Bombay Blues, Assembly grounds, Makati (2026)

25/09/2023

Chicken parmigiana

Serves 4

2 chicken breasts
100g plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g breadcrumbs (dry or fresh)
2 tbsp grated parmesan
Black pepper
Olive oil
200-400ml smooth tomato sauce
200g mozzarella, drained and thinly sliced
A few basil leaves

Slice both chicken breasts in half horizontally, creating four even pieces. Put the pieces on a board, cover with a sheet of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin until they are the same thickness, about 3mm all over.

Set out for the triple dip by putting the flour mixed with a pinch of salt on one plate, the beaten eggs in another and the crumbs mixed with the parmesan and some black pepper on a third. Working piece by piece, dip the chicken first in the flour, then the egg and then the crumbs.

You can either deep- or shallow-fry the chicken for a few minutes on each side, or bake in the oven (in which case zigzag with olive oil) at 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5 for about 20 minutes, turning halfway, until golden on both sides.

Put a spoonful of tomato sauce on each piece of chicken, then a slice or two of mozzarella and a leaf of basil, and arrange in a baking dish. Alternatively, pour the sauce into a baking dish, then lay chicken in the sauce and top with mozzarella and basil. Return to the oven for 10 minutes or grill for a few minutes, until the cheese has melted.

24/09/2023

Smashed potatoes with ranch dressing and charred green beans (pictured top)
If there was ever a king of all the US salad dressings, it would be ranch. Spoon it over roast vegetables, smother fries with it, dip crisps in it … Make it your own with a sprinkle of cayenne or a dash of Worcestershire sauce, or swap the coriander for any soft herb that you have to hand.

Prep 25 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4-6 as a side

1kg new potatoes, or charlotte potatoes
Fine sea salt and black pepper
70ml olive oil
100g green beans, trimmed
7 spring onions, trimmed
1 large green chilli (20g), cut in half lengthways, then cut at an angle into 4-5cm pieces (discard the pith and seeds if you like less heat)
2½ tbsp fresh lemon juice (ie, from 1-2 lemons)

For the ranch dressing
120g mayonnaise
2 spring onions (30g), trimmed and roughly chopped
2 green chillies (20g), roughly chopped (deseeded if you like less heat)
15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
½ tsp onion granules
¼ tsp garlic granules
120g Greek yoghurt

Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9. Put the potatoes in a large pan of well-salted water, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-high and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the tip of a small sharp knife goes through them easily. Drain, then spread out on a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Using the base of a glass or bowl, lightly press down on each potato, to smash it, then sprinkle over a good grind of pepper. Add 45ml olive oil to the tray, toss gently to coat, then roast for 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy in places.

Meanwhile, put a large frying pan on a high heat. Once it’s smoking, char the beans and spring onions in two or three batches for two to three minutes, turning regularly, until nicely blackened in places. Lift out on to a tray, leave to cool, then cut at an angle into 4-5cm lengths. Put in a bowl with the pieces of chilli, a tablespoon of lemon juice, the remaining tablespoon and a half of olive oil and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, then set aside.

Now for the dressing. In the small bowl of a food processor, blitz the remaining tablespoon and a half of lemon juice with the mayonnaise, spring onions, green chillies, coriander, onion and garlic granules, and a half-teaspoon of salt, until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the yoghurt and set aside.

To assemble, arrange the potatoes on a platter, scatter the green bean mixture all over the top, then spoon on a quarter of the ranch dressing. Serve with the rest of the dressing in a bowl on the side, for dipping.

23/09/2023

Kufteh – a different kind of meatball

Kufteh is Farsi for “meatballs”, and they are made throughout Iran in various sizes – including kufteh tabrizi, which are enormous and the size of two human fists – and with various fillings. These tennis ball-sized ones are stuffed with herbs, rice and turmeric, and are cooked in a bright, spicy tomato sauce that isn’t very Iranian at all. The meatballs and sauce can be made up to a day ahead. Leave to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate; reheat over a medium-low heat.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 4

1 egg
¾ cup (135g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooled
½ cup (30g) finely chopped herbs – a mix of chives, dill, parsley and tarragon, plus extra for serving
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
½ tsp ground turmeric
1¼lb (570g) lamb, pork or turkey mince, or a mixture
Flaky sea salt
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 pints (450g) cherry or sungold tomatoes

In a large bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the rice, herbs, two tablespoons of the olive oil and the turmeric, until evenly combined. Add the mince and a teaspoon and a half of salt, then, using your hands like the claws in the arcade machine, mix until well combined. Gently roll the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than a tennis ball, but bigger than the meatballs you find at Ikea, placing each one on a large plate after you roll it – you don’t want to pack the mixture super-tight, because you want the kufteh to be light.

In a large heavy pot on a medium heat, warm the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onion and garlic, and stir to coat. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until the onion and garlic are soft and pale golden in colour. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes, until the tomato paste starts to stick to the base of the pot and darkens slightly.

Toss the tomatoes into the pot and cook for seven to nine minutes, until most of them have burst – use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. If at this stage the mix looks dry, add a splash of the water to loosen things up. Once most of the tomatoes have broken down, pour in two cups (450ml) of water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for five to 10 minutes more, until it has slightly reduced but is still quite brothy.

Turn down the heat to medium-low and, one at a time, drop in the meatballs. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer, occasionally spooning some sauce over the kufteh (not a must, but it’s what I do), for 20-30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and can be easily broken with a fork.

Ladle the meatballs and sauce into bowls or serve straight from the pot, topped with more herbs and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

23/09/2023

Baked sweet potatoes with chipotle beans and tahini guacamole 🥑

You’ll need a wide frying pan for which you have a lid. The sweet potatoes and beans should come together at the same time, but if that doesn’t happen, keep the potatoes warm in the oven with the heat turned off. Chipotle paste can be found in most major supermarkets.

Prep 10 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4

6 sweet potatoes (about 1.3kg)
Fine sea salt
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
40g dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp chipotle paste – I like the one by Cool Chile
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins black beans, not drained
2 ripe avocados
1 tbsp tahini
2 limes, 1 juiced, to get 1½ tbsp, the other cut into wedges, to serve

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Rinse the sweet potatoes, then sprinkle a large pinch of salt on each one. Put the potatoes on an oven tray, then bake for 40 minutes, or until tender.

In the meantime, make the beans. Put the oil in a wide frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic, cook for two minutes more, then stir in the chocolate, chipotle, tomatoes, black beans and their water, and a half-teaspoon of salt. Bring to a bubble, then turn down the heat, pop on a lid and leave to cook, stirring every now and then, for 20 minutes.

To make the tahini guacamole, halve, stone and peel the avocados, then mash the flesh in a bowl until soft. Stir in the tahini, lime juice and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and set aside.

To serve, put a sweet potato on each of four plates, then slit open and pull apart slightly. Generously spoon over the beans and dollop over the guacamole. There’s an extra half a sweet potato each for anyone who’s still hungry.

20/09/2023

Croquetas

Everyone loves croquetas, and little wonder: this Spanish snack’s addictively crunchy, deep-fried shell and rich, creamy interior are so delicious that, once I realised how easy they are to make, I tried to persuade a friend to set up a late-night croquetas van. Sadly, a decade on, she has still not done it. Fortunately, I have this recipe to fall back on.

Prep 15 min
Chill 2 hr+
Cook 40 min
Makes 14

100g cured ham, preferably thick-cut jamón Ibérico or similar, or 150g manchego, gruyere or other hard cheese
½ small leek (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
60g unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
60g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
500ml milk
Nutmeg
2 eggs
75g dried breadcrumbs
25g manchego, or other hard cheese, finely grated
Olive or neutral oil, for deep-frying

Though these are classic ham croquetas, which are easily converted to cheese, feel free to substitute shredded cooked chicken, tuna, salt cod, shrimp, chorizo or anything else you might fancy; croquetas are a great vehicle for using up small amounts of leftover protein or vegetables – just make sure you don’t add anything too wet, and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

2 Prep the ham and fry the leek
If using ham, shred or finely dice it. Finely dice the leek, if using (you could substitute a small onion or shallot, if you prefer).

Heat the oil and butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan on a moderate heat and, when the butter melts, add the diced leek and a pinch of salt, and and fry gently for a minute, until just beginning to soften.

Add about two-thirds of the ham to the pan, and carry on sauteeing until the leek is soft but not coloured. Turn down the heat slightly, stir in the flour a little at a time, and fry gently, stirring regularly, for a couple of minutes more. Meanwhile, grate the cheese if you’re using that instead of ham.

Stir in the milk to make a smooth paste, then cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened to the consistency of gluey potato puree. Take off the heat, then stir in the cheese, if using; if not, add the remaining ham. Season to taste with black pepper and a little grated nutmeg; you may or may not want extra salt.

Put the finished bechamel in a bowl, leave to cool slightly, then press some clingfilm snugly on to its surface to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool completely for at least two hours in the fridge, or until solid, though you can make this up to three days ahead of cooking.

Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat. Put the breadcrumbs and cheese in another shallow bowl, stirring to mix. Take a dessertspoonful of the bechamel mixture, which by this point should be fairly solid, and put it on a baking tray or plate. Repeat with the rest of the bechamel, then flour your hands and use them to roll all the spoonfuls into cylinders.

Dip each croqueta in turn in the egg, shaking off any excess, then roll in the breadcrumb mix to coat. If you don’t want to fry them immediately, you can at this stage chill or freeze them – to do the latter, space them out on a tray, freeze solid, then decant into a box or bag. Defrost before frying.

8 Heat the frying oil
To cook, fill a deep pan a third full of oil and heat to 180C (it’s well worth investing in a digital thermometer; they’re inexpensive, and useful for everything from custard to meat), or use a deep-fat fryer. If you’re not serving each batch as soon as its ready, line a tray with kitchen paper and put it in a low oven.

9 Deep-fry the croquetas
Once the oil is up to temperature, gently drop in four croquetas and fry until golden all over, turning them as necessary. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on kitchen paper, then sprinkle lightly with salt and serve at once (or put in the low oven to keep warm while you repeat with the rest).

19/09/2023

Tomato 🍅 rice 🍚

Serves 4
best quality basmati rice 190g
peanut or vegetable oil 3 tbsp
green cardamom 3
cloves 3
black mustard seeds ½ tsp
fresh curry leaves 15
peeled and finely chopped onion 70g
fresh ginger chunky 5cm piece, peeled and finely grated
garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely grated or crushed
ground coriander seeds 1 tsp
ground turmeric ¼ tsp
chilli powder (or Kashmiri chilli powder) ¼–½ tsp
fresh, hot green chillies (such as bird’s eye), 1-2, cut across into thin rounds
tomatoes 200g finely chopped
salt 1 tsp
water 350ml

Put the rice in a bowl and wash it in several changes of water until the water runs almost clear. Cover well with ample fresh water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and leave in a sieve for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 150C fan/gas mark 3½.

Put the oil into a heavy, medium-sized non-stick pan (with a good lid) that can go into the oven, or else use a heavy medium-sized casserole dish. Set it over a medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cardamom, cloves and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds start popping – a matter of seconds – put in the curry leaves (stand back as they will splatter) and a second later, put in the onion. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir and sauté the onion until it turns brown at the edges. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir for a minute. Add the coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and green chillies. Stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Stir and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and the oil can be seen on the edges and starts beading on top.

Add the drained rice and stir very gently over a medium heat for 1 minute. Do not damage the grains of rice as they are very breakable at this point. Add the salt and measured water. Stir gently and bring to the boil. Cover tightly, first with aluminium foil and then the lid. Place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Remove the foil and the lid. Fluff up the rice with a fork to separate the grains. Cover tightly again until you are ready to serve. Covering the pot with a heavy towel will keep the rice hot for 30 minutes or more.

16/09/2023

Chicken paella
Prep 10 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 2-3

For the sofrito
3 ripe tomatoes
A drizzle of good olive oil
1 big pinch saffron threads
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
Salt and pepper

For the paella
40ml olive oil
2 chicken wings (free-range, for preference)
2 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in (free-range, for preference)
40g green beans, trimmed
40g cooked garrofó beans (ideally from a jar), or haricot or other white beans
6 artichoke hearts from a jar
50g sofrito – see above and method
240g round paella rice, bomba ideally
1 litre hot chicken stock 1 sprig fresh rosemary

First, make the sofrito. Halve and finely grate the tomatoes, discarding the skins. Put a little oil in a small frying pan on a medium-low heat, then gently fry the saffron and both paprikas until the oil is coloured. Add the grated tomatoes, leave on a low heat to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, then take off the heat.

Now for the paella. Put 20ml oil in a 40cm paella pan or frying pan on a medium-high heat, then fry the chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

In the same pan, gently fry the green beans, garrofó beans and artichoke wedges for two to three minutes, then transfer the vegetables to another plate.

Lower the heat under the pan, then add the remaining oil, the sofrito and the rice, and fry, stirring, for 45 seconds. Add the hot stock, turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan, stir them in, then use a spoon to spread the rice evenly across the pan. Leave to cook undisturbed for 10 minutes – it is crucial you do not touch or stir the rice – then lower the heat and leave to cook gently for a further five minutes, again without stirring, or until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Place the rosemary sprig in the centre of the paella and serve straight from the pan.

16/09/2023

Patatas bravas with grated tomato and cumin

Is there a dish more synonymous with tapas than patatas bravas? It’s cooked in all sorts of ways all over Spain, and I was intrigued to learn that, traditionally, bravas sauce does not contain tomato at all, and is instead a thick, fiery paprika sauce. Even so, I love the freshness that grated tomato brings to proceedings. Most potato varieties will work well but I prefer a slightly waxy one, such as yukon gold.

Prep 10 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4
800g yukon gold potatoes, or another waxy variety, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
75ml olive oil
Fine sea salt and black pepper
3 plum tomatoes (320g)
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
¾ tsp plain flour
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed in a mortar
60ml plain yoghurt, at room temperature

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Toss the potatoes, two tablespoons of oil and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt on a large lined baking sheet, then roast for 30 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes on the rough side of a box grater, then discard the spent skins; you should end up with about 220g grated flesh. Transfer the grated tomato to a sieve set over a bowl and season the pulp with the garlic and a half-teaspoon of salt. Leave to drain for five minutes, stirring once or twice, then transfer the pulp to a second bowl and season with two tablespoons of oil and a good crack of pepper. Measure the tomato liquid, top up to 175ml with cold water, then set aside.

For the bravas sauce, put the flour and the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small pan on a medium-high heat and cook, stirring, for a minute, until it turns into a bubbling paste. Stir in both paprikas, cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant but not burnt, then slowly stir in the tomato water. Simmer until the sauce reduces to a thick, double cream-like consistency.

Transfer the oven-hot potatoes and the bravas sauce to a large bowl, and toss to combine. Layer the potatoes on a medium platter, spoon the yoghurt, tomato pulp and cumin on top and serve at once.

16/09/2023

Cocktails- 🍸 stiff neck
Spain, in the form of sherry, meets Sweden (vodka) and France (pears) in this lovely little sharpener that will get any evening off to a roaring start.

Stiff neck
30ml vodka – we use Absolut
15ml fino – we use Tio Pepe
15ml pear cognac – we use Belle De Brillet Pear & Cognac Liqueur
2ml standard 2:1 sugar syrup
1 cocktail onion, to garnish

Pour all the liquids into a mixing glass or jug, add a good handful of ice and stir for 30 or so seconds. Give it a quick try, to see if you’re happy with the dilution: if it seems too strong, go for it and stir again for a few more seconds. When you’re satisfied, double strain into a martini or nick & nora glass, or similar, garnish with the cocktail onion, and serve.

14/09/2023

The power of Turmeric!

Scrambled eggs/paneer
Many people may know turmeric only in powdered form and use it mostly when cooking curries, but it is actually a root similar to ginger, and is commonly used in this form across India, says the chef and food writer Maunika Gowardhan, who is originally from Mumbai. Though it is harder to source fresh in the UK, most Asian stores sell it, she says. “I often use it in scrambled eggs or to make paneer bhurji,” (scrambled paneer cheese).

She recommends grating a thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric into scrambled eggs or paneer, “then add cumin, some green chillis, fresh coriander – that’s your breakfast ready for the weekend”. Do not use too much, she cautions – fresh turmeric is “much more robust and dynamic in flavour”.

Pickle
Anything left could be pickled, suggests Gowardhan – she has a recipe for “super, super easy” turmeric and ginger pickle which she says is “shards of fresh turmeric and ginger pickled with black mustard, chilli powder and mustard oil, with a pinch of sugar and salt so it’s spicy-sweet.” A small amount served with flatbread or rice and dal – itself frequently made with turmeric – is “just perfect”, she says.

Yoghurt or porridge
“Turmeric can throw people because though the vibrant yellow colour is unmistakable, the flavour is a little more elusive: I’d go for bitter, but in a good way,” says the Guardian columnist Felicity Cloake. Most people in Britain will reach first for powdered turmeric, which, she says, “tends to be used to enhance other spices, rather than standing alone, but I think it works well with rich or creamy ingredients”. As well as in scrambled eggs or tofu, she recommends mixing a pinch through thick yoghurt or buttery rice like kedgeree, “often alongside something bolder and warmer like black pepper or ginger”.

Meera Sodha, who writes the weekly New Vegan column, also suggests using it in porridge: “It’s got very warm notes … so you could add cinnamon, turmeric, little bit of black pepper – or just turmeric if you want, with some honey.”

Warm milk
Generations of Indian children have been given warm turmeric milk by their mothers when unwell, says Gowardhan. Many of them, like her, hated it at the time (Sodha says the same thing), though both now say they love it.

13/09/2023

Egg, bacon and mushroom breakfast noodle bowl
To make this vegetarian, swap the bacon for diced firm tofu or another variety of mushrooms, such as king oyster.

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

100ml rapeseed oil
4 eggs
250g chestnut or shiitake mushrooms
200g rindless bacon, diced
1 thumb ginger, peeled and julienned
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
400g egg noodles, cooked according to packet instructions, drained and rinsed under cold water
1 handful beansprouts
1 handful coriander, roughly chopped
4 spring onions, 3 trimmed and finely sliced on the diagonal, 1 trimmed and finely julienned
A few drops toasted sesame oil, to serve
Toasted white sesame seeds, to serve
Chilli oil, to serve

For the sauce
100ml Shaoxing wine
100ml chicken stock, or miso broth or water
100ml light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 pinch caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in a little cold water

Put half the oil in a wok on a high heat, then turn down the heat to medium and fry the eggs one at a time, spooning some of the hot oil on top to cook the yolks evenly. Transfer the eggs to a warmed plate lined with kitchen roll, discard the oil and wipe out the wok.

Pour the remaining oil into the wok and heat until smoking. Add the mushrooms, fry until nutty and brown, then set aside on a plate lined with kitchen roll.

Next, stir-fry the bacon until golden, then set aside. Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Now pour in the Shaoxing wine, stock, both soy sauces and sugar, then slowly stir in the cornflour slurry and bring to a boil.

Once the sauce is thick and glossy, add the noodles, bacon and mushrooms to the pan, and toss to coat and warm through. Finally, add the beansprouts, coriander and sliced spring onion, and toss again.
Serve hot topped with roasted sesame oil to taste, a scattering of sesame seeds and julienned spring onion. Top with the crisp fried egg and serve with chilli oil on the side.

13/09/2023

Apple compote
A classic dessert served warm or cold, often in a bowl with milk or cream poured over it. It can be flavoured with cassia cinnamon, cardamom pods or grated lemon zest. The sweet and sour balance is important. If your apples are not tart enough, add a dash of lemon juice towards the end.

Prep 5 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4

500g peeled, cored and diced tart apples
90g sugar
Cassia cinnamon stick, lemon zest and juice, or lightly crushed cardamom seeds, to taste (optional)
2 tbsp potato starch

Combine the apples, sugar and your choice of spices in a large pot. Pour in 500ml water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer until the apples begin to soften all the way through. The spices will need to simmer for a bit with the fruit.

In a small bowl, mix the potato starch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the compote and bring to a boil again. Adjust the balance of sweetness and acidity, and add any more of the fragile seasoning, like the lemon zest.

Bombay Blues

25/09/2023

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23/09/2023

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19/09/2023

16/09/2023

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