Afghani chicken kebabs

The first time I tried Afghani chicken was in a restaurant whilst I was in India and I instantly fell in love with it. The chicken was really soft and tender, full of flavour but without the overpowering heat that Indians might expect. Traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven, this dish soon became really popular on my dinner menu. We Punjabis have a lot to thank the Afghan people for, with the tandoor being top of my list.

By Sukhi Singh

Mummy’s lamb kebabs

We grew up eating these kebabs and they really make me feel nostalgic. Spices were limited in the UK when my parents moved there, hence the ingredients list isn’t substantial for this recipe. They're incredibly simple to make and they taste fantastic. They’re really versatile too – you can have them with salad, on their own, rolled in a naan or even as a burger.

By Sukhi Singh

Pav bhaji

A concoction of vegetables blended with spices and copious amounts of butter, served with toasted, butter-soaked bread rolls, a wedge of lime, green chillies and finely chopped onions, pav bhaji is the quintessential Mumbai street food – in fact, anyone reading a Mumbai guide book will always find this dish included in it. Historically it was the lunch of the textile workers, as it was a quick and affordable meal before rushing back to work. The mills have disappeared but the pav bhaji still sits there adorning the crown of street food. Mumbai I salute you!

By Sukhi Singh

Sukhi’s Watermelon Cooler

With us being in the peak of summer and getting ready for our summer holidays, I thought it would be good to get in the summertime mood by sharing another cocktail recipe with you.
Cool, refreshing and very moreish, my Watermelon Cooler can be served as an aperitif whenever you’re feeling summery but is perfect for summer garden parties and BBQs.
So give it a try – whether it’s with or without the alcohol – and I’m sure it’ll become your favourite summer cocktail too.

By Sukhi Singh

Coronation chicken curry

Coronation chicken began its royal journey in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Back then it was really popular, but nowadays it’s usually seen as nothing more than a sandwich filling to be found in unimaginative sandwich shops.

2017 saw the Queen celebrating her sapphire jubilee. To mark Her Majesty’s anniversary, I thought I would reinvent the original coronation chicken dish as a curry and not simply a sorry sandwich filling. I don’t know about you, but I think it deserves a royal warrant!

By Sukhi Singh

Patiala chicken recipe

Maaji (my great grandma) taught my mum to cook. Maaji came from an elite pedigree of Punjabi heritage and was a daughter of the Patiala Sadars. 

Stories we heard growing up were that she was gifted shoes made of silver at her wedding and the mahal (small palace) she lived in once she got married had a fourth floor dedicated to her to keep prying eyes away from this beautiful lady. 

The mahal is crumbling away as all the family live abroad and don’t visit, but what is left are stories from the flamboyant past of my family. 

What does live on is what Maaji taught my mum, which is the love for food that my mum has now passed on to me.

I share with you a fourth-generation recipe that still lives on today and allows you to get a glimpse of what opulence really is. This is food with a story, heritage and love. Enjoy.

By Sukhi Singh

Making Christmas spicy

Sometimes you need to spice up the traditional Christmas dinner and this recipe most certainly does. 

The warmth comes from the subtle infusion of spices, which adds so much flavour and depth to the turkey or capon. The top layer caramelises gently adding more flavour and texture to this dish.

You’ll love this dish so much you will replace the conventional Sunday roast for the spicy alternative as well as the Christmas dinner. 

By Sukhi Singh

Shahi murg kofta (Royal chicken kofta curry)

Sometimes we need a dish that creates a wow factor and this dish most certainly does. Shahi murg kofta (royal chicken kofta curry) ticks the opulent and indulgence boxes. The thick creamy masala clings and coats the soft, spicy and flavoursome kofta’s. This recipe is inspired by the royal kitchen’s of Punjab. I can imagine this dish being served at a Maharaja’s banquet and will surely impress anyone you serve this dish to.

By Sukhi Singh

Cardamon and saffron kulfi

Kulfi is a frozen version of ice-cream from India. It’s popular throughout India and is ever so popular in Indian restaurants throughout the world. Kulfi comes in many flavours, two of my most favourite flavours are cardamon and saffron. Cardamon the queen of spice and saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Do you wonder why I add them to my kulfi?

Kulfi is denser, creamier than conventional ice-cream and there is a real sense of luxury when eating kulfi.

By Sukhi Singh

Onion and potato pakora’s

People write tributes to love and I feel like writing a tribute to pakoras. They are known by the fancy name fritters all over the world. Every family has its own traditional variation of the recipe and it’s an ongoing battle to see whose pakora’s are better or best.

Now do I dare share my recipe for pakoras? Yes, I do!

On a rainy day in Punjab, a plate of pakoras with a hot cup of masala chai infused with ginger and mint is the best road to Nirvana. If a rainy day was an excuse in sunny England I’m sure the nation would all be soft and round like a pakora.

My recipe is an introduction to the world of pakoras. If you’re a fan of the onion bhaji served at the restaurants, then these taste completely different with a crunchy exterior, a soft center, with every bite unraveling a new flavor. Pakoras are amazingly addictive nuggets of pleasure and so very hard to resist.

By Sukhi Singh