Chicken tikka, crab curry and podi cauliflower rice: Chetna Makan’s easy Indian recipes

. UK edition

Chetna Makan's chicken tikka bites with coriander chutney.
Chetna Makan’s chicken tikka bites with coriander chutney. Photograph: Phoebe Pearson/The Guardian. Food styling: Hanna Miller. Prop styling: Lucy Turnbull. Food styling assistant: Thea Hudson.

An Indian feast that doesn’t require an overwhelming list of spices, from snackable chicken bites to a punchy crab curry and a fragrant way to use up leftover rice

These are my absolute favourite little chicken bites to eat with some coriander chutney: they make a perfect snack, enjoyed hot on their own, but they’re also great with some paratha, plain roti or even a simple pulao. The crab curry, meanwhile, is something I make especially for me, because my family are not big on crab yet (maybe one day?): the spices work perfectly with the intense flavour of the crab meat, and the spinach adds bite and colour – this goes beautifully with plain white rice. And, finally, a must-try rice dish: being a fan of cauliflower, this recipe is really special to me, not least because the combination of the cauliflower, podi masala and peanuts is just so delicious; it’s also a great way to jazz up leftover rice.

Chicken tikka

Prep 10 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 4

60g gram flour
150g greek yoghurt
50g cheddar, grated
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2½-5cm chunks
Oil, for frying
1 tsp chaat masala (see below)

For the chaat masala
20g cumin seeds
5g peppercorns
10g ground ginger
15g black salt (kala namak)
30g mango powder (amchoor)

For the coriander chutney (optional)
30g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
10g fresh mint leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 green chillies, stems removed (if you prefer less heat, remove rthe pith and seeds, too)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar

To make the chaat masala, set a frying pan on a low heat, then dry-roast the cumin seeds for two to three minutes, until fragrant and starting to change colour. Leave to cool, then tip into a spice grinder. In the same pan, dry-roast the peppercorns for a couple of minutes until fragrant, leave to cool, then add to the spice grinder with the ginger, salt and mango powder, and blitz to a nice, smooth powder. Transfer to a clean, airtight jar, seal and store in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

To make the chutney, if using, in a food processor, blitz the coriander, mint, lemon juice, yoghurt, chillies, salt and sugar until smooth. Don’t be tempted to add any water.

Dry-roast the gram flour in a frying pan on a low heat for two to three minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Tip into a bowl, add the yoghurt, cheese and a teaspoon each of salt and chilli powder, and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and turn until thoroughly coated.

Put a little oil in a large, deep frying pan on a medium heat, then cook the chicken in batchesfor eight to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and cooked through. (Alternatively, thread the chicken on to skewers and cook on a barbecue.) Once cooked, sprinkle with the chaat masala and serve with coriander chutney, if you like.

Crab curry

Prep 5 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 2

Oil, for frying
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp sabji masala (see below)
1 tsp garam masala (see below)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp chilli powder
100g spinach, finely chopped
200g white crab meat

For the sabji masala
50g cumin seeds
50g coriander seeds
50g ground turmeric
5g asafoetida
30g mango powder (amchur)

For the garam masala
10g cinnamon stick
5g black cardamom pods
5g green cardamom pods
20g cumin seeds
5g cloves

To make the sabji masala, put a frying pan on a low heat, then dry-roast the cumin and coriander seeds, stirring from time to time, for five minutes. Once they start to change colour and smell aromatic, tip into a mortar or spice grinder and crush to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl, add the turmeric, asafoetida and mango powder, and mix well. Tip into a clean, airtight jar, seal and store in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

To make the garam masala, crush the cinnamon and both types of cardamom (including the pods) in a mortar – this will break them up, so they are easier to roast and grind to a powder. Put a frying pan on a low heat, then dry-roast all the spices for three to four minutes, stirring frequently. Once they start to change colour and turn smoky and aromatic, take off the heat and leave to cool completely. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Tip into a clean, airtight jar, seal and store in a cool, dark place for up to six months.

Put two tablespoons of oil in a large, deep frying pan on a low heat, add the onions and cook, stirring, for about eight minutes, until golden.

Add the sabji masala, garam masala, salt and chilli powder, then add the spinach, crab meat and 200ml boiling water, and cook for four to five minutes, until everything is bubbling hot. Serve with rice.

Podi cauliflower rice

Prep 5 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 4

200g basmati rice, or 600g cooked/leftover rice)
Oil, for frying
10–12 fresh curry leaves
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
3 tbsp podi masala (see below)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder

For the podi masala
200g peanuts, skin-on
100g split yellow peas (chana dal)
1 tbsp cumin seeds
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Oil, for frying
6 dried red chillies
1 tsp salt

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions (unless you are using cooked rice).

To make the podi masala, put a frying pan on a low heat, then dry-roast the peanuts for eight to 10 minutes, until aromatic and golden. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, dry-roast the chana dal and cumin seeds on a low heat for five to six minutes, until golden. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, dry-roast the garlic on a low heat forfive to six minutes, until golden, then set that, too, aside. Finally, put two tablespoons oil in the same pan on a low heat, and roast the chillies for a minute.

Put the roast chillies and garlic in a food processor, add the salt and blend smooth. Add all the remaining toasted spices and blend to a coarse powder. Make sure not to over-blend, to avoid the peanut oils being released. Leave to cool completely, then transfer to a clean jar, seal and store in the fridge for up to two months.

Put two tablespoons of oil in a saucepan on a medium heat, add the curry leaves, the cauliflower florets and two tablespoons of water, cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the podi masala, turmeric, salt and chilli powder, then add the cooked rice and mix again. Cook on a high heat for a final two minutes, then serve on its own or with some coconut chutney.