What I particularly love about September is the lack of expectation. The children have returned to school and routine is restored but the summer isn’t over and usually we still have opportunities to sit in the garden into the evening, making the most of the longer days before the clocks change in October. This month, I’ve gone with a bit of spice, recipes that are favourites of my supper club guests, warming, comforting and perfect for a late al fresco supper
MORE RECIPES FROM SAM ELLIS-COSGROVE
Asian inspired barbeque recipes by Sam Ellis-Cosgrove
Spanish inspired summer recipes by Sam Ellis-Cosgrove
Mediterranean style al fresco recipes by Sam Ellis-Cosgrove
![Spicy Prawn Coconut Curry]()
Spicy Prawn Coconut Curry (Image: Sam Ellis-Cosgrove)Spicy Prawn Coconut Curry
This is a simple but flavourful dish, I used red Atlantic king prawns, but you can use any large prawns, fresh or frozen. This makes a great starter, served with roti to mop up the leftover sauce.
Ingredients (serves 2)
250g large prawns, deveined
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs sunflower oil
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
For the sauce
1 small onion, grated
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp medium curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
500g passata
½ tsp sugar
400ml coconut milk
1 lime, cut into wedges
Sprig coriander
Method
Season the prawns with the turmeric, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Heat a pan, add the oil then the prawns. Cook for 1 minute before adding the garlic and ginger paste. Cook for 1 minute then remove the prawns, saving the oil, put on a plate and set aside for later.
Put the pan back on a medium heat then add the onion, cooking until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste, cumin, curry powder, garam masala and chilli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the passata, sugar and coconut milk and cook for 25 minutes before adding the prawns and cooking for a further 5 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish with lime wedges and coriander leaves.
Masala Leg of Lamb
This is in my top three favourite things to cook and is an adaptation of my absolute favourite Lamb Raan recipe from Dishoom. The original is a labour of love, but this simpler version is still a complete crowd pleaser. The meat is slow cooked and melting off the bone, tangy with a warm spice, I could eat this just on its own, but I have also included a summer slaw to accompany it.
Ingredients (serves 4)
½ leg lamb on the bone
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger paste
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
16 black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green cardamom pods
75ml malt vinegar
300ml water
40g unsalted butter
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
25ml lime juice
Handful fresh coriander
Method
Make a few incisions on the lamb to allow it to absorb more flavour and rub it all over with the sea salt and chilli. Next cover with the garlic and ginger paste and put into a large freezer bag. Seal the bag and leave in the fridge for 2 hours minimum.
Preheat your oven to 180c/160c fan. Remove the lamb from the fridge and place in a large casserole dish. Add the bay, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, vinegar and water and cover with a lid. Place in the oven and cook for 4 hours (checking that the liquid doesn’t evaporate and topping up where required). Once cooked, leave to rest for half an hour and turn the oven up to 220c/200c fan.
Strain the cooking liquor into a jug through a sieve, reserving 120ml. Shred the lamb off the bone and set the bone aside. Put the meat in an oven tray and mix in the reserved cooking liquor, butter, garam masala, fenugreek leaves and lime juice. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes before piling onto a serving platter and arranging around the bone. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.
Mustard & Pumpkin Seed Slaw
This is an elevated coleslaw, replacing mayo for yogurt and an added crunch of fried pumpkin seeds which goes perfectly with the lamb.
Ingredients (serves 4)
½ white cabbage, shredded
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, sliced into thin julienne or grated
½ cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced
2 tbs natural yogurt
1 tsp dried mint
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs mustard oil
2 tbs pumpkin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
Sprig fresh mint, leaves picked
Handful fresh coriander, leaves picked
Method
Place the cabbage, onion, carrots and cucumber into a large mixing bowl. Add the yogurt and mint and season to taste. In a small pan, heat the oil and add the pumpkin and mustard seeds. Cook for a couple of minutes until they start to pop and set aside to cool.
Serve the slaw garnished with seeds, mint and coriander leaves.
Chicken Tikka Kebabs
(serves 4)
These can be made the night before and removed from the fridge half an hour before you want to cook them. They are delicious served wrapped in a roti with my mustard and pumpkin seed slaw.
Ingredients (serves 4)
600g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into large bite size pieces
Fresh coriander or mint to garnish
For the marinade
140g natural yogurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Method
Mix together all the marinade ingredients, place the chicken pieces in a bowl and cover with the marinade, cover and fridge overnight. Once ready to cook, thread the chicken onto skewers and grill over hot coals for 4-5 minutes each side.
