For the last six years, I have been planning and writing this book, a culmination of my love of food and cooking, and a determination to share my and my family’s recipes with a wider audience. I want to show you that Indian food does not have to be complicated and can be easily made at home, with a few core ingredients. The recipes in this book are created to be as simple as possible and I believe anyone can effortlessly make a delicious Indian feast, or just bring a hint of the East to a nutritious everyday meal. I grew up in Malawi, Africa. My grandparents had moved to Malawi from the Gujarat in India in the late 1940s, after the India and Pakistan partition. With a large Indian community in Malawi, recipes and cooking styles were preserved and shared. There are also Persian influences in our food, with Persians having settled in the Gujarat in the eighth century, so we use rosewater, saffron, cardamom and pomegranates.Regardless of where I have lived, cooking was always a big part of my upbringing. I was lucky to learn recipes and cooking from my mum. Then when our family moved to the UK when I was a teenager, I began experimenting with different flavours, having access to a wide variety of Western ingredients. My parents loved to entertain, and my mum had no qualms about cooking a biryani for 100 guests, or planning what dishes to be served at a family gathering, with my dad. But it was in New Zealand in my twenties that I truly found my love for food. I missed my mum’s cooking, so would recreate her recipes, far from home. Indian home cooking is my soul food; it’s nostalgia, passion and comfort. I am one of four girls, and we all love our food. We share recipes and ask each other for culinary advice. Some of my favourite recipes are those that have been passed down through my family, adapted by each generation to suit the ingredients available. As a busy nurse, mother and home cook, I have further developed these recipes to reflect my own lifestyle and cooking techniques.This book, dedicated to my beautiful mum, Zarina, is not only full of the recipes she taught me but also ones I have created, trying to recapture the flavours of my childhood, so I can share them with my own children. I have loved every minute of this journey and I’m delighted to be sharing the recipes from My Indian Kitchen with you. I believe that food celebrates life, so I hope my easy-to-cook, authentic, Eastern-inspired dishes encourage you to cook fabulous meals to share with your family and friends. May they help to create wonderful memories with those you love.Much love, AshiaIntroduction6Paneer & vegetable tikkaThese tikka are a combination of soft, juicy paneer cubes and chunky vegetables in a beautifully spicy sauce and then grilled to perfection. This recipe is an easy dish that is sure to impress your family and friends at a summer barbecue. You can serve them with apple chutney (page 150) and yoghurt.Makes 8–10 Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 20 minsMix together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, combining well and then set aside. Using the soaked wooden sticks, assemble each tikka by alternating paneer, mushroom and capsicum, leaving a 5cm gap at each end (for handling).Lay the sticks on a tray lined with baking paper and brush each with the marinade, making sure to coat the individual ingredients on each stick. Place the tikkas into a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but preferably 1–2 hours.Once ready to cook, these can be either cooked on the barbecue or on a cast-iron griddle, until golden.marinade1 tsp chilli powder1 tsp ground coriander1 tsp ground cumin½ tsp turmeric1–2 cloves garlic, crushed1 tbsp tomato passata1–2 tbsp oiltikka300g paneer, cut into 3cm cubes4–6 large mushrooms, 1 red capsicum, 1 green capsicum, all cut into 3cm pieces10 wooden kebab sticks (soaked in water)28G R A ZIN G & B ITES10 8THE MAIN E VENT10 8Spicy shepherd’s pieMum was always good at adding a touch of spice to all her Western dishes. This is a great example – a traditional English shepherd’s pie with a spicy twist.Serves 4 Prep time 15 mins Cooking time 30–40 minsFry the onion in oil until golden, and add the minced meat, spices, garlic and ginger. Cook until the meat is brown. Add tomatoes and all the vegetables and simmer for about 20 minutes. When well cooked, leave aside.Boil the potatoes until soft. Drain and mash, adding butter and a splash of milk, making sure the mash is of a spreadable consistency. Put the cooked mince into an ovenproof dish, and cover with the mashed potatoes. For a more decorative look, use a piping bag and decorate with the mashed potatoes. Glaze with a beaten egg and place in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20–30 minutes or until golden. ¼ cup oil2 onions, sliced500g minced lamb or beef1½ tsp ground coriander1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp paprika¼ tsp turmeric½ tsp chilli powder1 tsp salt2–3 cloves garlic, crushed1 tsp grated fresh ginger400ml can diced tomatoes or tomato passata½ cup fresh or frozen peas½ cup sliced carrot6–8 potatoes, peeled and quartered1 tsp buttersplash of milk1 egg, beaten, for egg wash186A T O U CH O F SWE E TNESS186Pavlova with rose cream, cardamom & salted caramel shardsThe first time I had pavlova was when I was invited to a Christmas lunch with my husband’s family. This is my mother-in-law Wendy’s recipe, to which I have added an Eastern twist.Serves 8–10 Prep time 30 mins Bake time 1.5 hoursPre-heat oven to 160°C. Grease a sheet of foil, then run it under a cold tap.Beat egg whites with an electric beater or mixer till stiff.Add water, then gradually add sugar. Slow the beater and add cornflour. Next add the vanilla essence and vinegar. The mixture should now be thick and glossy and should stay in whichever position you pull it.Place the mixture onto the greased foil on a baking tray (just pile it in a circular mound about 20cm high, gently flattening the top so you can decorate it).Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 160°C and then turn oven down to 130°C for 1 hour. It should be a light creamy/pale gold colour.For the rose cream, mix the fresh cream with a couple of drops of rosewater and whisk until soft peaks form, being careful not to over-mix.To make the shards line a baking tray with a sheet of foil. Place the sugar and water in a pan over low heat. Add the cardamom seeds and continue to stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to high and cook for 4–5 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a damp pastry brush, until you have a light golden caramel. Carefully pour onto the prepared tray, swirling and tilting to spread the caramel. Sprinkle over salt. Cool in a refrigerator until hard, then break into shards. This can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in an airtight container. Once pavlova is cool, decorate it with the rose-infused cream, berries of your choice and salted caramel shards.pavlova4 egg whites3 tbsp cold water1 cup sugar1 tbsp cornflour1 tsp vanilla essence1 tsp white vinegar rose cream300ml fresh creama couple of drops of rosewatersalted caramel shards1 cup caster sugar1 tbsp salt flakes60ml water1–2 cardamom pods, seeds extracted and crushedto garnishfresh berries of your choiceWe hope youenjoyed this EYB Book PreviewThe complete book is available from allmajor booksellers. Or use the "BuyBook" button and help support EYB. Next >