Recipes Using Garam Masala

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade

• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp peeled, finely chopped root ginger
• 2 tbsp finely chopped or crushed garlic
• 3 hot green chillies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala

For the chicken

• 1.75kg (3lb 14oz) whole chicken, skin removed
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the roasted masala potatoes

• 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled, halved lengthways, and cut into 5x4cm/2×1½in chunks
• ½ tsp of salt
• ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri (mild) chilli powder

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place all the marinade ingredients into a blender and process to a paste.
3. Using a sharp knife, make two deep, diagonal cuts into each breast of the chicken, going all the way down to the bone. Make two equally deep slashes in the thighs and two in the drumsticks as well.
4. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a roasting tray lined with enough foil to cover the bird completely.
5. Pour the marinade paste over the chicken, rubbing it well into all the cuts. Set aside for 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle the chilli powder and black pepper over the chicken evenly. Wrap up the chicken in the foil so it is completely covered, with the tightly closed seam at the top.
7. Bake in the middle of the hot oven for one hour.
8. Unwrap, without letting the juices run out, and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, basting two or three times with the juices.
9. Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, between the leg and the body. If the juices run clear with no trace of pink, it is cooked. Continue to cook for a little longer if needed.
10. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
11. Meanwhile, for the roasted masala potatoes, pour the oil into a large bowl. Add the potatoes and sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Ensure the potatoes are well coated, then transfer to a baking tray in a single layer. Place in the middle of the oven and roast for 20 mins.
12. Spoon the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder on to a plate and mix well. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Using tongs, roll the potatoes in the spice mix, making sure all sides are covered.
13. Return them to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender all the way through when pierced with a knife.
14. Set the chicken in a warm place to rest for 10-15 minutes, then carve and serve with the roasted masala potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp ready-made tandoori paste
• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 cardamom pods
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3cm/1¼in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it)
• half a 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock or water
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• ½ lemon, juice only
• ½ tsp salt

METHOD

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and mix with the tandoori paste and yoghurt. Marinate in a non-metallic dish in the fridge for at least a couple of hours (or overnight), stirring occasionally.
2. Heat the oil or ghee in a deep frying pan, and when it’s very hot add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and onion. Fry for 5–6 minutes, or until beginning to brown, then add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
3. After the spices have cooked for about a minute, add the chicken with the marinade. Fry for 3–4 minutes, then add the tomatoes, chicken stock or water, garam masala, lemon juice and salt. Bring the curry to a simmer and cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve straight away with rice or naan bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh chopped coriander, optional
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 4 x 150g/5½ chicken breasts, cubed

To serve

• green salad
• pitta bread

METHOD

1. Mix together the yoghurt, garam masala, chilli powder, lime juice, coriander and red chilli.
2. Marinate the chicken in the yoghurt mixture for 5 minutes.
3. Preheat the barbecue to hot. Alternatively, you can cook the chicken under a hot grill.
4. Thread the chicken onto the kebab skewers and cook on the barbecue until the chicken is tender and cooked all the way through.
5. Serve with salad and pitta bread.

RECIPE TIPS

If you are using wooden skewers soak them in water for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

For the garam masala

• 1 tbsp cardamom seeds (removed from cardamom pods)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp black cumin seeds (you can use regular cumin seeds if black aren’t available)
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1/3 of a whole nutmeg (you can break a whole nutmeg by placing it on a cloth and bashing it with a meat mallet or rolling pin)
• a medium stick of cinnamon, about 5cm-8cm/2in-3in, broken up into 3-4 pieces

For the pullao

• basmati rice, measured to the 450ml/1 pint level in a measuring jug
• thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp olive or groundnut oil
• ½ tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 hot green chilli, finely chopped
• 100g/4oz potato, peeled and cut into 5mm/¼in dice
• ¼ carrot, peeled and cut into 5mm/¼in dice
• 40g/1½oz green beans, cut into 5mm/¼in segments
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 570ml/1 pint water

METHOD

1. For the garam masala, put all the garam masala spices in a clean coffee grinder or other spice grinder and grind as finely as possible. Store in a tightly lidded jar, away from heat and sunlight. This makes about three tablespoons.
2. For the pullao, wash the rice in several changes of water then drain. Put the rice in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain again.
3. Peel and finely grate the ginger.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan (with a tight-fitting lid) set over a medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mustard seeds.
5. As soon as they begin to pop – a matter of seconds – add the chilli, potato, carrot and green beans and stir.
6. Add the turmeric and garam masala and stir for one minute.
7. Add the ginger and saute, stirring, for another minute.
8. Drain the rice and add it to the pan.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the rice very gently to mix it into the other ingredients and coat it with the oil and spices. Cook this way for two minutes.
10. Add the 570ml/1 pint water and the salt and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a very tight-fitting lid (if you don’t have a very tight-fitting lid then cover the pan with foil then a lid) then turn the heat to very low and cook for 25 minutes. After this time try a grain of rice to see if it’s cooked – cook for a few more minutes if necessary.
11. Once it’s cooked you can leave it with the lid on and the heat turned off for up to half an hour before serving. Or serve at once on a serving plate.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp ghee or butter
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ small onion, chopped
• ½ tsp chopped fresh ginger
• 1 green chilli, whole (optional)
• ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
• salt, to taste
• 35g/1¼oz white basmati rice, washed
• 35g/1¼oz split green lentils
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. In a large non-stick saucepan melt the ghee. Add the cumin and fry for 20 seconds, until the seeds have coloured and their aroma has been released. Stir in the onion and cook until soft.
2. When the onion has cooked, add the chilli, ginger, garlic and salt and cook for a minute before adding the rice, lentils, turmeric and 400ml/14fl oz water.
3. Bring to the boil briefly before lowering the heat and simmering gently until the rice and lentils are tender. This should take 20-25 minutes.
4. Once tender, stir in the garam masala and pepper and serve.

RECIPE TIPS

Ghee is clarified butter and is used often in Indian cooking, if you cannot find it regular butter will work well.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small carrot, peeled, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium potato, peeled, cut into small cube
• ¼ green pepper, diced
• ¼ red pepper, diced
• 25g/1oz French beans, finely chopped
• 50g/2oz frozen peas
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• ½ tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 225g/8oz cooked basmati rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 roasted cashew nuts, chopped
• ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/235F/Gas 3.
2. Cook the carrot, potato, peppers, French beans and peas in a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and return to the pan.
3. Add the tomato purée, green chillies, garam masala and turmeric to the vegetables and mix until well combined.
4. Place half of the rice at the bottom of an ovenproof dish, spread the vegetable mixture on top, and then place the rest of the rice on top, spreading it evenly.
5. Sprinkle the top layer of rice with the chopped onions, cashew nuts, cumin seeds and red chilli powder. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Serve with yoghurt.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 7 black peppercorns, left whole
• 3 black cardamom pods, left whole
• 5 green cardamom pods, left whole
• 4 cloves, left whole
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 piece of mace
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 750g/1½lb lamb or mutton, cut into pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
• 2cm/¾in piece ginger, peeled and cut in half
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• salt, to taste
• 2 tomatoes, blended to a pulp in a food processor
• 3 tbsp plain yoghurt, stirred
• handful chopped fresh coriander, leaves and stalks

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the black peppercorns, black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and mace and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the spices are sizzling and fragrant.
2. Add the chopped onion and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden-brown.
3. Add the lamb pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring continually, until golden-brown all over.
4. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the garlic cloves and ginger with one tablespoon of water to a fine paste.
5. Add the garlic and ginger paste to the lamb mixture, stir well to combine, then reduce the heat and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly.
6. Stir in the powdered coriander, cumin, red chilli powder, fennel seeds, garam masala, salt, tomato pulp and yoghurt, cover the pan with a lid, then reduce the heat to a low heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the sauce has almost completely dried out.
7. Add 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water to the sauce, stir well and simmer for a further 7-8 minutes, stirring continually and adding splashes of water as necessary, until the volume of liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened.
8. Add enough boiling water to almost cover the lamb, bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer or 8-10 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked through.
9. Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 300g/10½oz mixed frozen chopped vegetables
• 300g/10½oz basmati rice
• 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds
• large handful fresh coriander
• ½ lemon, juice only

METHOD

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed, lidded saucepan. Fry the onions with the salt for 10 minutes, or until soft and just starting to brown.
2. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, until aromatic. Add the cumin, ground coriander, garam masala and cardamom pods. Fry again for another minute and crumble in the stock cube.
3. Add the vegetables and rice, and stir until everything is well coated in the onion spice mixture.
4. Add 600ml/1 pint of water and turn up the heat to bring the rice to the boil. Put on the lid and reduce the heat as low as it will go, then allow to steam for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the rice to rest, lid on, for a further 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, toast the almonds over a medium heat in a small frying pan until golden, and roughly chop the coriander.
7. Remove the lid from the rice, and pick out the cardamom husks that should have worked their way to the top. Fluff up the rice with a fork, and stir in the flaked almonds, chopped coriander and the lemon juice before serving.

RECIPE TIPS

Making the perfect biryani is dependent on a number of factors, especially how much control you have over your heat source (if you are cooking on a gas or electric hob, for example), how heavy the bottom of your pan is and how tight a fit the lid is. If your biryani is slightly undercooked, return it to the heat with a splash more water until it is all absorbed. If it is slightly sticky, reduce the quantity of water by 25ml next time you make it.