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Two Michelin stars are all very well, but they don’t help much when you’ve got eight chicken legs, a bag of rice and people coming for dinner. Fortunately, Aktar Islam knows his way around both ends of the cooking spectrum.
At Opheem in Birmingham, the chef has earned two Michelin stars for his inventive approach to Indian cooking. But he’s also the man behind Aktar at Home, the nationwide recipe-box business born during lockdown, when he decided that people deserved something better than the usual disappointing takeaway. It turns out restaurant-quality Indian food doesn’t always require a restaurant.
These three recipes are a good place to start. They’re generous, boldly spiced dishes that reward a little patience, without requiring a professional kitchen or a small army of chefs. There is, admittedly, a bit of advance planning involved, but that’s half the pleasure of cooking something properly.
The chicken biryani is a weekend project worth clearing your afternoon for, with fragrant basmati rice, warming spices and a traditional dough seal that traps the steam as it cooks. The lamb cutlets take a slightly unexpected turn, with dates and sultanas lending sweetness to the marinade, balanced by a sharp, herby green chutney made with peas, mint and coriander.
And for anyone who likes their curry with a bit of backbone, there’s laal maas, the fiery Rajasthani lamb dish built around Kashmiri chillies, slow-cooked meat and, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, a final flourish of charcoal smoke.
None is a 20-minute supper. But for a long weekend lunch, a family gathering or simply an excuse to spend a few hours in the kitchen, they’re well worth the effort.
Chicken biryani
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
Whole spices:
6 green cardamom pods
3 cloves
5 cassia leaves (Indian bay leaves; ordinary bay leaves can be substituted, although the flavour will be different)
1 large stick of cassia bark
10 black peppercorns
Ground spices:
3 tsp ground chilli (choose mild if you don’t like it hot)
3 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Everything else:
2 tsp salt
8 whole chicken legs, trimmed and separated into thighs and drumsticks
3 tbsp corn oil (or vegetable oil)
4 medium onions, finely sliced
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2.5cm piece ginger, crushed
4 tbsp yoghurt, whisked
2 tomatoes, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Generous pinch garam masala
Generous handful mint, finely chopped
Generous handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
Handful of dried fried onions (optional)
750g basmati rice
150g plain flour, mixed with enough water to make a stiff dough
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
2. Wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then set aside. About 20 minutes before adding it to the chicken, soak it in cold water for 15-20 minutes.
3. Take a large heavy-based ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid and heat the oil over medium heat. Add all the whole spices and fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add the onions and salt, reduce the heat and allow to soften and turn golden for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly with the onions. Keep stirring occasionally until the chicken is evenly browned. Add the ground spices along with 50ml of water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and keep stirring until fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the mixture. Pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the chicken. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
5. Slowly pour in the whisked yoghurt, add the tomatoes and garam masala, cover once again and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is nearly cooked through. Add the mint and coriander, stirring in well.
6. Drain the rice and gently mix it into the chicken. Pour in enough boiling water for the liquid to come just to the top of the rice, rather than covering it deeply. Add the lime juice and sprinkle over the dried fried onions, if using. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
7. Roll the dough into one long rope and press it around the rim of the pot. Place the lid firmly on top, pressing down to create a seal, then transfer to the oven for 35-45 minutes. Alternatively, seal the pot tightly with foil before placing the lid on top.
8. Remove from the oven and leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the dough seal and lift the lid. Check that the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. If the rice is still firm, add a splash of boiling water, replace the lid and return to the oven until cooked. Gently fork through the rice and serve with a simple raita or salad.
Lamb cutlets with green chutney
Serves:
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus overnight marinating | Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the lamb cutlets:
80g fresh dates, pitted
65g sultanas
30g fresh root ginger
10g garlic
1 green chilli
½ tsp ground cardamom
55g lemon juice
1 tsp cumin and black cumin powder, mixed 50:50
30g brown onion, roughly chopped
100g strained yoghurt (strain your yoghurt in a sieve lined with muslin for a few hours to get rid of excess moisture; or thick Greek-style yoghurt)
8 lamb cutlets
A squeeze of lime juice
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
Salt, to taste
30g double cream
For the green chutney:
Handful mint leaves
Handful coriander leaves
100 fresh or frozen petit pois, blanched and refreshed in iced water
½ tsp green chilli paste
¼ tsp black salt
Pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic
½ tsp chaat masala
Juce of ½ a lime
Approx 5 tbsp strained yoghurt (as above)
To serve:
50g clarified butter
Chaat masala
Ground cardamom
Method:
1. In a food processor, combine the dates, sultanas, ginger, garlic, green chilli, cardamom, lemon juice, cumin and black cumin powder, brown onion and strained yoghurt, and blend until smooth.
2. Put the cutlets in a shallow dish with the lime juice, garlic and ginger paste and salt.
3. Stir the double cream into the blended ingredients to loosen, then add the mixture to the cutlets, turning to coat them evenly.
4. Cover and leave to marinade overnight (preferably) in the fridge. Remove from the fridge and allow the cutlets to come to room temperature when you are ready to cook.
5. For the green chutney, blend the petit pois, mint, coriander, garlic and green chilli paste into a smooth paste. Add the black salt, regular salt, chaat masala and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Mix in the yoghurt, adding more to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. When ready to cook the lamb, shake off any excess marinade to prevent it burning.
If cooking on a barbecue:
7. Place the cutlets on a hot barbecue and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness and how well done you like your lamb. Avoid direct flames, as the sugars in the marinade can burn.
If cooking in the oven:
8. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Arrange the cutlets on a wire rack set over a roasting tray. Cook in the oven for 7-8 minutes, turning halfway through, then switch to a hot grill and cook for approximately 1 minute on each side to colour, if needed. Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the cutlets, so check they are cooked to your liking.
9. Once cooked, remove the cutlets from the heat, drizzle with clarified butter and allow to rest for a few minutes. Sprinkle with chaat masala and ground cardamom.
10. Serve the cutlets with the green chutney.
Laal mans
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 25 minutes | Cooking time: approx 2 hours
Ingredients:
1.5kg of lamb leg or shoulder, cubed
3 white onions, finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
5cm piece of ginger, minced
100ml corn oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tsp salt
For the whole masala:
4 cassia leaves (Indian bay leaves)
7.5cm piece of cassia bark
2 black cardamom pods
3 green cardamom pods
6 cloves
Ground spices:
2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp ground coriander
¾ tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp tomato puree
For the smoking process (optional):
3 lumps of charcoal
1 tbsp of ghee
Method:
1. Heat most of the oil in a large, heavy-based pot over a medium-high heat. Sear the lamb chunks in small batches until evenly browned, then set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pot, followed by the whole masala, and fry for 1 minute over a moderate heat until fragrant.
3. Add the onions and a sprinkle of the salt, then cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent them catching.
4. Once the onions are brown, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the ground spices and cook over a low heat with a splash of water for 2 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook slowly for a further 5 minutes, adding a drop of water whenever the masala starts to catch on the bottom of the pan.
6. Once the oil begins to separate from the masala, add the seared lamb along with any juices from the bowl and stir to coat thoroughly. Cook the lamb in the masala for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add enough boiling water to just cover the meat. Cover and simmer gently for 1-2 hours, or until the lamb is tender, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if necessary. Lamb shoulder may take longer than leg.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes until thickened to your liking.
To smoke (optional):
8. This step should be carried out outdoors, as burning charcoal produces carbon monoxide. Heat the charcoal on a barbecue until glowing. Place the pieces in a small, heatproof metal dish, then carefully rest the dish inside the pot with the curry, making sure it is stable and the charcoal does not touch the food. Pour the ghee over the hot charcoal and immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Leave to smoke for 2-3 minutes.
9. Carefully remove the lid, then lift out the charcoal dish using heatproof tongs. Extinguish and dispose of the charcoal safely outdoors before serving the curry.
