From chilli chicken to lamb sheekh kebab: Dishoom's autumn curry recipes | Food (2024)

Prep 15 min
Marinade 6 hr+
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

For the marinade
20ml malt vinegar
20ml dark soy sauce
¾ tbsp (5g) ground white pepper
A pinch of salt
15g coriander stalks, finely chopped
1 small free-range egg
85g cornflour
40g strong white flour

For the sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
60g garlic, peeled and chopped
250g red onions, peeled and finely chopped
60g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
60ml dark soy sauce
35g green chillies, very finely chopped
35ml rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar

To serve
Finely chopped spring onions
Lime wedges

Next day, heat the oil for the sauce in a large, heavy-based pan and, once hot, fry the garlic briefly, until golden brown. Lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside, then fry the onions and ginger in the same oil, stirring so they don’t catch, for about eight minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the soy sauce, cook for two minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and return the fried garlic to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the oil separates, then spoon off any excess oil, turn down the heat and keep the sauce warm.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer (or a deep, heavy-based pan) to 160C. Carefully lower in the chicken pieces, in batches if need be, and deep-fry for three to four minutes, until crisp, golden and cooked through.

When done, use a slotted spoon to lift out the chicken, drain on kitchen paper, then add to the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with spring onions and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Lamb sheekh kebab

Prep 10 min
Chill 30 min-1 hr
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
10g coriander stalks
2-3 (10g) green chillies
50g red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
500g lamb mince (20% fat)
2 slices processed cheese, finely chopped (optional)
1½ tsp fine sea salt
1½ tbsp (25g) garlic paste
1 tbsp (15g) ginger paste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2½ tsp garam masala
10 skewers (if wooden, soaked in cold water)

Warm a frying pan on a medium heat, add the coriander and cumin seeds, and toast, shaking the pan regularly, for two minutes, until fragrant. Tip out on to a plate and leave to cool, then crush to a powder in a mortar or spice grinder.

Using a blender or mini food processor, briefly blitz the coriander stalks, green chillies and red onion to a coarse paste.

If you have a mincer, pass the lamb (with the cheese, if using) through – this will ensure you end up with especially juicy kebabs.

Portion the kebab mix into 10 x 60g balls. Push a skewer through the centre of each, then use your hands to spread out the mixture into a thin sausage shape around the skewer. (If you’re not grilling them immediately, the prepared kebabs can be covered and stored in the fridge for three to four hours.)

Heat the grill to medium-high, then grill the kebabs, turning regularly, for four to six minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through, but still soft and tender inside. Leave the kebabs to rest for two minutes, then transfer to a platter and garnish with chopped mint and red onion. Serve at once with lime wedges cut into bite-sized pieces.

Chilli broccoli salad

Prep 5 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 2 as a side (or 1 as a main)

140-150g broccoli
60g roasted pistachio nuts
½ fresh red chilli
4-5 coriander sprigs
5-6 mint leaves
20g medjool dates
35ml lime and chilli dressing (see below)
10g honey
20g roasted pumpkin seeds
Salt

To serve
1 lime wedge

Wash and dry the broccoli, then chop into small morsels. Crush the pistachios very lightly in a mortar. Finely chop the red chilli. Hand-tear the coriander and mint leaves. Finely chop or dice the dates into small chunks.

Using a mini food processor or stick blender, blitz all the dressing ingredients until completely hom*ogenised.

• Recipes by Naved Nasir, executive chef, Dishoom group, and co-author, with Shamil and Kavi Thakrar, of Dishoom: From Bombay with Love (Bloomsbury, £26). To order a copy for £22.62, go to guardianbookshop.com