Patel says: “Chaat literally means ‘delicacy’. There is no one, definitive chaat recipe, but my favourite amongst all these tasty small plates is undoubtedly the aubergine chaat. I first tasted this delicacy years ago when I went out to dine at a fancy restaurant with family and friends. I couldn’t believe it. Dear Readers, please allow me to paint a picture for you: close your eyes and taste crispy aubergine strips tossed with inviting spices, just a touch of heat, and a creamy and beautifully sweet cumin-flavoured yoghurt sauce. Try it for yourself.” 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

For the yoghurt sauce

• 135g full-fat yogurt
• 2¾ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp water
• ¼ tsp salt

For the aubergines 

• 2 long and thin aubergines, thinly sliced into 16 slices
• ½ tsp salt
• 45g rice flour
• 35g besan (gram/chickpea flour)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 120ml water
• 500ml oil, for deep-frying

To serve

• Tamarind chutney 
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, finely diced
• 4-5 tbsp sev (readily available at Indian supermarkets)
• 60g pomegranate seeds

Method 

Make the yoghurt sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Put the aubergine slices in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Leave for 30 minutes.

Transfer the aubergine to a colander and rinse with cold water, then dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Combine the rice flour, besan, cornflour, chilli powder, ground turmeric, ground coriander and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the water and mix well to ensure the batter is free of lumps.

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, coat a few of the aubergine slices in the batter, shake off the excess batter, then drop gently 2–3 slices at a time into the hot oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until light golden, then remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat to cook the rest of the aubergine slices.

To assemble the chaat, transfer the aubergine slices to a serving plate and drizzle over with yoghurt sauce and sweet tamarind chutney. Sprinkle with chopped onion, tomatoes, sev and pomegranate and serve immediately before the aubergine gets soggy.

Patel says: “Are you looking to make weeknight supper in five minutes? My shrimp tacos are a total blockbuster and have received five glowing stars from my family. The combination of prawn and taco sauce is a powerful duo. The secret to my divine sauce is garlic paste, which adds a touch of garlicky goodness and elevates every dish to new heights of deliciousness. Garlic prawns offer so much flavour, you can sometimes enjoy eating them straight from the wok, without condiments or tortillas.” 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 250g raw prawns, tails removed and shelled
• 1 tsp chilli powder, to taste
• 1½ tbsp taco seasoning
• 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 8 soft corn tortillas
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced, to serve (optional)

For the baja sauce 

• 125g mayonnaise
• 125g sour cream
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• Salt, to taste

For the taco seasoning

• 2 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika or ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Method 

Combine all the ingredients for the taco seasoning in a small bowl and mix well until combined. It can be stored in a small jar.

For the baja sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add salt to taste, and set aside.

For the prawns, heat a wok over a medium heat and add the butter and garlic. Fry until the garlic is pale gold, but be careful not to let it burn. Add the prawns and cook for about 2–3 minutes until they start to turn pink. Add the chilli powder and taco seasoning and cook for another 2 minutes until the prawns are cooked through. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the parsley.

To toast the tortillas, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a frying pan and cook a tortilla on each side for 1–2 minutes. Repeat the process to cook the remaining tortillas, covering the toasted tortillas with kitchen foil to keep them warm.

To assemble, spread 2 teaspoons of the baja sauce across a toasted tortilla and place 2–3 prawns on top. Sprinkle with red onion slices, if using, and serve warm to appreciate its full flavours.

Patel says: “During our trip to Sri Lanka, my husband and I were excited to explore the country and its food. When we had an authentic Sri Lankan breakfast for the first time, it blew my mind; I loved everything they served, but the Sri Lankan dal was my favourite. I learned how to make it on the spot.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 260g split red lentils (lal masoor dal)
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• 250ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• Rice, to serve

For the seasoning

• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 8–10 curry leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 whole dried red chilies
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp red chilli powder or
• Kashmiri chilli powder
• Salt, to taste

Method 

Rinse the dal three times. Heat 1.5 litres water in a deep saucepan over a high heat, add the rinsed dal and turmeric, and season with salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cook the dal for 25–30 minutes, or until the dal is very soft. Remove the pan from the heat and mash the dal with the back of a spoon until you have a creamy consistency. Add the coconut milk and mix well, then set aside.

For seasoning the dal, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the cumin seeds, then the curry leaves, cinnamon stick, whole red chillies, onion and garlic. Cook for 7–8 minutes until the onion has softened, then add the chilli powder, mix well, and cook for a further minute.

Add the seasoning to the dal mixture and bring to boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 6–8 minutes until a creamy consistency is achieved. Stir in the coriander. If the dal is too thick, add a splash of water. Serve hot with rice.