cooking, until the vegetables are nicely roasted. Remove from the oven. When cool, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and tip all the vegetables into a blender or food processor with the hot stock. whizz until smooth and serve immediately with ground black pepper and the basil on top.

Portions:
Carbohydrate: 0
Protein: 0
Fat: 0.5
Fruit: 0
Vegetables: 2