Recipes

Crispy Okra and Chickpea Salad
from RajasthanServes 4 as a starter

  • For the okra
  • 200g okra
  • 2 tsp garlic & ginger paste
  • 1/3 cup besan (chickpea) flour - found in Indian food shops
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp chat masala
  • For the salad:
  • fried okra
  • 180g cooked chickpeas
  • 100g fresh pommegranate seeds or 50g dried barberries or cranberries
  • small handful chopped, fresh coriander
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp chat masala
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 litre vegetable oil for deep frying
  • a little olive oil to dress (optional
  1. Wash okra, trim ends and slice finely on the cross. Toss in the garlic & ginger paste.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together and toss the okra in.
  3. Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl.
  4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer and fry the okra in batches till crispy - takes a few minutes.
  5. Toss crispy okra in with the other salad ingredients. You can drizzle with a little olive oil if you wish.

Serve with rice and cut limes.

Marrakech TangiaServes 4 - 6 people

  • 1kg lamb or hogget leg or shoulder, in very large pieces
  • 1 tbsp butter or smen (Moroccan rancid butter)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small onions, grated or puréed in the food processor
  • 1 1/2 tbsp garlic grated with the onions
  • A handful of chopped fresh mint or coriander
  • A handful of chopped parsley
  • A preserved lemon, skin only, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds or powder
  1. Pregeat oven to 150 degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients together with your hands and place in an overproof dish.
  3. Cover and cook for three hours till the meat is absolutely melting.

Eat with Moroccan bread.

Provencale OreillettesSugar Pastries - Makes 20 to 30

  • 2 1/2 cups (300g) flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 small eggs, beaten
  • 30g soft butter
  • grated rind of one orange and one lemon
  • 1 tsp orange flower water
  • 2L peanut oil
  • frying thermometer
  • caster sugar
  1. Sift the flour and salt onto the bench and make a well in the centre. Into this put the eggs, butter, grated rinds and orange flower water.
  2. Using fingers, gradually work in the flour till all is incorporated and you have a smooth, soft ball that comes away from your fingers. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.
  3. Divide pastry in four and roll out very thinly. With a pastry cutter, cut into 8x4cm rectangles.
  4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 190˚C and drop in pastry rectangles in batches. Fry till they are just golden then remove to a cake rack to drain onto paper towels.

Sprinkle with lots of caster sugar and eat immediately.

[photo: peta mathias]