Eating with Maunika Gowardhan: Haraa Masalewala Murgh
Make green masala chicken curry from the chef’s debut cookbook Indian Kitchen.
We had lunch with Maunika Gowardhan, the author of Indian Kitchen once. Our common friend Pooja Dhingra, macaron mogul and cookbook author herself, had invited friends over to Studio15 where Maunika was cooking.
Maunika made a gorgeous pineapple chutney and a fragrant green masala curry that was bursting with mint and coriander flavours. When we returned home, I was still thinking about the meal so I visited her website Cook in a Curry and have continued to find great solace in it since, especially while travelling.
So when I got my hands on this book earlier this month, of course I made the Haraa Masalewala Murgh, a dish where vibrant herb flavours are balanced with creamy cashew. It was mildly spiced and as mentioned in her introduction, very moreish. And I grew the mint I used in it myself, in my balcony.
Indian Kitchen is an excellent introduction to Indian cooking even for the novice cook. It feels like a notebook of favourite recipes collected from family and especially from good friends, in that it offers a variety of regional favourites that are comforting and feel home-style. The book is divided into five parts: Hungry, Lazy, Indulgent, Celebratory and Extras. There are recipes for simple dals, breads, chutneys, snacks (Bombay sandwiches, pakodas) and even desserts, while the Indulgent and Celebratory sections have recipes for more complex dishes: nalli gosht, bhapa maach, hirwa tisrya masala, kozhi biryani.
The recipes are undaunting, undoubtedly because Maunika is based in the UK and the recipes are simplified to substitute rare ingredients like dagad phool (stone flower?) for alternatives. Its biggest success is that it never compromises on flavour and feeling.
If you’re not convinced, just make this or one of the many recipes she shares on her blog. You will be.
Haraa Masalewala Murgh
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion (160–170g), finely chopped
pinch of sugar
1 green bird’s eye chilli, slit lengthways
1 heaped tbsp grated fresh ginger
900g chicken on the bone, skinned and jointed into small pieces (ask your butcher to do this)
juice of ½ lemon
salt to taste
For the spice paste
60g cashew nuts
8 garlic cloves
2 green bird’s eye chillies
60g fresh coriander leaves and stems
40g fresh mint leaves
For the garnish
roughly chopped fresh coriander
1.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, cut into julienne strips
Instructions:
1. First make the spice paste. Soak the cashew nuts in enough warm water to cover for 15–20 minutes. When ready, put them in a blender with the rest of the spice paste ingredients and 50ml water. Blitz to a smooth paste and set aside.
2. Place a deep heavy-based pan over a medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onions and the sugar, and fry for 12–15 minutes, stirring frequently until the onion starts to soften and go a caramel-brown colour. Add the chilli along with the ginger and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the spice paste mix and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring well to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces and stir well, making sure they are well coated in the green gravy. Fry for 2–3 minutes to seal. Add 500ml water, season to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking, until the chicken pieces are cooked through and are coated by the masala.
4. Garnish with coriander and some fresh ginger.
Recipe from Indian Kitchen by Maunika Gowardhan (Hodder & Stoughton/Hachette) available on Amazon.