Lemon, Sage and Garlic Roast Label Anglais Chic
I decided to splash out on a whole chicken last week. Label Anglais are the Rolls Royce of the chicken world. They are raised slowly and allowed to mature, and…
Roast Broccoli
I hate broccoli. Liver, spinach, anchovies, olives – I have no problem with any of these things. But broccoli? Bleugh. I only eat it if it’s so smothered in something…
Masala Omelette
Another happy accident. The kind that only occurs when you think there’s nothing in the fridge but you stand there for ages anyway just staring into it’s cool, glowing womb-like…
Oaty Wholemeal Bread with Pumpkin Seeds
I found this recipe on the Waitrose site. It’s pretty basic so I added some pumpkin seeds and sage. I found I needed extra time for my rubbish old electric…
Parmesan Custard with Anchovy Toast
Mmmmm two of my favourite ingredients. I love Rowley Leigh’s column in the FT and I have wanted to visit the Café Anglais for ages, but never seem to have…
Pan-Fried Ilish (Hilsa) Steaks
We Bengalis love our fish and Ilish is the national fish of Bangladesh. Unfortunately it only inhabits tropical waters so you have to buy it frozen in the UK. Taj…
Swine Flu Snacks
While of course, I am fully aware that eating pork won’t give you swine flu, as a (bad) Muslim I have always felt a little bit guilty about eating our…
Bengali “Moussaka”
I make absolutely no claim to the Hellenic qualities of this in any way whatsoever. Far from it. “Baigun bortha” is a classic Bengali mash-up of flame-roasted aubergine-flesh, coriander, lemon,…
Smoked Green Tea Salt and Pepper Tofu
Like a lot of people I seem to spend an awful lot of my time at work counting down the days until pay day. However, it’s not hi-top trainers or…
Old School Parathas
I’ve searched high and low but cannot find a recipe for parathas anywhere. Before you start bombarding me with links to the contrary please note – I am fully aware…
Salt-grilled mackerel with horseradish crème fraîche, mango salsa and samphire rice salad
It’s Thursday afternoon and I’m skulking around Borough Market in my lunch break wondering what to make for supper. At the same time, I’m trying very very hard not to…
Kora Kora Keski or crunchy, devilled “mini-whitebait” with a coronation raita
With one eye on the bag of slowly defrosting keski, the distant ringing thrums down the handset, like some sort of Vodaphonic heartbeat. I tilt my head unnaturally to crick…
Spinach Kicks
I’ve done one or two exciting things in my time, but one of the very bestest things I’ve ever done was to work for the late and legendary John Peel.…
Roast Grouse, Giblet Gravy, Bread Sauce and Game Chips
About a month ago a very lovely friend presented me with a couple of grouse from Allen’s of Mayfair. I was excited, having never eaten the stuff before. I tend…
Crisp Bitter Melon and Stir-Fried Bengali Greens
Crisp Bitter Melon Bitter Melon, or Karella as it’s called in Bengali is a violently bitter vegetable. To temper this and extract those mouth-puckering enzymes a good long salting is…