Lemon Chicken and Vegetable Bhaji Salad
Ingredients:
Preparation time 15 minutes
Total cooking time 45 – 60 minutes
Serves 4- 6
Onions 2
Lemon grass 2 stems
Chicken or chicken pieces (legs, thighs, wings, breasts) 1.5 kg whole
Oil 2 tablespoons
Leaves 3 bay
Chilli powder 1/4 teaspoon
Garlic, crushed 6 cloves
Grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon
Turmeric 2 teaspoons
Ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon stick 1
Ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon
Ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon
Ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon
Chicken stock 1 cup
Method:
Chop onions. Chop lemon grass finely.
Cut whole chicken, into 8 pieces. Heat oil in pan, add onion and cook, stirring, until soft.
Add bay leaves, lemon grass, chilli powder, garlic, fresh ginger, turmeric and other spices. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chicken, stir to coat.
Pour in the chicken stock and simmer, covered, for 45-60 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
Vegetable Bhaji Salad
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour 75g
Plain flour 75g
Turmeric 1 teaspoon
Cumin 1 teaspoon
Paprika or chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
Water 250ml
Salt 1/2 level teaspoon
Cucumber 1 small
Soured cream 50ml
Fresh coriander,leaves chopped small bunch
Into wedges 2 lemons, 1 cut
Splash of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Leek 1
Carrots 2
Spring onions 3
Red onions 2
Red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped 2
Piece root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2.5cm
Vegetable oil for frying 150ml
Pinch of mustard seeds 2
Rocket 100g
Cooking time 10 mins
Preparation time 30mins
Serves 4
Method:
Place the flours and ground spices in a bowl and slowly pour in the water, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon or a whisk to make a bright yellow batter. Stir in the salt, then put to one side. Peel strips off the cucumber with a potato peeler and keep to one side. Mix the soured cream with the coriander and the juice of 1 lemon. Add the olive oil, season, and put to one side. Slice the vegetables into thin strips – try to get them the size of long matchsticks. Mix with the chillies and ginger and set aside. Pour the oil into a large non-stick frying pan and heat until very hot. Mix the vegetables, a little at a time, with some of the batter, add a pinch of mustard seeds and drop a tablespoon of the mix into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining mix – you may have to fry the bhajis in batches. Press the bhajis down with the back of a fork and make sure they aren’t touching each other or they might stick together. Fry for a minute or so on each side until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper. Arrange 2 or 3 bhajis on each plate with some rocket leaves and the cucumber strips, drizzle with the dressing and serve with the lemon wedges.