SPICED INDIAN RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the tamarind paste with the lime, sugar, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, garlic and ginger. Add enough water – you won’t need much – to make sufficient marinade to coat the four pieces of fish. Turn the salmon over in the marinade, making sure it gets well coated, cover and put in the fridge for 1 hr (or 30 mins is fine if you’re in a rush).
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the chillies. Fry over a medium heat for 30-40 secs, then add the salmon fillets. Brown the fillets on each side (including the skin), then transfer them to a roasting tin. Spoon some of the chilli oil from the pan over them. Bake in the oven for 12 mins, or until the fish is cooked right through to the centre (check with the tip of a knife). Serve with rice, lime wedges and an Indian chutney.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil, and sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.
• Finely dice chili, keeping seeds if you wish to add more heat. Add chili, lentils, coriander, cumin, turmeric and ground ginger to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk dal to amalgamate lentils and sweet potatoes. If dal is too soupy, increase heat and cook for a little longer.
• To serve, place dal in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. If desired, shave thin strips of fresh coconut on top. Serve hot.