The first Indian chef to win a Michelin Star, Rohit Ghai has recently authored Yatra: A Culinary Journey Across India published by Watkins Publishing & Watkins Books. He shares two of his favourite recipes from the book.
Yatra stands for the culinary journey of my experience while being easy for everyone to make at home, The recipes are all from regions that are most special to me; where I have eaten and then developed the recipes over the years
Known for its bold flavours, Andhra Pradesh is a region that packs a punch with its spice-laden dishes, using ingreidents from the fiery chillies to the tang of tamarind. One of my favourite recipes is from this region: Pesarattu, thin savoury pancake, similar to Dosa, made with green lentil; this is a healthy option but really tasty, enjoy alone or with filling. You must also try the egg kurma recipe.
Punjab is synonymous with hearty, satisfying meals that are perfect for sharing. The cuisine of this region is famous for its tandoori dishes, creamy curries, and a liberal use of ghee and butter. One of the most iconic recipes in Yatra is Butter Chicken, a dish that has become beloved around the world. With its velvety smooth tomato-based sauce and tender chicken, it’s a dish that epitomises Punjabi comfort food. This is from Punjab region where my roots are from, a classic but I always love when they try my version.
Bihar, located in eastern India, is often overlooked when it comes to Indian cuisine, but Yatra brings this region’s food into the spotlight with some unique recipes. The cuisine of Bihar combines sweet and savoury dishes. These flavours blend perfectly to create unforgettable meals.I discovered Launglata – a very famous dessert I came across. I tasted it recently and wanted to make my own – easy and delicious! I love finding new recipes and putting my twist on them. Champaran Mutton Curry is a rich, slow-cooked dish. This curry, which originates from the Champaran region, is a hearty dish that takes hours to prepare, but the results are well worth the effort. Bihar’s cuisine is not only delicious but also a testament to the patience and care that goes into every dish. Goa’s coastal location makes seafood central to its cuisine. Yatra showcases this with mouth-watering seafood recipes. A true Goan favourite is Cafreal Fish, a dish that combines tender fish with a flavourful green marinade made from coriander, mint, and a variety of spices. Another recipe that captures Goan cooking is Chicken Xacuti.
This book is a personal journey of recipes I love and have discovered throughout my life. My mum taught me a lot of my recipes when I was growing up in my native Punjab. In Yatra I have a recipe from South India, Dhayirsadam, which is curd rice. My little one loves this at the weekend so I cook this a lot at home. These recipes have a strong emotional connect with me. I feel happy when people tell me that the recipes are easy and enjoyable to make for all the family.
PESARATTU
Pesarattu are thin, savoury pancakes, similar to dosa, but requiring no fermentation. They are very easy and quick to make, and are nutritious as well as tasty. These lentil crêpes are a classic Andhra breakfast staple. I have given them a nutritious stuffing of spiced potatoes and cheese. Don’t just save them for mornings – they are terrific to enjoy for any meal!
Serves 4–6
YOU WILL NEED:
200g/7oz/1 cup green moong
dal/mung beans, rinsed well and drained
2 tbsp uncooked rice (any type), rinsed well and drained
2 green chillies
1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee, plus extra as needed
POTATO STUFFING
250g/9oz potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp rapeseed/canola oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
50g/1.oz onions, thinly sliced
8–10 curry leaves
1 tbsp chopped green chillies pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp chopped fresh root ginger
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt, or to taste
2–3 tbsp water
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
50g/1.oz mozzarella cheese, grated
METHOD:
- Start with the stuffing. Boil or steam the potatoes until just cooked, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle, add the onions, curry leaves and chillies. Fry until the onions turn lightly golden. Add the asafoetida and ginger, and fry until the raw aroma of ginger goes away. Crumble the potatoes or smash them with a fork and add them to the pan. Add turmeric, salt and water, and saut. for 2–3 minutes. Stir through the fresh coriander, then taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside.
- Place the rinsed moong dal and rice in a large bowl, cover with fresh water and leave to soak for 4–6 hours.
- Drain the dal and rice, rinse well, then drain again and transfer to a food processor. Add the green chillies, ginger, cumin seeds and salt along with just enough water to make a thick batter. Blitz to a coarse or smooth batter as you prefer. Pesarattu batter must be of pouring consistency, yet needs to remain reasonably thick and spreadable. If needed, add extra water to bring it to the right consistency, but do not make the batter too runny, as the pesarattu will not become crispy.
- Using a spatula, spread a little oil or ghee over a griddle or frying pan set over a medium-low heat. Using a ladle, pour a spoonful of the batter onto the hot pan and spread the batter into a round shape. Drizzle some extra oil or ghee on the sides and in the middle of the pesarattu and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side until crisp and browned. Place a few tablespoons of the potato stuffing mixture in the centre and spread it with a spatula, then sprinkle with a little grated mozzarella and fold the pesarattu over.
- Serve hot with Coconut Chutney (page 18) or Tomato Chutney (page 19).
LAUNG LATA
This famous Bihari sweet has many names – you might also see it referred to as lavang lata or latika. These crispy pastry parcels are filled with a sweet mixture of mawa/khoya (a dried milk product) and nuts, and are sealed with a clove (lavang), which lends an exotic aroma. Served warm, they are rich and delicious. I always advise to buy mawa/khoya ready-made, at Indian grocery stores or online, as it is very time-consuming to make from scratch.
Makes about 10–12
YOU WILL NEED:
200g/7oz/generous 1. cups
plain/all-purpose flour
2 tbsp fine semolina
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
2 tbsp ghee or cooking oil, plus
extra for deep-frying
10–12 cloves
crushed pistachios, to decorate
FILLING
1 tbsp ghee or cooking oil
50g/1.oz mixed nuts (almonds, cashews and pistachios), finely chopped
150g/5oz mawa/khoya (dried milk product – buy ready-made at Indian grocery stores or online)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2–3 drops kewra water
(or rose water)
⅛ tsp freshly crushed green
cardamom seeds
SUGAR SYRUP
400g/14oz/generous 1. Cups granulated sugar
400ml/14fl oz/1⅔ cups water
1–2 drops lemon juice
a few saffron strands
3–4 drops rose water
METHOD:
- Put the flour, semolina, baking powder and salt on a large plate and add the ghee or oil to it. Mix well with your hands. Add just enough water to form a medium-stiff dough. The dough should neither be very soft nor very stiff. Set aside.
- For the filling, heat the ghee or oil in a heavy pan over a low heat. Add the nuts and saut. for a couple of minutes, then add the mawa/khoya and saut. until it turns lightly golden. Transfer the mixture to a plate, add the sugar to it and mix well. Leave to cool, then add the kewra water and crushed cardamom seeds to the mixture and mix well.
- Divide the dough into 10–12 small balls of equal size and roll them into thin oval shapes, about 8 x 4cm/3 x 11/2in. Place some filling mixture in the centre of each oval and fold in the 2 long edges to enclose. Now fold over the 2 short sides (rather like sealing an envelope) and close the fold with a clove to hold it in place. Continue to form the pastries until all the dough and filling has been used up.
- Make the sugar syrup. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and measured water, and heat over a high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice, saffron and rose water, and continue to stir for about 5 minutes until the syrup is thick and sticky. Reduce the heat to very low.
- Meanwhile, heat enough ghee or oil for deep-frying in a deep, heavy pan over a high heat. When hot, reduce the heat and start frying the pastries, one by one, until light golden on each side.
- Remove the cooked laung lata from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them in the sugar syrup. Turn until well coated, then remove to a plate. Do not leave the laung lata in the syrup or they will become soft. Decorate with crushed pistachios and serve either hot or at room temperature.
