Vivek Singh has been executive chef at The Cinnamon Club in Westminster since it opened in 2001. Earlier this month he worked with the team behind the restaurant to open The Cinnamon Kitchen, taking the same quality Indian food to the city.
Singh`s ethos is to constantly evolve and adapt Indian food. He uses Indian ingredients with local produce and mixes Indian cooking techniques with European style to produce a layering of flavours.
His Bollywood Burner curry using Dorset Naga chillis was a contender for the XXX World`s Hottest Curry title, held yesterday, with the results due to be published here today.
Here are his top tips for cooking curry and his favourite recipe from his latest cookbook Curry: Classic and Contemporary.
Vivek`s top tips for making curry
1. Always use whole spices at the beginning of making a dish, i.e. add to hot oil/ghee to release the flavour. Add ground and powdered spices at end to finish/enhance dishes.
2. If storing whole or ground spices, keep them in airtight containers and away from direct light to avoid discolouration. Use freshly ground spices within two weeks.
3. When adding yoghurt to a curry whilst cooking, always add in small amounts and stir well to keep it from splitting
4. Chopped coriander leaves are good as a garnish but when cooking use the stems where possible for better flavour and texture.
5. The trick to using turmeric is that you should be able to see it but never taste it. If you can taste it, you’ve added too much.
In most recipes, ghee or clarified butter can be substituted with corn or vegetable oil.
Braised Shoulder of Young Lamb with Mint & Onion
Ingredients:
2 x 1-1.5kg shoulders of young lamb
10 green cardamom pods
2 blades of mce
8 cloves, roasted in a dry frying pan
2 x 5cm (2-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 tsp royal (black) cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
6 green chillies, slit open lengthwise
800ml water
1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
100g (31/2oz) small red onions, Madras
onions or shallots, peeled
4 tbsp single cream
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves,
crushed between your fingertips
4 tablespoons chopped mint
juice of 1 lemon
half tsp sugar (optional)
For the first marinade
1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1 tbsp salt
2tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
For the second marinade
quarter nutmeg, grated
75g Fried Cashew Paste (see page 202)
400g (12/3 cups) Greek-style yoghurt,
tied in a muslin cloth and left hanging
up overnight to drain
half tsp garam masala
2 tbsp cream cheese
Method:
Trim any surface fat from the lamb shoulders, wash them under cold running water, then drain and pat dry on kitchen paper. Prick each shoulder 4–6 times with the tip of a sharp knife.
Mix together all the ingredients for the first marinade, rub them over the lamb and set aside for 15 minutes. Mix together all the ingredients for the second marinade and apply them to the shoulders, rubbing and massaging the marinade into the gashes. Place the lamb shoulders in a roasting tray and add the whole spices, bay leaves and 2 of the green chillies. Now pour the water carefully into the tray. Cover with foil and place in an oven preheated
to 200∞C/400∞F/Gas Mark 6. Roast for 30 minutes, then stir the juices and use to baste the meat. Reduce the heat to 170∞C/325∞F/Gas Mark 3 and cook for 11/2hours. Remove the tray from the oven, take out the meat and let it rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Pass the cooking juices through a sieve to get rid of the whole spices and set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the small onions and saut? for a minute or so, until shiny but still crunchy.
Add the remaining green chillies, pour the strained cooking juices into the pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the cream, fenugreek and mint and finish with the lemon juice. Check the seasoning and add the sugar if necessary. Carve the lamb into 4 or 6 pieces, then pour the sauce on top. Serve with a bread of your choice.