Recipes
Articles about recipes in the UK curry industry
Gujarati Kadhi, Dhokla and the Science of the Sweet-Sour Vegetarian Day
Gujarati cooking balances sweet, sour, salty and spicy in a way few other regional cuisines attempt, from yoghurt-and-gram-flour kadhi to steamed fermented dhokla. Here is the logic behind the sugar-in-everything reputation and the vegetarian thali it builds.
Rajasthani Dal Baati Churma and Ker Sangri: Desert Cooking Without Water
Rajasthani cuisine was shaped by the scarcity of the Thar Desert, where fresh water and green vegetables were luxuries. From baked baati and ghee-soaked churma to dried-bean ker sangri, this is cooking built for preservation and survival.
Keralan Beef Ularthiyathu: The Black Pepper and Coconut Dry-Fry of Malabar Christians
Beef ularthiyathu is the dark, intensely spiced dry-fried beef of Kerala's Syrian Christians, built on black pepper, curry leaves and toasted coconut slivers. We explore the dish, its technique, and Kerala's distinct beef-eating heritage.
Maharashtrian Pandhra and Saoji: Vidarbha's Black, Fiery Mutton Tradition
Deep in eastern Maharashtra, the Saoji community of Nagpur cooks some of India's hottest, oiliest mutton curries, built on a secret masala of poppy seeds and stone flower. Here is what makes Vidarbha's black, blistering gravies so different from the coastal Maharashtrian food most British diners know.
Mughlai Korma, Truly: The Almond, Cream and Saffron Banquet Dish Before Britain Sweetened It
Long before the British curry house turned korma into a mild, coconut-sweet crowd-pleaser, it was a royal Mughal braise of almonds, cream, saffron and slow-cooked meat. Here is how to reclaim the real dish and understand how it changed on its journey to Britain.
Kashmiri Rogan Josh's Cousins: Aab Gosht and Marchwangan Korma Explained
Rogan josh gets all the attention, but the Kashmiri Wazwan feast is full of remarkable lamb dishes. Meet aab gosht, the delicate milk-based braise, and marchwangan korma, the fiercely chilli-laced korma, and learn how each handles Kashmir's distinctive spices.
Bengali Fish Mastery: Scaling, Cutting and Cooking Rui, Katla and Pabda the Right Way
In Bengal, fish is not an ingredient but a culture, and how you cut it matters as much as how you cook it. This practical guide covers rui, katla and pabda, the right cut for the right dish, and why the head and tail are the most prized pieces of all.
Panch Phoron's Southern Mirror: How Sambar Powder and Rasam Powder Are Built
Sambar powder and rasam powder are the roasted lentil-and-spice backbones of South Indian cooking, built on a very different logic from the dry-roasted whole-spice garam masalas of the north. Here is how each blend is constructed, why lentils belong in the grinder, and how UK kitchens get them right.
Jeera vs Shahi Jeera: The Two Cumins and Where Each Belongs
Ordinary cumin and the delicate, smoky shahi jeera are routinely confused, yet they are different plants with different jobs. Here is how to tell them apart, how each tastes, and why the more expensive one earns its place in a biryani.
Dum Pukht Beyond Biryani: Sealing Stews, Vegetables and Whole Birds in a Handi
Dum pukht, the sealed slow-steam method of Awadhi cooking, is famous for biryani but reaches far beyond it, gently cooking vegetables, koftas and even whole birds in their own trapped aromas. Here is how the dough seal works and how to use the technique at home.
Bhunao Step by Step: Reading the Oil-Separation Signs of a Properly Cooked Masala
Bhunao is the patient fry-down that builds the backbone of nearly every great curry. Here is how to read the colour, sound and oil-splitting cues that tell you a masala is truly cooked.
Tadka and Baghaar: Why Indian Cooks Add the Tempering Last, Not First
Tempering is the sizzle of whole spices in hot fat that finishes so many Indian dishes. Discover why cooks often pour it over the top at the very end, and how to get the timing and sequence right.