Ginger
Magical medicinal plant
Apart from its culinary and ornamental powers, the use of ginger is inextricably linked to its medicinal purposes. “When ingested it is like switching on your body’s engine, allowing for circulation within your body,” Gundula explains. The ancient Chinese and Indians used ginger as a tonic root for many ailments. “Ginger is often added to tea blends, because it helps to open up the channels in the body. This allows for the swift absorption of the health benefits from the other herbs it has been paired with. Ginger will, for example, take the turmeric to the extremities of your fingers to ease the swelling caused by arthritis.”
It is the natural oils in ginger that give it its unique fragrance and flavour. The most important of these is gingerol, which is responsible for much of the root’s medicinal properties, including its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Research has also suggested that ginger may be useful in treating nausea, aiding with indigestion and weight loss, effective at reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis, lowering blood sugar levels, reducing menstrual pain and helping to fight infections. It may even protect against age-related damage to the brain.
How to use ginger
Incorporating ginger into your diet seems like a no-brainer, and can be done in many ways.
- Add it to your favourite curries and winter dishes
- Make your own homemade ginger beer
- Add it to a herbal tea infusion by cutting 1 cm slices of fresh ginger root and adding them to your tea.
- Make a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail with ginger and its super-root cousin, turmeric.
Chana Masala
Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
5 cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic, roughly sliced
1 green chili pepper, roughly sliced
4 teaspoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons oil
3-4 cans organic chickpeas
2 tablespoons passata
salt
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan and fry the onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper for 6-7 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. Put the mixture in a blender with 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas and the passata. Add 180-200 ml of water and blend into a smooth paste.
Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over medium heat and add the fenugreek, five spice powder, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cook for 30-40 seconds.
Add the chickpea paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, garam masala and cumin, along with 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander and salt to taste.
Stir in the rest of the chickpeas, add 100 ml of water, put the lid on the pan and let simmer for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche and the rest of the coriander and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy.
Sprinkle with a little coriander and garam masala and serve swirled with a little extra creme fraiche.
Indian pea soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic clove
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilli
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 shallot finely chopped
200 g peas
400 ml vegetable stock
1 bunch coriander (leaves only)
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
Method
Heat the sunflower oil and add the cumin seeds. When they start popping, add the finely chopped garlic, green chilli, ginger and shallot and gently fry for about 2 minutes (do not let it colour).
Add the peas and fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and cream to the peas, bring to the boil. After a couple of minutes, add the coriander, garam masala and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth.
For the "Indian Caviar"
Heat the sunflower oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop, lower the heat and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
lychees in indian sugar syrup
Ingredients
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 kg lychees, peeled and deseeded
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
110 g castor sugar
Method
Place the sugar with 110 ml water and all the spices in a pan. Bring to the boil and cook until the sugar has dissolved.
Meanwhile, place the lychees (or fruits, see below) on a flat dish and pour the syrup over the fruit. Let stand for at least 1 hour before serving.
This can also be made into a fruit salad using the following fruits and quantities instead of only lychees.
1 pineapple, cut into large pieces
1 mango, cut into thin slices
2 kiwis, cut into thin slices
1 blood orange, peeled and sliced
5 lychees, halved
½ papaya, chopped
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4
Ingredients
sunflower oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
1 red or green chili pepper
5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 small can of tomato puree
2 tins of peeled tomatoes
1 kg chicken thighs, cut into cubes
10 curry leaves (optional)
4-6 tablespoons yogurt
Bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
Steamed rice, Naan bread and poppadums, to serve
Method
Slice the onion. Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry on a medium heat for a good 15-20 minutes until they are soft and caramelized. In the meantime finely chop the chilli ginger and garlic. Add to the onion and fry for 2 more minutes.
Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and sugar to the onions and fry 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Place the sauce in a bowl and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil to the same pan and fry the pieces of chicken until they are lightly coloured, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce and curry leaves, if you using them and some salt and cook gently, cover for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and tender.
Stir the yogurt and half the chopped coriander through the tikka masala. Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with steamed rice, Naan bread and / or poppadums.
Lamb Cutlets with Lentils, Coriander & Mint dressing and Masala Yoghurt
A modern dish inspired by the flavours of India. Lightly spiced and complemented by coriander and mint, two of the best pairings with lamb.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 lamb racks
salt
pepper
olive oil
200 g beluga or puy lentils
2 shallots
3 sprigs thyme
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
250 ml natural yoghurt
1-2 tablespoons garam masala
coriander cress, to garnish
Method
Begin by making the coriander and mint dressing. Place the herbs in a blender. Add enough olive oil and blend to a dressing. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Finely chop the shallots. Heat a pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sweat the shallots for 5 minutes. Add the lentils and thyme and fry for a further minute. Add water to cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked but still have a bite. Drain off the water, season with salt and pepper and about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
Season the lamb cutlets with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the lamb, fat side down until the fat has rendered down as much as possible and is golden brown. Turn over on to the meat side and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Transfer to an oven tray and roast in a 200 oven for 15-17 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes lightly covered with a piece of aluminium foil.
Mix the natural yoghurt with garam masala to taste. Season with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Slice the lamb racks into cutlets. Divide the lentils between 4 plates. Lay 3-4 cutlets on each plate. Spoon over the coriander & mint dressing, masala yoghurt and top with the coriander cress.
Chicken Tikka Masala
This is one of our favourite 'Indian' dishes. It's easy to make with readily available ingredients and it's always a crowd pleaser. We say Indian in inverted commas, as it's origins are not quite known. It's thought that it originated in Glasgow in the 1970's. The story goes: "On a typical dark, wet Glasgow night a bus driver coming off shift came in to the Shish Mahal restaurant and ordered a chicken curry. He sent it back to the waiter saying it was dry. At the time the owner had an ulcer and was enjoying a plate of tomato soup. So he said to the chefs why not put some tomato soup into the curry with some spices. It was sent back to the table and the bus driver absolutely loved it. He and his friends came back again and again and since then it was put on the menu."
Serves 4
Ingredients
sunflower oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
1 red or green chilli
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 small tin tomato puree
2 tins peeled tomatoes
1 kg boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into cubes
10 curry leaves (optional)
4-6 tablespoons natural yoghurt
bunch fresh coriander, chopped
steamed rice, naan bread and poppadums, to serve
Method
Finely slice the onion. Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry on a medium-low heat for a good 15-20 minutes until they become soft and caramelised. In the meantime, deseed and chop the chilli, ginger and garlic. Add to the pan with the onions and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and sugar to the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the the tomato puree and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Place the sauce in a bowl or a jug and blend with a Bamix (stick blender) until smooth.
Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil to the same pan you cooked the sauce in and fry the chicken pieces until lightly coloured, about 5 minutes. Pour in the blended sauce and curry leaves, if using, and some salt and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until the chicken in cooked through and tender.
Stir the yoghurt and half the coriander through the tikka masala. Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with steamed rice, naan breads and/or poppadums.
We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours
Chicken and Aubergine Curry
Ingredients
2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks
5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
500 g boned and skinned chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm cubes
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tin chopped tomatoes
200 ml coconut milk
2 aubergines, cut into cubes
small bunch fresh coriander
Method
Place the onions, ginger and garlic in a Magimix (food processor) and blend until finely chopped.
Heat a heavy based casserole over medium heat with 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and sweat the onion mixture for about 10 minutes until it turns a light golden colour.
Add the chicken and fry for a few more minutes until lightly coloured. Add salt, to taste, the ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Fry for 1-2 minutes to cook the spices out.
Add the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the chicken has cooked through.
Heat a frying pan over high heat with the remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil and fry the aubergines until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the aubergine to the curry about 10 minutes into the cooking time.
To serve, scatter the remaining aubergine and coriander over the chicken curry. Serve with steamed basmati rice, cucumber and mint raita, papadums or naan bread.
We, the Amsterdam Flavours chefs, hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you have any questions on how to prepare it or just want to send us your feedback, you can reach us here Contact Amsterdam Flavours