Maunika Gowardhan just never disappoints. I wouldn’t like to say how many Indian cookbooks I own, but I know that I can always find room for another if her name is on the spine. And this book is such a delight! It’s full of bright, full-flavoured dishes which, though simple to make, impress each time with carefully modulated complexity. She seems to understand particularly the enlivening properties of sourness, and I thrill to the deep tanginess of her glorious food. My copy is already a-flutter with post-it notes, as I’ve gone through and eagerly marked out the dishes that I plan to make first: Aubergine and Coconut Gravy with Curry Leaves, Garlic and Chilli; Pineapple and Coconut Relish with Turmeric and Curry Leaves; Spiced Potatoes with Pomegranate Powder, Ginger and Green Chilli; Pumpkin Curry with Mustard Seeds, Asafoetida and Jaggery; Spicy Tomato Broth with Tamarind, Chilli and Curry Leaves; Spicy Chicken Masala with Fried Onions, Garlic, Fennel Seeds and Chilli; Green Chicken Curry with Chillies, Coriander and Garam Masala; Classic Parsi Mutton Curry with Cardamom, Curry Leaves and Tamarind Paste; Soft Savoury Rice Pancakes; Layered Flatbreads Stuffed with Spicy Paneer, Peas, Ginger and Chaat Masala; and Rice with Yoghurt, Ginger, Chilli and Curry Leaves.
The recipe I’m delightedly sharing with you from the book today is one that is entirely, excitingly, new to me, though a regular component of an Indian wedding feast, she notes: her creamy Sweetcorn and Pepper Curry with Cumin, Coriander and Garam Masala.
From Curry by Maunika Gowardhan (Quadrille, RRP £26).
Photography by Haarala Hamilton.
