Spice up your life with Lajina Masala
Recipe beautifully created by Lajina Masala (www.lajinamasala.com).
Recipes
Spinach dishes are by far the most popular when discussing menus for my business, spinach and potatoes is a classic, a dish served regularly at home and when spiced well, is so healthy and yummy. The potatoes can be swapped for lamb, chicken or paneer (Indian cheese), the principle remains the same, fry your onions, […]
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Are you thinking banana loaf isn’t very Indian and not very spicy, well, that’s true as most Indian mums use their ovens to store their oil filled Karahi, a thick steel deep fat fryer, my mum’s was a juggling act as it didn’t have a flat bottom and it was filled with oil and stored […]
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Once you have learnt the art of making a basic, tasty, fresh curry sauce, you can’t go back to jars or ready made sauces, it is so simple and healthy, with guaranteed results every time. So, I know you have a video of this recipe and the instructions are included on the curry masala pots, […]
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Butter Chicken is a Punjabi favourite, it’s been said that it’s the closest dish to the Chicken tikka masala. Previously, I have used fresh tomatoes, spiced then pureed them and baked the chicken before adding it all together, a two step, tricky process and I felt this could be improved and made simpler, especially for us […]
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This recipe is one of those special dishes that simply delivers on flavour, health benefits and you can swap the vegetables around to suit you. Adding the nuts and seeds helps to pack in some extra protein. For the nuts, I have used some almonds, flaked and whole, the desiccated coconut adds sweetness and the […]
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Chapaties or roti are the daily staple bread in many Asian homes, we each have our own style and the recipe I share is a typical Punjabi recipe, the wheat flour is traditional atta, available in many Asian stores and larger supermarkets, I always choose medium flour, which is healthier than the white and not […]
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Chicken Pasanda is a creamy, mildly spiced curry. Boneless chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices and cooked in a curry sauce with roasted and ground almonds mixed with water to make a roasted almond milk. Originally, made with lamb, but chicken pasanda is usually requested so here is the recipe, please enjoy. Pasanda means […]
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Just a pot of Lajina’s Curry Masala is all that’s needed to create your own chicken tikka masala in the comfort of your own home.
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I don’t know about you, but we love, love nuts and I seem to spice a batch and they soon get eaten with or without drinks. Choose your favourite nuts, I switch between almonds, cashews, pecans, Brazils, walnuts, pistachios occasionally I might just add sunflower seeds. I switch between roasting the nuts in the oven […]
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The simplest naan recipe, delivering fluffy, pillowy flatbreads, so moreish and lovely to mop up your yummy curries. The recipe has been tried and tested in many ways, travelled with me to teach others, it’s an easy one for you all to follow and so easy to adapt with your favourite flavours. Please don’t be too precious […]
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Mince or Keema curry can be made from minced lamb, beef, turkey, pork even vegetarian soya mince. I always make mine using Quorn mince. This dish is drier than your usual curry so I usually serve it with roti (chapaties or naans, homemade of course). The mince should be tender and will take on the […]
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Kheer is traditionally cooked in a big pan on the stove, sweet and moreish. It’s served in temples and eaten on special occasions, mine is the easiest recipe and as I add nuts, seeds to other Indian sweets, when making kheer, I keep it simple, just sweet and milky. Traditional at Lohri, so please have […]
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This is a nutritious and easy-to-make dish that can bring variety to an everyday menu. It’s also extremely delicious. It uses daal (lentils), so it’s great for vegetarians too. Finish it off with a handful of coriander and you’ve just made yourself a dish that would be worthy of any top Indian chef.
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This chilli sauce is bright, full of flavour and brings any dishes to life. Spoon it over fresh bhajes, with your omelettes, grilled meats and salads. It’s a fresh, vibrant and spicy sauce that will sit in your fridge for a week Three chillies have been recommended and I tend to use fresh red ones, […]
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This time of year, we need quick recipes that taste great and can be served with a drink or just a versatile and easy dish which can be a starter or part of your buffet table, these kebabs ticks all the boxes for speed, convenience and you can even prepare ahead and cook at the […]
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This is a curry that seems to shine whenever I cook it for dinner parties or supper clubs. It doesn’t matter if I use beef or lamb mince, it’s always a favourite, great with rice or scooped up in a chapati or roti. Mix the mince and make the meatballs up, chill them in the […]
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Makki di roti are delicious flatbreads, cooked on a tava (flat frying pan) but shaped with your hands, not on a board. They are made from corn flour and usually eaten with saag, primarily a Punjabi bread, crunchy on the outside and soft inside. It is gluten free and typically eaten with saag. ** The […]
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I consider this one of the easiest Indian dinner party dishes you could make, it has wow factor, requires some prep and marination, but once roasting, bar the odd basting, the lamb takes care of itself. It’s never failed to impress yet; there’s something very special about this dish. A good home made Raita (yoghurt, […]
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Onion Bhajies are very similar to Punjabi pakoras, simply spiced, use red onions if you have them or white while onions will be fine. These are delicious, crunchy, battered onions, perfect with a beer or Indian chai. Bhaijes are one of those speedy dishes you put together if you have unexpected visitors. You can’t possibly […]
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Hit them with spice, flavour, crunchy texture and some seriously good vegetables is my motto when making pakoras. Pakoras are the first thing I ever learnt to cook in the Indian Kitchen, I used to sneak to the girls’ youth club and that’s where I learnt. I wasn’t allowed to go to the youth club, […]
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A delightful recipe made from Paneer – a fresh, unsalted cheese common in South Asia, and coconut milk, giving a vibrant flavour to this tasty dish.
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A very popular Punjabi breakfast, stuffed flat breads, they can be eaten any time of the day, simply delicious with some yoghurt, pickles, daal or just a nice cup of masala chai (tea). These stuffed flat breads are cooked in a frying pan and such a treat when home made. The traditional Indian mum […]
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A seasonal and very popular curry, it’s one of the bases I use for my WI demos, sweet, healthy, moreish and uses up pumpkin, I have been known to freeze raw, peeled and chopped pumpkin and just pop it into the curry. The addition of chickpeas adds protein, I like them to mush down to […]
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It makes a nice change to use lamb in a curry and this recipe is perfect for making your first lamb-based curry using easy to find ingredients as well as the Masala Magic Pot. This freezes well so I have recommended you make a bigger pot.
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My saag recipe is the traditional method, with lots of short cuts, not turning the occasion of making saag into a stressful event. I would always help my mum to wash and chop the green leaves, but once it went into a pan, I never understood the thickening or cooking process, it was too time-consuming […]
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My most requested recipe, here it is, how to make basic, simple rice. I have said it takes longer in the recipe than it actually does as you soon become a whizz, but take your time until you get used to the recipe, it’s so easy. My top tips are to soak the rice, drain […]
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These spicy, stir-fried baby potatoes have become a firm favourite with my friends and family. The potatoes can form part of an Indian banquet, served with salad and grilled chicken or in a wrap with some cooling raita and fresh salad. My style of cooking is very traditional with a healthier twist, so I use […]
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There are so many ways of making a tamarind chutney that, as per usual, I shall give you the basic recipe, adding alternatives and additions so you can create your favourite flavours, I am sure you will agree, that’s what home cooking is all about? The finished Tamarind chutney is usually teamed up with a raita (yoghurt […]
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This recipe was invented for a cooking lesson where I taught a class to spice up the usual Christmas dinner ingredients and I had no idea that these gorgeous potatoes would become part of every roast I make for my family. Parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips are just some alternatives or additions to these potatoes […]
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I love this recipe, simple, so much flavour, use chicken thigh with bone left in for maximum flavour, this one is a spicy one and great on wraps etc the next day. Traditionally, you would cook this on a tava (flat frying pan, a traditional chappatti pan), my OCD won’t allow anything other than breads […]
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For my example of a veg curry, I have used Brussel sprouts, carrots and cabbage, the key is to make sure all the veg are cooked at the same time so you need to work out which ones take longer to cook. The time it takes to cook veg varies, here’s my rough guide: Potatoes, green […]
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A delicious vegetable Jalfrezi, bursting with flavour. A quick, easy and very tasty dinner.
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A little Christmas favourite, triangular pastry parcels willed with a delicious filling. If you can season these well, they will be far superior to anything you have ever had before, I promise you. Somosas are complicated, time consuming and am always disappointed when trying others and I have decided that making them myself is the […]
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