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Reza is the geezer when it comes to spicing things up
If you like Indian food, then Reza Mahammad’s new book is a must-have, writes Clare Latimer
REZA Mahammad, who owns the Star of India in the Brompton Road and is also often seen cooking on telly has somehow made time to write a stunning cook book Rice, Spice and All Things Nice, which he tells me was a whole year’s work.
What a romp with humour, fun, colour, elephants, travel and flavours. Reza has such an appetite for life and every inch of this book oozes with his energy, skill, skittishness and enthusiasm.
If you want to learn your Charoli from your Chapati and your Khoa from your Kokum then this is the book for you.
He makes nearly every recipe very easy to cook with ingredients that we are au fait with and then he slips in the odd challenge.
Reading it made me want to go straight to India, but I have had to choose second best and that is to get cooking at home.
To test your cooking skills you can always go to his restaurant and compare the flavours.
It has been very hard to choose just two recipes from the book to give you as a taster, but have a go with these two, and if you approve then splash out £20 for the rest.
Salmon with green mango
Green mango, which is an unripe mango, can be bought from most Indian shops or you could ask your greengrocer.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
Four-six salmon fillets;
One small green mango, peeled and cut into chunks;
Two green chillies, thinly sliced;
One tbsp vegetable oil.
For the paste
One cup grated fresh coconut;
One small onion, peeled and finely chopped;
Seven curry leaves;
One tsp ground
coriander;
Half tsp chilli powder
Quarter tsp ground turmeric;
Salt.
For the tempering
One tbsp vegetable oil;
Quarter tsp mustard seeds;
Quarter tsp cumin seeds;
One green chilli, thinly sliced;
One sprig curry leaves;
Half lime, juiced.
Method
Put all the ingredients for the coconut paste, plus 180ml water into a blender and blitz to form a thick paste.
Take a wide, deep, non-stick frying pan, and put in the salmon pieces.
Add the mango, chillies and coconut paste, making sure the salmon is evenly coated.
Pour in 240ml water, then drizzle the oil over the whole mixture.
Gently bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered on a medium to low heat for up to 10 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked and the mango has begun to turn translucent.
Turn the fish over to finish cooking.
Pour the tempering oil into a separate frying pan and place on a high heat.
Add the mustard and cumin seeds and fry until they begin to pop and sizzle.
Add the chilli and curry leaves, and stir for a few seconds.
Pour over the fish, then drizzle over the lime juice. Serve immediately.
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