Slow-Cooker Channa Masala and Fluffy Bhatura

Kenyan Sweet Potato Veggie
Burgers and My Pa’s Masala
Chips
I’m a veggie burger snob. There, I said it.
Nothing compares to a veggie burger packed with a delicious
combo of spices, herbs and quality extras.
I have a few dozen personal burger laws. For me, there must be
pickles, if not, the burger is incomplete. The sauce has to be
relish, mustard or something else loaded with flavour. Salsa
is fine. No mayo, although sour cream with chives is epic.
Cheese is mandatory. Extra cheese is better. Lettuce or baby
spinach offer a welcome crunch factor and thinly-sliced onions
make the whole thing a dream come true.
Another thing I’m absolutely nuts about is a crunchy crust on
the outside of the burger patty. Breadcrumbs, crushed nachos,
herby semolina, I’ll take anything. But I’ve got something
better for you today, my loves; something so stupidly
delicious you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life.
Three words; cassava crisp crust. Did you just feel my heart
skip a beat?
Cassava crisps are a staple snack in our house and the fresh
kind cannot be beaten. Paper-thin slices of cassava deep fried
until crisp, doused with fresh lemon juice, salt and chilli
powder transports me back to Mombasa where roadside hawkers
sell them by the bag full. They stand over vats of hot oil lit
over gas stoves all day, chipping the cassava directly into
the oil from above. There’s something so beautiful about
watching their skilled hands carry out their craft while the
smell of butane, fried starch and sea water lingers in the
air. For me, a road trip isn’t the same without a bag of
crunchy cassava crisps and a frosty bottle of Stoney Tangawezi
(ginger beer).
Rarely do we make fresh cassava crisps at home, they’re a once
in a while treat. These days you can buy them from most big
supermarkets. For this recipe, the shop-bought kind are an
ideal time-saver.
Mshenye is a very traditional side in East Africa. A
carbohydrate, protein and starch-rich combination people rely
on. It consists of mashed sweet potatoes, kidney beans and
maize. Very few spices are added because it’s usually served
with rich, flavoursome stews. I’ve taken the delightful combo
of classic Mshenye ingredients and added fresh and flavoursome
herbs and spices for a knockout take on the traditional dish.
The Mshenye is shaped into burgers and coated in crushed
chilli and lemon cassava crisps. They’re then baked in the
oven until they’re golden on the outside and still soft on the
inside. Pure veggie burger perfection.
My Dad’s Masala Chips are famous in our family; Our midnight
feast of choice. He throws them together at lightning speed,
making it difficult to get a glimpse into what he actually
puts in the sauce. When I first asked him for his recipe he
sent me a list of about 10 different ingredients, all jumbled
up with no measurements. This is what I like to call a ‘dad
recipe’. It’s also probably why his masala chips are so
goddamn delicious. Well, this is a monumental moment, guys. He
made it while mum recorded the recipe – dream team!
We finally have a real recipe with his measurements so you can
get your masala chips fix at home.
Enjoy them with these ultimate veggie burgers.
Kenyan Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers and My Pa’s Masala Chips
Makes 6 big burgers or 8 smaller ones and enough chips to feed
6
Ingredients
For the burger patties:
1kg whole sweet potatoes, skin on and baked until soft
250g kidney beans, cooked
250g sweetcorn
2 spring onions, chopped finely
2 chillies, chopped finely
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Juice ½ lemon
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
3 tsp salt
3 tbsp instant mashed potato powder
Chopped coriander
100g crushed cassava crisps or potato crisps
To assemble the burgers:
6 burger buns, sliced in half
Salad greens
Sliced pickles
Red onion, thinly sliced
Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese slices (or both)
Sour cream with chives
Sliced tomatoes
For my Dad’s Masala Chips:
1.2kg waxy potatoes, such as King Edward
2L sunflower oil, for deep frying
400g passata
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp asafoetida
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Chopped coriander, to garnish
Method
1. Slice the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh.
Place all the ingredients for the burger patties (except the
cassava crisps) in a large saucepan and use a potato masher to
mash them together. Cook on a low heat, mixing often until it
comes together and starts to hold its’ shape. Set aside to
cool.
2. Cut the potatoes for the chips into fry-sized pieces. Place
them into a pan of cold water and refrigerate.
3. To make the sauce for the masala chips, heat a teaspoon of
oil in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and asafoetida. Sauté for
a moment and then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer on a
low heat for 30 minutes until reduced by half. Set aside to
cool.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
5. The burger patty mixture is cool enough to handle, divide
it into six large burgers or 8 smaller ones. Use your hands to
shape them into patties before rolling into the crushed
cassava chips. Place the burgers on a flat baking tray. Bake
in the oven for 30 minutes, placing cheese slices over the top
at the 25 minute mark, and returning to the oven to melt. You
could also cook them on the barbecue.
6. In a deep pan, heat the sunflower oil to 180C. Deep fry the
chips until golden all over. Drain on a plate lined with
kitchen paper. Place the chips in a bowl and add the masala
chip sauce. Toss gently, taking care not to break them.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander.
7. Toast the burger buns on a griddle.
8. Load up the burgers with sour cream, the cheese-topped
Kenyan-style burger patties, salad leaves, sliced onions,
tomatoes, pickles and whatever else your heart desires. Serve
with masala chips.
Love Sanjana
Slow-Cooker Channa Masala and
Fluffy Bhatura
Happy New Year! Firstly, I’d like to say I’m sorry I’ve been
AWOL for some time now. I promise I have a good reason. We did
it; we finally bought our first house!
It has a small kitchen, huge amounts of natural light and wait
for it… room for a photography studio! I can’t believe I have
a space fully dedicated to my passion. 8 years ago, I started
out with this blog, no camera and no clue. Now I have actual
shelves just for props. I hope I’m able to produce more
delicious recipes to share with you this year, all from my
little studio in my little house. Totally overjoyed.
So I’ve been spending the last few months working out what we
need to furnish it, upcyling old furniture (which I am loving,
btw) and spending my life on Pinterest. Although we’ve still
got a fair way to go with getting the house finished, I’m in a
good spot to get back on track with blogging. I kid you not, I
have a list of 89 recipes waiting to be shared this year so
brace yourselves.
Throughout the winter months, I crave belly-warming dinners to
soothe my soul after a long day at work and a chilly commute.
This traditional Channa Masala with Fluffy Bhatura (or Chole
Bhature, if you like) does the trick every time. I make a big
batch of my own spice blend, keep it in an airtight jar and
sprinkle it into an assortment hearty bean and lentil dishes
to ramp up the flavours. It includes a medley of cinnamon,
cloves and nutmeg predominantly – earthy and aromatic enough
to engulf the chickpeas in the wave of intense flavours they
so demand.
I add a shot of strong-brewed black tea to my chickpea curry,
for both a rich colour and aroma. If you’re using dried
chickpeas, add two teabags and soak overnight before boiling
and adding to the dish. However, I’m all about the shortcuts,
so use tinned chickpeas and add the tea straight into the
sauce for a whack of flavour and unashamed ease.
This dry curry with hot and sour flavours makes it the ideal
partner for fluffy fried bread and a tall glass of ice-cold
lassi. Go on, the weather is crap and your belly needs this.
Slow-Cooker Channa Masala and
Fluffy Bhatura (Chole Bhature)
For the Homemade Channa Masala Spice Mix (makes enough for
this recipe plus leftovers):
2 tbsp green cardamom seeds
3 black cardamom pods
9 cloves
4-inch piece cinnamon
6 tbsp coriander seeds
4
3
1
1
5
1
1
tbsp cumin seeds
tsp amchur (dried mango)
tsp anardana powder (dried pomegranate seed)
tbsp black peppercorns
bay leaves
whole nutmeg
tsp mace
For the Channa Masala (serves 6):
2x 400g tins chickpeas
300g passata (sieved tomato pulp)
240ml strong brewed black tea (1 teabag steeped in hot water
for 8 minutes, squeezed)
1 large onion, chopped
100g butter
4 green chillies, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-inch piece ginger, grated
2 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
3 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp homemade channa masala spice blend
For the Fluffy Bhatura:
135g plain flour
120g plain natural yogurt
Juice ½ lemon
120ml warm milk
7g fast-action dried yeast
30ml sunflower oil
¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1 tsp salt
Oil, for deep frying
Method
1. To make the Homemade Channa Masala Spice Mix, toast all the
ingredients in a dry frying pan until aromatic. Don’t take
your eye of it because it’ll burn quickly. Grind in a coffee
grinder. Pass through a fine-holed sieve and store in an
airtight jar.
2. To make the channa masala, heat the butter in a large pan,
add the cumin seeds and chopped onion. Cook until browned,
about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to
combine. Pour into your slow cooker and cook on high for 5
hours. Stir it every hour.
3. Next, make the dough for the bhatura. Combine the yoghurt,
lemon juice and milk in a large bowl (it will increase in
volume and get frothy). Stir in the yeast and set aside for 10
minutes. Next, mix in the sunflower oil, ajwain, flour and
salt. Bind to make a dough, kneading for 10 minutes.
4. Place in a large, deep bowl, cover with a damp cloth and
leave in a warm place to double in size for two hours.
5. Once risen, knock the air out of the dough and knead
briefly.
6. Get the oil ready for deep frying. Pour into a large, deep
pan (I use a wok) and heat to 160C.
7. Make yourself a cup of tea.
8. Use a rolling pin and wooden board or flat worktop to roll
out the bhatura dough to approximately 3 inches in diameter
and 3-4mm thick. Place it into the hot oil very carefully and
use a slotted spoon to agitate it. It might take some practice
to get them to rise each time but you’ll get there, I promise.
9. Drain in a colander lined with a paper towel.
Some bhatura tips:
I found that the smaller I rolled them, the more they
rose so try not to make them too thin.
Use your hands to pick up the dough, swivel it round and
roll again to make a circle.
Only ever roll one side of the dough, not both.
Serve your channa masala and bhatura with sliced red onion,
chillies, yoghurt and far far, (because who doesn’t love those
multi-coloured crispy crackers?), plus a glass of salted
lassi.
Love Sanjana
Black
Bean
and
Chocolate
Chilli
Don’t give me that look – I know what you’re thinking.
This weekend has been rush, rush, rush. I was panicking all
day yesterday wondering what on earth I was going to present
to you. I annoyed other people into helping me think of
something, which has never really happened before. Shall I let
you in on how this whole blogging shebang works for me?
I wake up on Monday mornings, droopy-eyed and full of
bitterness about how quickly the weekend flew by, why it’s so
damn cold and why I’m wearing two coats (yeah I know, what the
hell, right?) Around lunchtime I start to wonder what could
possibly sweeten up my mood.
Thinking about food usually does it for me. I couldn’t tell
you why – although my belly, bingo wings and thunder thighs
probably could. Figuring out what to eat by ingredient is much
too complex for me, so I usually work out what would hit the
spot by cuisine.
I do a hi-tech international Matrix-styleè brain scan of what
I’d like to shovel in to my mouth as quickly as possible. Let
me give you an example of the kind of thought process that
takes place:
Chinese: Meh
French: No
Italian: Hmm
Japanese: Maybe
Thai: Ouhh…
Indian: Nah
Mexican: Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!
I promise you this is going somewhere – sort of.
Next, I think of all the possible dishes I could create to
fill this particular craving using my favourite ingredients
and influences from that part of the world. I usually end up
getting so carried away with this that I end up blogging about
one of the dishes I cooked up in a fantasy I had earlier in
the week.
I’m not the kind of girl to ignore my belly when it speaks to
me, just so you know.
I’ve always wanted to make a spicy chilli with dark chocolate,
inspired by Mexican ‘mole’ sauce. In my recipe, I used
chocolate to give the chilli an intense, slightly bitter
flavour to counteract the savoury notes already muddling in
the pot. The result? A rich, hearty bowlful of goodness,
topped off with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of cheese and
some fresh avocado.
Hand me the tortilla chips, por favor?
Now, if you’re Mexican or a whiz at cooking Mexican food, I
apologise for this in advance. I’m not going to call this dish
Mexican because it almost certainly breaks all the rules of
Mexican cooking.
However, I’m not going to apologise for saying it’s delicious.
(“It’s delicious”) – Because it is, and because I can say
whatever I like here in my safe haven. Ha.
Black Bean and Chocolate Chilli
(serves 4-6)
Ingredients
160g dried black beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure
cooker)
80g dried pinto beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure
cooker)
80g dried soya mince, soaked in hot water then squeezed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
300g passata
2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
2 tbsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
5 hot green chillies, minced
125g 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped
3 tsp sugar
4 tbsp lime juice
100g sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Around 1 litre hot water
To serve
Sour cream
Chopped avocado
Chopped coriander
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan or dutch oven. Add
the onions and allow to brown. Add the garlic, chillies, cumin
powder, coriander powder, tomato puree, passata, sugar,
oregano, chocolate and cheese, and bring to a boil.
2. Add the reconstituted soya mince, cooked beans and enough
water to cover by about an inch. Put the lid on, turn the heat
down to low and simmer for around 20-30 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
3. Remove the lid and adjust the consistency of the chilli if
necessary. Add more water if it’s thick, or continue to simmer
with the lid off if too watery.
4. Add a handful of chopped coriander and season with salt.
Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, avocado and
coriander. You can have this with tortilla chips, flour or
corn tortillas, spicy rice or seasoned potato wedges.
Have you ever cooked a savoury dish with chocolate? If not, go
and make this – pronto!
Gujarati Mung BhaatBean and Rice Soup
Mung
Join me in a moment of nostalgia with my recipe for a classic
Gujarati Mung Bean Soup. This is nothing like my playful
recipe for Spinach and Mung Bean Soup – it’s an untweaked and
deliciously traditional soup loved by the Gujarati peoples.
Can you believe I didn’t stray from the recipe?
Did you know?
Many Indians consider the mung bean to bring luck and so it is
used in rituals and offered to the Gods along with grains of
raw rice.
Like most Gujarati recipes, every family has its own secret
version of this mung bean soup, with probably the only
similarity across all variations being that it’s always,
always served with rice. The rice is boiled separately from
the mung bean soup and usually mixed in just before serving.
Check out my tips on how to cook perfect basmati rice.
I topped mine with sweet, golden onions and fresh coriander.
You can also stir in a spoonful of creamy natural yogurt for a
mild tang.
If you’re feeling lazy and are craving a satisfying, filling,
‘all-I-need-is-a-bowl-and-spoon-dinner’, this recipe is your
new best friend.
Get the pressure cooker out and make this during the week.
Gujarati Mung Bhaat- Mung Bean and Rice Soup
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
2 tbsp ghee (or oil)
240g raw mung beans, washed
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 clove
-inch piece cassia bark
¼ tsp asafoetida
2-4 curry leaves
1 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
750ml hot water
½ tsp turmeric
Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 tsp green chillies, minced
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Around 500ml hot water to bring to a soup consistency
Chopped coriander to garnish
1 onion, sliced into strips
2 tbsp oil or ghee to fry the onions
Method
1. Heat the ghee or oil in your pressure cooker. Add the
mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add the cumin seeds,
asafoetida, curry leaves, clove and cassia. Saute for a couple
of seconds.
2. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for a few minutes. Pour
in 750ml water, and then add the bicarbonate of soda, garlic,
ginger, chillies and turmeric. Bring to the boil.
3. Stir in the raw mung beans, put the lid on the pressure
cooker and allow to cook on a medium heat for around 10-12
minutes (mine took 6-7 whistles but this may vary depending on
your cooker).
4. Once the pressure cooker has cooled and the steam has
escaped, open the lid. Your mung beans should be fairly dry
and completely cooked. If not, add some more water and
continue to cook until tender.
5. Add around 500ml hot water to bring it back up to soup
consistency, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the
seasoning according to your taste. Boil for a further 5
minutes, adding more water depending on the consistency you
desire.
6. Mix the soup into some cooked basmati rice. For details on
how to cook basmati rice, visit my Perfect, fluffy Basmati
rice post.
7. Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a pan and sauté your onions on a
medium heat until golden brown. Whilst it’s still very hot,
spoon it over the top of your rice and mung bean soup.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.
Mung bean mad? Check out my recipes for Dry Gujarati Mung Bean
Curry and Decadent Spinach and Mung Bean Soup.
Greek-Style Soya Beans with
Dill & Honey
Woah, what a week; I’ve been as busy as a bumblebee at a
flower festival. I can’t help but feel that I should be
creating more, posting more and spending less time doing
other, time-consuming yet necessary things. Has anybody got a
pause button I could borrow for a little while?
Well, I haven’t been a total blog slacker this week. Honest.
A couple of weeks ago one of KO Rasoi’s Facebook fans
requested some vegetarian Greek recipes. Can I tell you a
scandalous yet unsurprising secret?
I know nothing about Greek food. Shock, horror. You can start
throwing rotten olives at me now.
By nothing I mean everything apart from the obvious yummies
the Greeks have introduced to us through their simple,
flavourful cooking like moussaka, dolmades and baklava. Due to
my culinary roots being embedded in the soil of Gujarat, I
can’t help but feel a kinship towards cultures that embrace
simple spicing and maximum flavour. The Greek culinary culture
is definitely one of these.
I’ve seen numerous recipes similar to this one in books and
online, and they always have slight variations on one another.
By using protein-packed soya beans and delicate flavouring, I
would like to offer my own take on this gorgeously Greek
classic.
Greek-Style Soya Beans with Dill & Honey
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
2
2
4
3
3
1
3
1
cups soya beans, cooked
large onions, chopped (around 2 cups)
large cloves garlic, minced
tbsp olive oil
cups tinned chopped tomatoes
tsp chilli powder
tbsp concentrated tomato puree
tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dill (I used dried)
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
Salt to taste
Method
1. In a heavy based pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions
and garlic. Sauté on a medium-low heat until softened and
slightly golden. This will mellow out the flavours so they are
not too strong.
2. Add the tomato puree and cook for a further few minutes to
remove some acidity, then add the tinned tomatoes, chilli
powder, smoked paprika, 1 tsp dill and the soya beans. Cook
this on a low heat for 30 minutes with the lid off.
3. Add one cup of water, season with salt and add another tsp
of dill and the honey. Simmer for a couple of minutes and
remove from the heat.
Serve with lush, thick Greek yogurt, lots of griddled pitta
bread and crumbled feta cheese. Also, forgive me for my
sluggishness of late.
Kali Orexi!
Enjoy, Greek style!