RECETTES
Vegetables in Spiced Cream – Korma
Korma is a dish from northern India, traditionally simmered for hours. This is a simplified, quicker version — don’t be put off by the long ingredient list! Just choose whatever seasonal vegetables you have, and add diced chicken breast if you like. The most time-consuming part is chopping the vegetables. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.
Note: Prep time is about 10 minutes (mainly chopping). Cooking time is 20–25 minutes depending on the vegetables — harder vegetables like potatoes and carrots take slightly longer. Cut them smaller to speed things up!
Ingredients (serves 4)
Aromatics
- 2 red onions, finely sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
Spices
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper
Vegetables (choose what’s in season)
- 2 potatoes
- 2 aubergines (eggplants)
- 1 courgette (zucchini)
- 2 carrots
- Cauliflower florets
- 200 g button mushrooms
- 3 handfuls of green beans, halved
Sauce
- 300 ml plain yogurt
- 300 ml double cream (or coconut cream for a lighter version)
- 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- A handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
Instructions
- Peel and chop all your vegetables into even-sized pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the onions until soft and golden (about 8 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ginger and all the spices. Stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the harder vegetables first (potatoes, carrots) and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well.
- Add the remaining vegetables, then pour in the chopped tomatoes, yogurt and cream. Stir to combine.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
- Season to taste and stir in fresh coriander before serving.
- Serve with basmati rice or warm naan.
बोन अप्पेतित! 🇮🇳
Potato, Chickpea and Tomato Curry
This beautifully coloured golden curry will warm you through on long winter evenings. Simple, hearty and completely satisfying on its own — no meat needed!
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 3–4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 onion (red preferred, for its beautiful colour)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp curry powder
- Olive oil
- 250 ml (25 cl) water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion. Peel and cube the potatoes.
- In a large oiled frying pan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until fragrant.
- Add the onion and cook until golden.
- Stir in the curry powder, then add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, diced potatoes, lemon juice and water.
- Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve with steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread.
बोन अप्पेतित! 🇮🇳 (Bon appétit!)
Rose and Cardamom Dumplings – Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun are a wonderfully fragrant, indulgently sweet Indian dessert. These soft, spongy dumplings are soaked in a perfumed rose and cardamom syrup. Traditionally made with khoya (a thick fresh cheese), this version uses easier-to-find ingredients — with equally delicious results!
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- 45 g plain flour
- 120 ml (12 cl) whole milk
- 175 g full-fat powdered milk
- 2 cardamom pods, crushed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- Oil for frying
For the syrup
- 750 g caster sugar (yes, it’s a very sweet dessert!)
- 1 litre water
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To decorate
- Fresh mint leaves
- Dried rose buds (optional, but beautiful)
Instructions
- Make the syrup first: heat the sugar and water in a saucepan for 5–10 minutes until lightly syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water and lemon juice. Set aside.
- For the dumplings: warm the milk gently in a small saucepan. Melt the butter separately.
- In a large bowl, combine the powdered milk, flour, crushed cardamom and melted butter. Pour the warm milk over this mixture and stir until a soft, smooth dough forms. Do not over-work it.
- With lightly greased hands, roll the dough into small smooth balls (about the size of a marble). Make sure there are no cracks or the balls will break apart during frying.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium-low heat. Fry the balls in small batches, turning constantly, until deep golden brown — about 5–7 minutes. The low temperature is key: if the oil is too hot, they’ll brown on the outside but stay raw inside.
- Immediately transfer the hot fried balls into the warm syrup. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes — they will plump up and absorb the fragrant syrup.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, decorated with mint leaves and rose buds.
Enjoy! 🌹🇮🇳
Healthy Indian Chai Latte – Spiced Milk Tea
What exactly is a chai latte? It’s a delicious blend of strong black tea infused with warming spices — cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and star anise — combined with steamed milk and a velvety foam. The perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Originating from India, this comforting drink has become a global café favourite.
Below you’ll find two versions: a healthy chai latte with no added sugar, and a Starbucks-style chai latte for when you want an indulgent treat!
Healthy Chai Latte (serves 1 mug)
- 1 tablespoon loose black tea
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 200 ml (20 cl) water
- 100 ml (10 cl) semi-skimmed milk
- 1 black peppercorn (yes, really — it adds depth!)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ tsp ground ginger (use sparingly — ginger can easily overpower other flavours)
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 clove
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the water and milk to the boil together with the peppercorn, cinnamon stick, ginger, cardamom pods, star anise and clove. Simmer for a few minutes.
- Reduce the heat slightly, add the loose black tea and leave to steep for a few moments — don’t over-brew or it will become bitter.
- Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into your mug.
- Sweeten with brown sugar if desired (sugar helps fix the aromas — raw cane sugar works wonderfully here).
Starbucks-Style Chai Latte
For the indulgent Starbucks-inspired version with extra foam and sweetness, use a chai concentrate (available in most supermarkets or online) and steam your milk with a milk frother until you get a rich, thick foam. Pour the chai concentrate over ice for an iced version, or heat it through for a hot latte. Top with a generous amount of foam and a dusting of cinnamon.
बोन अप्पेतित! (Bon appétit in Hindi!) ☕🇮🇳
What spices do you love to add to your chai latte? Share your recipe in the comments — we’d love to hear your variations!
Discover all our other Asian recipes here!