Sanjay says: “An all-time Indian classic and definitely one of our family favourites: we bring you the legendary tandoori chicken! Please note the time needed for marinating the chicken; it’s definitely worth it for the flavour.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 700g (1lb 9oz) chicken thighs, skin off, bone-in (or 500g/1lb 2oz boneless)
• 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste (see below)
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
• 2 tsp Tandoori Masala (see below)
• 2 tbsp lime juice

To serve:

• 4 pitta breads or wraps, warmed
• Crispy salad leaves
• 4 tsp Zingy Mint and Coriander Chutney (see below)
• 4 tbsp Garlic Yoghurt (see below)

Method

Mix the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste and salt, cover, and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavours can develop. Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt with the tandoori masala and lime juice in a large non-metallic bowl.

After 30 minutes, add the chicken to the spiced yoghurt, cover once again and pop back in the fridge to marinate for 2–3 hours (or longer if you can).

When it’s time to cook, preheat your grill (broiler) to medium-high. Add the chicken thighs and grill for 8–10 minutes, turning regularly, taking care not to burn them.

Slice the largest piece in the middle to see if the juices run clear; if they don’t, continue to grill for a couple of minutes longer.

Serve immediately onto warm pittas or wraps, then pile on some crispy salad leaves, zingy chutney and the garlic yoghurt.

Time-Saving Ginger-Garlic Paste

Makes about 250g (9oz) paste

Ingredients

• 125g (4½oz) fresh ginger
• 125g (4½oz) garlic cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed
• (canola) oil

Method

Peel and roughly chop your ginger and garlic and add to your blender with the salt and oil. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Either scoop into a clean jar or bottle and store in the fridge* or freeze in ice-cube trays and pop out a cube when you need to cook.

Top tip: Your garlic may turn a little green (this happens when garlic is crushed and reacts with the air) but, don’t worry, it’s still absolutely fine to use.

Garlic Yoghurt

Makes enough for 4 as a dip

Ingredients

• 200g (scant 1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste

Method

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to use.

Zingy Mint and Coriander Chutney

Makes enough to fill a medium-sized jar

Ingredients

• 50g (1¾oz) bunch fresh mint
• 50g (1¾oz) bunch fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1 green chilli
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 6 ice cubes

Method

Pick the mint leaves and discard the hard stalks. Roughly chop your coriander – you can use the stalks too as they will blitz down fine and add bags of flavour. Chop the end off your chilli and discard.

Cut the rest into chunks, keeping the seeds. Place in your blender, then add your salt, sugar, lemon juice and ice cubes. Blitz for a few seconds until everything is combined and you have a lovely bright green chutney.

Spoon into a sterilised ja and keep in the fridge for up to a week or freeze into an ice cube tray for when you need it.

Tandoori Masala

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

• 8g ginger powder
• 3g turmeric powder
• 22g coriander
• 7g chilli powder
• 8g cumin
• 10g beetroot powder (optional)
• 4g fenugreek
• 5g black peppercorns
• 3g cinnamon
• 2g cloves
• 2g cardamom
• 4g nutmeg, grated
• 5g sugar
• 5g onion granules
• 5g garlic granules
• 5g salt

Method

Put any whole spices into the coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind. Then add in any powdered ingredients, the sugar, onion and garlic granules and salt and mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Sanjay says: “This is a dish you’ll need to prepare three days before you want to eat it, but trust me, it’s worth it. It’s a total showstopper for Sunday lunch and a perfect alternative to the traditional roast. In my home, we’ve cooked lamb raan for Christmas dinner when the family has come over and it’s always gone down a storm – and for good reason. The flavour profile is deep, but has a nice citrussy balance because of the lemon, yoghurt and tandoori. Many recipes you’ll see call for a whole leg of lamb, but we’ve created this recipe for half a leg of lamb and this is still a lot of meat for 4 people. Serve simply with super-spiced spuds!” 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the lamb:

• Half leg of lamb (roughly 1kg/2lb 4oz)
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste (see recipe above)
• 250g (1¼ cups) Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp Garam Masala (page below)
• 1 tbsp Tandoori Masala (see recipe above)
• ½ tsp Harissa (see below) (optional)
• Handful of fresh mint leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon (or 2 limes if you have them)
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 shallots, peeled but left whole

For the super-spiced spuds:

• 500g (1lb 2oz) baby potatoes, skin on and halved (you can use canned if you have them)
• 40g (3 tbsp) butter
• 3 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil
• 6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tsp Sri Lankan Curry Powder (page below)
• ½ tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve:

• Pickled red onions (page below)
• Bunch of coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

Method

Poke holes into the lamb with a sharp knife and push your garlic slices into the holes. Put the ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, onion, garam masala, tandoori masala, harissa (if using), mint, lemon juice and salt into your blender. Blitz to form a paste.

Rub the paste all over the lamb with your hands, massaging it into the cuts. Place into a large zip-lock freezer bag, seal and put it in the fridge for 2–3 days.

When you are ready to get cooking, preheat the oven to 170°C fan/190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Put the lamb and all the marinade into a roasting tin (pan). Cover with foil and cook for 2½ hours. If you like your lamb well done, you can cook it for 3 hours.

This step is really important. Set a timer and baste the lamb every 20–25 minutes to keep your meat moist. You will notice each time you take it out to baste, the marinade will have cooked down more and more. Eventually, the marinade will start to stick to the base of the tin, at this point add in about 3 tablespoons of water.

Forty-five minutes before the cook time is up, add the shallots to the roasting tin and give everything a stir. This is also the time to prepare your spuds. Unless you are using canned, cook the new potatoes for 10 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water with a good pinch of salt. Drain then let them steam-dry in a colander for 5 minutes.

Put the potatoes into a separate roasting tin with the butter, oil, spring onions, lime juice, Sri Lankan curry powder, salt and pepper. Give everything a good stir and pop the tin into the oven with the lamb to let the potatoes cook and crisp up. When you put the potatoes into the oven, take the foil off the lamb, give it another good baste (and a little more water if needed) to let the top of the meat brown for the remainder of the cook time.

Take out the lamb, cover with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes. Turn up the oven to high, give the potatoes a stir and let them continue to crisp up in the oven while the lamb rests.

Transfer the lamb to a platter, scatter with some of the Pickled Red Onions and carve the meat at the table. Serve the potatoes in a separate dish, sprinkled with the coriander. Let everyone dive in and enjoy.

Top tip: Carve any lamb that’s left over after you’ve eaten and add it to the remaining marinade sauce for an amazing leftover meal. You can add a little water, yoghurt or cream to create more sauce. Serve with rice or bread. A total bonus.

Garam Masala

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

• 35g cumin
• 28g coriander
• 11g black peppercorns
• 6g ginger powder
• 3g cloves
• 8g cinnamon
• 4g star anise
• 2g nutmeg, grated
• 2g cardamom

Method

Put any whole spices into the coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind. Then add in any powdered ingredients and mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Harissa

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

• 21g paprika
• 3g coriander
• 3g caraway
• 3g cumin
• 27g chilli powder
• 27g chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
• 5g garlic granules
• 10g salt

Method

Put any whole spices into your coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind to your desired consistency. Then add in any powdered ingredients and your chilli flakes, garlic granules and salt. Mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Sri Lankan Curry Powder

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

• 22g cumin
• 28g fennel seeds
• 6g fenugreek
• 4g cloves
• 3g cardamom
• 12g chilli powder
• 6g cinnamon
• Handful of dried curry leaves (optional)

Method

Add any whole spices and curry leaves (if using) into the coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind. Then add in any powdered ingredients and mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Pickled Red Onions

Makes enough to fill a medium-sized jar

Ingredients

• 3 red onions, halved and sliced
• 1 tsp black peppercorns (optional)
• 250ml (generous 1 cup) white wine vinegar
• 250ml (generous 1 cup) water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sea salt

Method

Sterilise a jar big enough to hold your sliced onions (or a few smaller jars and divide the onions between them equally). Pop them in, together with the peppercorns (or a couple in each jar) if using. 

Set a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients and stir. The sugar and salt will begin to dissolve – this usually takes about a minute.

Allow the mixture to cool for a little while and then pour over your onions. If you are using several jars, be sure to allocate the liquid evenly. When the liquid has cooled completely, put the lid(s) on and store in your fridge. Overnight, you will notice how magic happens, in that your onions will turn bright pink. This is when they are ready to add to your dishes.

Sanjay says: “This is a lasagne for when you have a little spare time to get the tunes on, don your apron and cook up a storm. It makes enough for a good meal with leftovers for the next day. For a vegan-friendly version, replace the butter, milk, Cheddar and Parmesan with plant-based alternatives.” 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 800g (1lb 12oz) Big Batch Tomato Sauce (page below)
• 2 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil
• 1 red onion, peeled, halved and cut into half moons
• 2 red (bell) peppers, tops removed, deseeded and sliced
• 250g (9oz) mushrooms, chopped
• 1 courgette (zucchini), diced
• 1 aubergine (eggplant), diced
• ½ tsp Harissa (page recipe above)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 8–10 lasagne sheets (or more, depending on the size of your dish)

For the pesto:

• 75g (5½oz) shelled pistachio nuts
• 30g (2¼oz) basil leaves and stems, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20g (¾oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
• Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½
• ½ tsp salt

For the cheese sauce:

• 300ml (1¼ cups) milk
• 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
• 50g (3½ tbsp) butter
• 150g (5½oz) mature Cheddar cheese

Topping:

• 1 big tomato, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (or firm mozzarella if you have some)
• ½ tsp Italian Seasoning (see below)

To serve:

• Garlic bread

Method 

Gently warm the tomato sauce in a large saucepan. When it comes up to heat, set aside.

To make the pesto, simply put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. You can add a splash of water if you need to loosen things up a bit.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion, and fry for a couple of minutes until softened. Add the red peppers, mushrooms, courgette, aubergine, harissa, salt and pepper.

Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes or until the veggies take on some colour. Stir in the pesto and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

For the cheese sauce, pour the milk into a large saucepan and add the flour and butter. Set over a medium heat and begin to whisk. As the milk warms through, the butter will melt and the flour will disappear. Keep whisking as everything combines and thickens. Once it starts to bubble, add the cheese. Once it has melted turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/410°F/gas mark 6½ and grab a large ovenproof baking dish: it’s time to build your lasagne! Start with half the pesto-veggie mix, then half the tomato sauce, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets. Top with half the cheese sauce and repeat, finishing with a final layer of lasagne sheets and the other half of the cheese sauce on the top. Arrange the sliced tomatoes and shake over the Parmesan and Italian seasoning.

Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After the cooking time is up, take off the foil and return the dish to the oven for a final 10 minutes to get the cheesy topping bubbling and brown. Place on the middle of your table with a big spoon so that everyone can dive in. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Big Batch Tomato Sauce

Makes about 500ml (2 cups) sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 3 large red or white onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 aubergines (eggplants), trimmed and finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 (bell) peppers (red, orange or yellow or a combination), deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 800g (1lb 12oz) fresh tomatoes, diced
• or 2 x 400g (14oz) cans chopped or plum tomatoes
• 200ml (scant 1 cup) water

Optional:

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped herbs
• ½ tsp Harissa
• You will need a large, lidded, heavy-bottomed frying pan (skillet).

Method

Heat the olive oil in your pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the minced garlic and let it sizzle for 10 seconds, stirring to ensure it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Then, add in all your veggies and give everything a good stir. Add the Italian seasoning, scrunching the herbs between your palms over the pan as you drop them in. This releases the oils and will make a difference to the end flavour. Add in the salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly again to combine.

Turn down the heat as far as it will go, pop your lid on and let everything cook for 30 minutes, or until the veggies start to colour slightly. Be sure to stir regularly. If the mixture is catching, you can add a splash of water.

Once your veggies have softened and taken on some colour, it’s time to add your diced tomatoes (if you’re using canned ones, be sure to break them up with a wooden spoon). Add in the water and turn up the heat until you get a good simmer going. If you are using any fresh herbs, now is the time to add them. You can also add the harissa blend if you would like your sauce to have a little kick.

When your sauce is bubbling, reduce the heat again and let everything cook for an hour or so. The sauce will reduce and thicken and the flavours will develop beautifully. If it becomes too thick, add more water.

Let it cool a little, then, using a stick blender, blitz to form a lovely smooth sauce. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if you think it needs more. Again, add a little more water if you think the sauce needs to be slightly thinner. It can be used immediately or you can cool then freeze it in individual portions ready for when you need some.

Italian Seasoning

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

• 22g dried basil
• 22g dried oregano
• 11g dried rosemary
• 22g dried parsley
• 16g dried thyme
• 4g garlic granules
• 4g onion granules

Method

No need for blitzing or grinding here, just mix your ingredients together thoroughly by hand in a small bowl. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Spice Kitchen by Sanjay Aggarwal (Quadrille, £22) is out now