Romy says: “I learnt this recipe from the best. Chef Manjit Gill, my mentor, taught me the method: he always said to slow cook this dal in big batches because the lentils get creamier and combine well with the tadka. Yes, this is indeed a labour of love, but when you serve dal makhani with roti, you don’t need any other side dishes or accompaniments.”

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the dal:

• 200g urad dal (black lentils)
• 2.5 litres hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp grated (shredded) ginger root
• 2–3 whole green chillies

For the paste

• 30g (1 oz) butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 15g (½oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 3 tsp tomato puree (paste)
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• 1½ tbsp double (heavy) cream
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp garam masala 
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp melted ghee, to serve

To serve:

• Indian flatbreads

Method

Soak the dal overnight in cold water then drain and rinse until the water runs clear.

Place the dal in a deep saucepan with 2 litres (68 fl oz/ 8 cups) of the hot water plus the salt, grated (shredded) ginger and whole green chillies. Place the pan over a high heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan and cook until the dal is soft. This will take around 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, make the paste. Heat the butter in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Once melted, add the cumin seeds and, as soon as they start to sizzle, add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée, dried fenugreek leaves and cream, and stir to combine. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then add the remaining spices and salt. Stir well and cook for a further minute.

Once the dal is cooked, add the paste to the dal along with the remaining 500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) of hot water and stir well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 30 minutes until the dal is mushy, creamy and soft. Serve hot, drizzled with the melted ghee and enjoy with any Indian flatbread.

Romy says: “There are so many different recipes for butter chicken. This is my take, because there is a lot of spark and dispute going on in India about butter chicken. We served so much butter chicken in our restaurant, so I went in search of the very best butter chicken recipe and researched how it all started. I found this gave me a better understanding of this best-loved dish. With its silky smooth, gently spiced tomato, cashew and cream gravy, it’s a comforting, warming dish that feels decadent. It was in 2013 when I started to take a closer look at butter chicken and its history. My mentor, chef Manjit Gill, took me to the first ever Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryagang in Delhi. A restaurant co-founded by Kundan Lal Jaggi, Kundal Lal Gujral and Maggu (also known as Thakur Das) and it was where they created both butter chicken and dal makhani.”

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 750g (1lb 10oz) skinless, boneless chicken (thighs and breast), cut into bite-size pieces

For the marinade:

• 10g (½oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 2 tsp tandoori masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp yoghurt
• juice of ½ lemon
• 30ml (2 tbsp) sunflower oil

For the sauce

• 500g (1lb 2oz) tomatoes
• 50g (2oz) butter
• 20g (¾oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)
• 1 tsp tomato puree (paste)
• 1 tsp tandoori masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 30g (1½ oz) ground cashew nuts
• 30ml (2 tbsp) double (heavy) cream
• 6–8 green cardamom seeds, crushed
• 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)

To serve:

• your choice of Indian flatbreads or rice

Method

To make the marinade, mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Prick the chicken pieces with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir well to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least a couple of hours.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6. Spread the marinated chicken out on a baking tray and cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes. 

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. If the chicken finishes cooking before you have finished making the sauce, switch the oven off after the 15 minutes and leave the meat to rest in the oven.

Blanch the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes, then remove their skins. Cut into quarters and remove the seeds, then roughly chop and place in a food processor. Blitz to a smooth purée.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the puréed fresh tomatoes as well as the tomato purée and cook for 8–10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through, stirring regularly to avoid them sticking and burning. Add all the spices, chilli powder, salt and sugar, mix well and cook for a further 2 minutes until emulsified.

Lower the heat, then add the ground cashew nuts and cream, and stir well. Add 500–600ml water – the quantity you choose to add depends on how runny you want the sauce to be. Bring the mixture to a boil, and when it starts bubbling, add the chicken, lower the heat and cook for a further 8–10 minutes. Sprinkle over the cardamom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves. Stir and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving with rice or any Indian flatbreads.

Romy says: “Omelettes were a huge part of my diet when I was growing up. They were something quick and easy for my dad to make for us when our mum was in hospital in Kolkata for her radiotherapy treatments. We would roll these omelettes up inside flatbreads or place them between two slices of bread toasted in a pan to make a sandwich, then eat them – always with tomato ketchup.”

Makes 2

Ingredients

• 20g butter, at room temperature
• 3 large organic eggs, beaten
• 1 small red or white onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 10g (½oz) ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
• small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• 20ml (1½ tbsp) whole (full-fat) milk

To serve:

• slices of bread, toasted
• tomato ketchup

Method

Place half the butter in a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients and whisk until combined.

Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. As soon as it melts, add the omelette mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the omelette over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Serve hot with ketchup and toast.