©2017 Vivek Singh. All rights reserved
CinnamonClub15day2 23231 1-min
Posted on October 5, 2015 by
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October – Mixed seafood in a Bengali broth (Macher Jhol)

Mixed seafood in a Bengali broth (Macher Jhol)

The Bengalis love of fish and seafood is well-known. Traditionally the simple fish curry extended with aubergine, potatoes, tomatoes, with sweet spices such as bay leaf, and cardamom, is not a million miles apart from a French bouillabaisse or a Chinese hot pot. Fresh, light, aromatic, yet deeply flavoured and richly satisfying, this dish is ideal for sharing and celebrations alike. The combination of seafood being used would depend upon both what was available and also who it was being cooked for. The more important the guest, or bigger the celebration, the more expensive the seafood.

Macher Jhol was Vivek’s featured dish on Saturday Kitchen, on BBC One, on 3rd October 2015. Catch up and watch the show here!

Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For the seafood
1 x 300g/10½oz piece of halibut fillet, scaled, pin-boned and cut into
5cm/2in cubes
4 large scallops, cleaned and removed from their shells
4 large prawns, shells removed, deveined
1 lobster, meat removed and cut into 2½cm/1in cubes, reserve 1 claw
1 squid, cleaned and sliced into1cm/½in thick rings
2 small potatoes, peeled, boiled and sliced (about 1cm/½in thick)
2 small aubergines, sliced 1cm/½in thick
8 cherry tomatoes on the vine
1½ tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
Coriander cress, to garnish
For the broth
2 tbsp mustard oil
4 green cardamom pods, crushed
10 peppercorns, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp onion seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 hot green chillies, finely chopped
750ml/1¼ pint fish stock
1¼ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 lemon, juice only
Pinch ground cardamom
To serve
Boiled basmati rice

Method

  • Wash the seafood and pat dry with kitchen paper. Sprinkle the seafood, potatoes, aubergine and tomatoes with salt and vegetable oil. Sprinkle over the sugar and spices, cover and place in the fridge.
  • Meanwhile for the broth, heat the mustard oil in a large pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the cardamom pods, peppercorns, bay leaves, onion seeds and fennel seeds and let them crackle. Add the onions and cook over a high heat until they are golden-brown, this should take about 10 minutes.
  • Add the turmeric, chilli powder and cumin and gently fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and chillies and gently fry for 3 minutes. Add the fish stock, salt and sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the coriander and lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes. Pass the broth through a sieve and stir in the ground cardamom. Keep warm.
  • Heat a large non-stick pan. Add the seafood mixture, except the lobster and squid. Cook over a moderate heat for 2 minutes.
  • Add the lobster and cook for another minute or so. Add the squid rings and as they colour, turn the mixture over in the pan. Cook the other side for another 2 minutes until the seafood and vegetables are just cooked.
  • Remove from the pan and place in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the coriander cress and pour over the broth. Serve immediately with basmati rice.
SEARED DUCK BREASTS ITH SESAME TAMARIND SAUCE(1)-min
Posted on September 1, 2015 by
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September – Seared Mallard duck breasts with sesame tamarind sauce

Seared Mallard duck breasts with sesame tamarind sauce

This could claim to be one of The Cinnamon Club’s signature dishes. With the game season beginning, here I would suggest the dish to be prepared with Mallard duck breasts; Mallard is the largest and most common of the wild ducks, and the meat is deeply rich and full of flavour.

Serves 4

4 mallard breasts, skin on
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. vegetable or corn oil
1 tsp. red chilli powder

For the tempering:
100ml/3.5oz. vegetable or corn oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. black onion seeds
10 curry leaves

For the sauce:
1 large onion boiled in little water and made into paste
1 tbsp. cashew nuts
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. desiccated coconuts
1 tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
2 tsp. red chilli powder
50g tamarind pulp, soaked in warm water
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. jaggery or sugar
150ml duck stock or water

Marinate the mallard breasts with salt, about 1 tablespoon oil and red chilli powder. Heat the remaining oil in a pan, sear the duck skin side up first, turn and finish it pink in the oven.

Now make the sauce; dry roast all the seeds, roast the coconut and fry the cashews till golden. Blend them into a fine paste adding water. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add the ingredients for tempering, mustard seeds first, then the onion paste and cook until it thickens. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind and simmer. Pour in the nuts and seed paste and cook until the oil separates, stirring continuously. Season with the salt and jaggery. Take care to constantly stir the mixture for the sauce as it has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan because of the nuts. If at stages it becomes too thick to handle, keep adding duck stock or water to adjust the consistency.

Divide the sauce in 4 serving plates, neatly slice the mallard breasts, place them on top of the sauce and serve with pilau rice.

Haddock with Crab and Kokum Crust_9041-min
Posted on August 4, 2015 by
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August – Haddock with Crab and Kokum Crust

Haddock with Crab and Kokum Crust

This is one of the original Cinnamon Kitchen dishes that we had on the menu when we opened back in 2008. Feel free to replace the haddock with cod, hake, pollack, plaice or any other white fish of your choice. Hot rice is an ideal accompaniment.

Serves 4

4x 140g Haddock fillet steak
4 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
½ tsp Fennel seeds
¼ tsp Onion seeds
2 Whole red chillies, crushed
½ tsp Salt

For the crab and kokum crust:
80g/3oz, fresh white crab meat
1 tbsp kokum berries, soaked in hot water, then squeezed and chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
2.5cm/1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
½ red onion medium size, finely chopped
1 tsp Salt

For the coconut ginger sauce:
3 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
1 large onion, sliced
5cm/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into julienne
2 green chillies split into half
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
6-8 curry leaves
1 cup fish stock / water
½ cup coconut milk
a pinch of sugar

Method:
Trim the fish into square portions and marinate with the spices and half of the oil. Set aside.
For the crust; mix all the ingredient except the butter and bread crumb and leave it aside. Toss the bread crumbs over low heat adding the butter gradually. Cool the bread crumb and mix it with the crab.
Meanwhile make the sauce; heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan, add the onions, ginger, chillies and curry leaves, cook them over medium heat till the onions are transparent.
Add the turmeric and salt and cook for a minute, add the fish stock, cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and allow it to simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and finish with a pinch of sugar. Keep warm.

Now heat the remaining oil in a pan; sear the fish on the skin side for 2 minutes till the skin gets crisp. Place it on a baking tray skin side down and put in the pre-heated oven at 200 C/400 F/Gas Mark 4 for 4-5 minutes, until the fish is cooked.
Cover the top of the fish with evenly spreading the crust and place it under the grill so that it is crisp.
Serve hot with rice and the coconut ginger sauce.

MANGO BRULEE(1)-min
Posted on July 1, 2015 by
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July – Mango and Cardamom Brûlée

Mango and Cardamom Brûlée

If there is any fruit that screams summer it’s the beautiful mango. Readily available in the UK at the moment, from both India and Pakistan, this fragrant, rich fruit can be used to make the most delicate desserts.

Serves 6

325ml double cream

50g granulated sugar

150ml mango purée – fresh or tinned

1 egg

3 egg yolks

50g Demerara sugar

½ tsp. ground green cardamom

 

Method:

To make mango purée from fresh mango, squeeze the juices of the mango and run it in a processor till fine, without any strands and you could strain it. Alternatively, tinned mango purée is a good cheat!

Put the cream, sugar, ground green cardamom and mango purée in a pan and bring to boiling point, stirring occasionally. Whisk the egg and egg yolks together in a bowl and slowly pour in the mango mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins and place in a roasting tin half full of hot water. Bake in an oven preheated to 120C/250F/Gas Mark ½ for 30 minutes or until just set. Remove from the roasting tin, leave cool and then chill.

Sprinkle the Demerara sugar on top and caramelise with a blowtorch or under a very hot grill. Leave until the top has become crisp, and then serve.

flower 2help me-000014-min
Posted on May 26, 2015 by
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June- Zucchini flower stuffed with tamarind glazed vegetables

 

Zucchini flower stuffed with tamarind glazed vegetables

4 zucchini flowers

For the filling

1 tbsp corn or vegetable oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp fennel seeds

½ red onion, finely chopped

½ inch piece of ginger, finely chopped

½ green chilli, finely chopped

1 lime leaf, shredded

2 tbsp assorted finely chopped mushrooms

1 carrot

1 celery stick

1 fennel bulb

½ aubergine, diced into half cm dices

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

2 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 tbsp milk powder

 

For the batter

150 g refined flour

100 g corn flour

50 g baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cumin or royal black cumin

Sparkling water as required

Oil for deep-frying

Cut all the vegetables into ½ cm dices. Open the flowers, taking care not to tear the petals, and remove the stigma from inside.

To prepare the filling, heat oil, add the spices followed by the onion, ginger, green chilli and sauté until the onions are soft and start to change colour. Add the rest of the vegetables, salt, tamarind pulp and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are just cooked. Sprinkle the fresh coriander, fold in the milk powder and remove from heat. Leave aside to cool.

Stuff the filling into the flowers evenly and close the petals over it to cover the stuffing completely.

Make a batter with the ingredients listed. Dip the flowers in the batter lightly and fry in a moderately hot oil for a few minutes until the batter is crisp and the filling is hot inside.

Serve with a chutney or dip of your choice.

Scallop, Tuna & Salmon Ceviche with Mango_125
Posted on April 22, 2015 by
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May- Scallop, Tuna & Salmon Ceviche with Mango

This was originally inspired by seeing tuna with mango on a Mexican restaurant menu and when I tried the dish I felt like we could do better. I was quite excited by the idea, but each time I prepared the dish it would be met with the same lukewarm response: Is it Indian? The short answer is ‘no’, but then every time I sat on the sun-washed alfresco terrace at Cinnamon Kitchen in the Summertime of 2008, I imagined this dish working perfectly in the surroundings. So, that is how it made its way on the menu, during the summer that followed, and it has returned each year since!

8 king scallops, cleaned and thinly sliced horizontally into 2 or 3 slices
115g tuna loin, cut into 1cm dice

For the dressing
½ green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
½ ripe mango, cut into 1cm dice
½ raw green mango, cut into 5mm dice
1cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 tablespoons canned mango puree
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
½ teaspoon black onion seed
Juice of 2 limes
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar

Prepare the dressing by mixing together all the ingredients. Check the seasoning; it should taste sweet, sour, sharp and hot all at the same time.

Put the scallops, tuna and salmon in a non-metallic bowl, pour the dressing over, stir lightly and leave to stand for 3-5 minutes, allowing the dressing to cure the seafood. When they are extremely fresh, high-quality scallops, salmon and tuna are good enough to eat raw, but when mixed with the dressing they turn slightly opaque, as if they have been cooked. Serve immediately, with salad leaves of your choice

 

Plated Lamb Sharing
Posted on March 26, 2015 by
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April Slow-braised lamb leg filled with Montgomery’s cheddar, dried nuts and fruits

1 leg of spring lamb, weighing about 1½ kg

For the marinade

250g Greek style yoghurt

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

2 onions, sliced and fried until crisp

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

1½ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil

 

For braising

6 bay leaves

2 tsp royal (black) cumin

5 no green cardamom

3 cinnamon sticks approximately 2inch each

1 tsp salt

1 cup malt vinegar

Water

 

For the filling

60g khoya (reduced milk cakes, available in Indian stores), grated

60g Montgomery’s cheddar, grated

4 dried figs, cut into 5mm (¼-inch) dices

4 dried apricots, cut into 5mm (¼-inch) dices

1 tablespoon raisins

2 tablespoons cashew nuts, roasted and crushed lightly

2 tablespoons almond flakes, roasted

2 tablespoons pistachio, roasted and crushed lightly

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped

4 green chillies, chopped

½ teaspoon royal (black) cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

juice of 1 lime

Trim the excess fat off the lamb and, if your butcher hasn’t tunnel-boned it for you, remove the thighbone by cutting around it carefully with a carving knife to leave a cavity. Prick the leg on the outside with a fork.

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Rub the marinade over the leg of lamb, both outside and inside the cavity, and leave for 15 minutes.

To make the filling, combine all the ingredients and then use it to stuff the lamb leg. Truss the leg using a butcher’s needle and twine to close the open part completely.

Transfer it to a roasting tray and add the ingredients for braising. Add enough water to cover the lamb leg, cover the tray with tin foil and place in an oven preheated to 175°C. Cook for about 2 hours until it is very tender and ready to fall off the bone. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool down. Remove the leg from the liquid and allow it to dry, cool and keep aside. Pass the juices through a strainer and reserve to make a sauce.

Cut the meat into slices 1cm (½ inch) thick and serve with accompaniments of your choice.

 

 

photo
Posted on March 6, 2015 by
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Malpua

This recipe is copyright Mrs Singh senior! It is a very simple dessert but a firm family favourite in the Singh household when we were growing up. It is a classic north Indian home recipe that has a million variations and each family believes theirs is the best.

250g  plain flour

200g sugar

Enough milk to make a smooth pouring batter (about 500ml)

½ tsp ground green cardamom

2 tablespoon of golden raisin

1/2 banana mashed (optional)

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Mix together all the ingredients to make a smooth batter, then set aside in the fridge for 2-3 hours to allow the flavours to develop.

Pour the oil into a wok to a depth of around 5cm, then heat to medium-hot.

Mix the batter using a spoon, then pour a spoonful of the batter into oil to deep-fry for 3-4 minutes until the edges are crisp and the middle of the pancakes are still soft.  Turn over halfway during the cooking process when the underside is golden and crisp.

Drain using a slotted spoon, let cool for a minute or so, then serve with ice cream of your choice or on its own.  This mixture will make approximately 20 pancakes.

 

Dinner_Cod_Baked_Green_Spices
Posted on March 3, 2015 by
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March- Baked cod with green spices

Serves 4

4x 180g fillets of cod

1 tsp black onion seed

½ tsp carom seed

1tsp salt

1 tbsp chopped coriander stalk

½ inch piece of ginger chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp butter

Juice of 1 lemon

For the green spiced crumbs

100g Japanese bread crumbs

½ tsp sugar

3 tbsp green coriander chutney (see pg xx)

Mix together the bread crumbs with chutney and sugar and dry in a warm oven for 30 minutes or so.

Method

Season the fish with onion seeds, carom seeds, salt, coriander stalk and chopped ginger and set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat a non stick frying pan and drizzle with oil. When the oil is hot, add the fish, skin side down and cook on high heat for 3-5 minutes (depending upon the thickness of the fish) without moving the fish. Let the skin get a nice crust, then turn the fish over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes or so. Remove the fish on to a dish, sprinkle generously with the green spiced bread crumbs and bake in a hot oven pre-heated at 220 deg C for another 3-4 minutes until the fish is cooked and the crust gets crisp.

Remove from oven , squeeze with lemon juice and serve either on its own or with the chickpea chorizo as an accompaniment.

Pickled cauliflower and petit pois kichri new
Posted on January 30, 2015 by
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February- Kichri with pickled cauliflower and peas

Kedgeree, or khichri as it is known in India, is a humble dish perfectly suited to cold, rainy days. When it is combined with a sharp, crunchy caramelised, spicy cauliflower, there is a fascinating interaction of textures and flavours.

Serves 4

2 tbsp. vegetable or corn oil

½ cauliflower head, cut into 1cm (½-inch) florets

2 tbsp. corn oil

1 tsp. cumin seeds

½ tsp. black onion seeds

½ tsp. fennel seeds

1 inch piece of ginger peeled and finely chopped

3 green chillies, slit and finely chopped

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. sugar

Pinch turmeric

Two tbsp.. of white vinegar or cider vinegar

50g fresh coriander, chopped

150g petit pois or green peas

Juice of 1 lemon

For the kedgeree:

100g split yellow moong lentils

400ml water

A pinch of ground turmeric

3 tbsp. ghee or clarified butter

½ tsp. cumin seeds

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1cm (½-inch) piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1½ tsp. salt

75g basmati rice, boiled

2 tbsp. sprouted green moong lentils

1 tomato, deseeded and cut into 1cm (½-inch) dice

2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander

Juice of 1 lemon

To make the kedgeree, wash the yellow moong lentils, put them in a pan with the water and turmeric and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender and all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or butter in a pan; add the cumin seeds and garlic. Cook gently until golden. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to colour, then stir in the ginger and green chillies and cook for a minute. Stir in the yellow moong lentils and salt, and then fold in the cooked rice. Add the sprouted green moong lentils, tomato and fresh coriander and stir over a low heat for 3–4 minutes. Finish with the remaining tablespoon of ghee or butter and the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

To cook the cauliflower, heat oil in a frying pan, add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Then add the onion seeds, fennel seeds, ginger and chilli and then the cauliflower. Stir on high heat for a minute or two; add salt, turmeric, sugar and vinegar. Stir to mix, then cover with a lid, reduce heat and allow the cauliflower to cook in its own steam for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid, add the green coriander, peas and heat through. Divide the kedgeree between 4 plates and serve with the cauliflower and peas stir fry on top.

 

 

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