Author: monicasawhney

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Spicy Potato and Mushroom Curry

This dish is perfect if you’re looking to cook something wholesome and nutritious but don’t want to sacrifice on flavour and taste! I love the combination of vegetables in this recipe-the meatiness of the mushrooms combined with the comforting potatoes marriages together wonderfully to create a delicious and satisfying dish. I’ve also added peas to add a little bit of colour and slight sweetness. The beauty of this recipe is that how customisable it is. If you’re not a huge fan of mushrooms, you can omit them (potatoes and peas is a very popular Punjabi dish!) or you can even replace with paneer.

I cooked this dish in a pressure cooker and it literally  took5 minutes. However, it can be cooked in  a normal pan too and this is the recipe I’ve written below for you.

With Autumn around the corner and the temperature dropping slightly, served with some hot chapatis, this dish is a great “warmer-upper”! Try it out and comment or tweet at me to let you know what you think @thespiceclub.

Serves 4

What we need:
3 tbsp olive oil
3 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
250g button mushrooms, halved
1 cup peas
1 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida (optional)
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp yoghurt
3 plum tomatoes with 2 tbsp juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
1tbsp kasuri methi (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Handful fresh coriander

How we do:

  • Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds begin to sizzle add the ginger and chilli. Stir for 1-2 minutes until they begin to turn slightly golden. Now add the yoghurt and mix well.
  • Add the plum tomatoes and mash well. Add the salt, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, kasuri methi and fresh coriander and stir together. Cook on medium heat.
  • When the oil begins to separate, add the potatoes, mushrooms, peas and enough water to just cover the vegetables.
  • Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and put the lid on.  Let it cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes become tender.
  • Best served with hot chappatis!
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Vegetarian Shammy Kebabs


As much time has passed, I thought I would return with a mouth watering recipe in order to make up for the hiatus at blogging! This recipe is one that has been tried and tested at many family dinner parties and always go down a storm. Before you go on, I’d recommend that you take a peek here at unclutterer, because that’s where I found half the essentials I needed. Shammy kebabs are usually made with minced lamb and channa dal and although this recipe is a vegetarian twist to the traditional one, they are still meaty in texture and delicious! Let me know what you think and tweet a pic to @thespiceclub with your results!

Makes 12 kebabs

What we need:

½ cup channa dal lentils
½ cup soya granules
1 slice of white bread or 2 challah buns
½ cup boiled potatoes mashed
1/4 tbsp gram flour
1 green chilli, chopped
½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
½ cup carrots, grated
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
Oil for frying

How we do:

  • Soak the channa dal lentils overnight
  • Grind the bread in a food processor to form bread crumbs and place in a mixing bowl
  • Drain the lentils (do this well so there is no excess water)and grind in a food processor
  • Add the ground lentils to the breadcrumbs. Now add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well together until it begins to collect together. Knead for 2-3 minutes until you have a firm dough.
  • Separate into little balls then pat slightly to make round kebabs, approx 7cms wide and 2cms thick.
  • Heat the oil on medium. Once hot, add the kebabs one at a time and be careful not to overcrowd (I fried 3 at a time in a small wok). Once golden on one side, turn them over until golden on the other. (NB-You can also shallow fry on a flat griddle with a little drizzle of oil if you prefer)
  • Drain on a paper towel and serve hot with mint or tamarind chutney!
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Vegetarian Shahi Kofta Masala Recipe

Since The Spice Club’s feature on the Hairy Bikers, we have been inundated with requests for our Shahi Kofta Masala recipe which was shown on the episode. This is a delicious vegetarian dish that is made from fresh lotus root kofta balls cooked in a Punjabi masala and peas. You can also add paneer which adds a lovely texture and takes the dish to the another level! Fresh lotus root is usually available at most Indian and Chinese grocery shops. (If you can’t get fresh you can also get it in a tin). We have made this dish at a few of our supper clubs and we always receive rave reviews. Many guests comment on the “meaty” texture of the koftas and are surprised that it is actually vegetarian! So without further a do, check out the recipe below. Comments are always appreciated and if you make it, tweet a pic to @thespiceclub! If you are a big fan of the Asian culture and love their food, then you should definitely check out this chinese restaurant.

Serves 4

What we need: –

For the koftas:
1 lotus root (they usually come pre-packed and are about 10-12″ long)
2 tbsp gram flour (or enough to bind)
1 tsp salt or according to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander powder
handful fresh coriander
Oil for frying

For the paneer (optional):
1 block of paneer (approx 250g), cut into 1 inch cubes
Olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2-1 tsp salt (or according to taste)

For the masala:
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt (or according to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 green chilli, finely chopped
handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 tin plum tomatoes
1/2 cup peas (if frozen, thaw in water and strain)
Water
2 tbsp cream (optional)

How we do:

  • To make the koftas, you can follow along the video clip starting at 4.53 onwards. Peel the lotus root and grate. Transfer it onto on a clean tea towel and wrap it up. Squeeze out the excess water and place the grated lotus root into a mixing bowl.
  • Add the spices and coriander (written in the kofta ingredient list above) to the grated lotus root and gradually add the gram flour until it binds into a mixture. If you require more gram flour to bind, sprinkle in some more as you go along. Roll into balls and deep fry until light golden in colour and set aside.
  • If you want to add paneer to the dish, (this is optional), heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non stick frying pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they begin sizzle, add the paneer cubes. Now add the salt and turmeric powder. Lightly fry until paneer turns golden on both sides. Remove from heat.
  • To make the masala, In a food processer, add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. Now add the salt, paprika, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and fresh coriander. Blitz until a coarse paste has been formed. Now heat olive oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and allow them to start sizzling. Now add the ground masala paste. Cook on medium heat until it turn, golden brown, stirring continuously. When you see the masala paste is nice and golden, add the plum tomatoes and mash well so it blends with the masala. Keep stirring and cook for 4-5 minutes. Once the oil begins to separate from the masala, add the koftas and peas to the masala. (If you have made paneer you can add it to the masala now too).
  • Boil some water in a kettle. Add 4 cups of water to the kofta masala. Mix well. Place a lid on the pan and let it simmer for 8-12 minutes, stirring constantly. Check the salt and adjust accordingly. Drizzle the cream in just before serving and you’re done.
  • Here’s the final result. Best served with basmati rice or hot chappatis. Enjoy!