Jasmyne Tea

Spice Of Life, Harris Park

Indian food was not something I was interested in as a child. I think my Mum may have killed that particular cuisine for me - she used to make this dish that consisted of el cheapo sausages, chunks of overcooked potato and carrot, and curry powder all combined as one in a stew-like creation. We didn't want to hurt her feelings, so we ate some of it while hiding pieces of sausage under our napkins (and if you're reading this Mum - sorry. Truth hurts. I think you're old enough to handle it now).

Luckily Stephen and I took the leap and tried Indian food again - our first butter chicken was a revelation! An explosion of flavour, a riot of spices; this was what we encountered with our first mouthful. After that it was only natural that we try more dishes from this exotic cuisine.

So when we had to organise a Bon Voyage dinner with my work-mates, Indian first sprang to mind. My friend James described Spice of Life as a little less traditional than most Indian restaurants, but good for beginners.

Mango Lassi - $4.00

This concoction of mango puree and yoghurt was actually my very first lassi, and, surprised by the sweet taste, I drank half of it before we got our food. Man did I regret that when the chilli caught up with me...

Papri Chaat - $10.00

We got our friends who'd grown up with Indian food to order for us, because really, apart from naan and butter chicken, we had no idea. Papri Chaat is a North Indian snack, comprised of crispy fried dough wafers, potatoes and chickpeas all covered in a combination of yoghurt, chilli, masala spices and tamarind chutney. This is then topped with crushed sev, a type of dried noodle made from chickpea flour. The dish contains a variety of interesting textures and flavours, and was an excellent start to our meal.

Paneer Tandoori - $14.00

The cottage cheese here is apparently home made, and in this dish it's seasoned with garam masala and skewered along with capsicum, onion, and tomato. The cheese comes out with a texture that is a cross between feta cheese and haloumi.


Coconut Chicken - $17.00

The coconut chicken was probably the spiciest chicken I've tried so far in my life - I honestly could not register any other flavours. I do know that the tender chicken was cooked in a gravy flavoured with curry leaves, chilli, and mustard seeds.

Butter Chicken - $17.00

Oh. My. Gosh. Think of the best butter chicken you ever had; now imagine if it was 10 times better and you've got the gist of this dish. The chicken is marinated in the tomato and yoghurt mixture until it takes on an orange hue, then is cooked in the tandoori. What comes to the table is falling apart before you even get your fork into it, and the flavour is oh-so moreish.


Goat Saag Wala - $18.00

I really only ordered the goat for the novelty, but it was actually pretty good. The goat did have big chunks of bone attached to the meat, but the meat I did get to try was a little gamey, and a bit tougher than beef or chicken. The spinach sauce it was served with was very mild, and didn't really taste like much.

Vegetable Biryani - $14.00

Our friend Ahlam ordered the Vegetable Biryani, as she can only eat halal meat. It had a nice dry consistency, the grains of rice separated, and the vegetables and rice were mildly spiced with a medly of herbs and spices including ginger, cumin, and coriander.

Masala Dosa - $12.00

The Dosa was ordered by our friend Gita - a large, crispy rice crepe stuffed with sauteed potatoes and onion, and served with sambhar (a type of lentil stew) and chutney.

Garlic Naan - $3.50 each serve

Heaven is a garlic naan; I never thought that flat bread with a bit of garlic and butter on it could be so comforting and tasty, but it is - I could definitely eat this by itself.

Cheese Naan - $4.50 each serve

The cheese naan came an extremely close second, but this plain naan stuffed with cheese just couldn't beat the garlic in my opinion.

As we went to pay for our meal, we saw bowls of sugar and fennel seeds laid out on the counter. Our friend Manan told us that you're meant to take a spoonful of each and chew to freshen your breathe. It takes some getting used to, but I love fennel so it was no hardship.

Spice Of Life

116 Wigram St
Harris Park
NSW
2150

9762 1033

http://spiceoflife.net.au/restaurant/index.htm

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Butter Chicken is probably the first Indian dish that many Australians try. It's a well known dish, it's mild and tasty, and there's a ready made version in supermarkets (that's definitely the way I first tried it - thank you Chicken Tonight!). In honour of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights which was on Wednesday (it's a bit of a big deal at my work - everyone dresses up in saris and eats Indian food), I thought I'd post this delicious dish that our Head of Biochemistry makes every year. The chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices so that their flavour is fully imparted, and then it's cooked in a tomato-based sauce until juicy and tender. Served with basmati rice and pappadums, it made an excellent weeknight dinner, and the marinade was prepared in the morning, saving a lot of time.

Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS

600g chicken thigh fillets cut into thick strips
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
Juice of 1 lemon
2cm piece of ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3tbs garam masala
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs chopped coriander

2 tbs ghee or olive oil
2 onions, sliced thinly
1 1/2 tablespoons turmeric
1 tbs tomato paste
1 cup passata
2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
250 mL pouring cream
2 tbs chopped mint

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in a mixture of the yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, oil, and a tablespoon of the coriander for 3 hours.

2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and cook over a medium-high heat on a large, oiled frying pan for 2 minutes on each side, or until partially cooked through. Set aside.

3. Heat ghee/oil in a large saucepan over a high heat, and add the onions, turmeric, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of garam masala, and chilli flakes. Cook for 6 minutes, or until onions have softened.

4. Add pasata and cook for 8 minutes, then reduce the heat and add cream, remainder of coriander and mint. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes.

5. Garnish with corriander, and prepare basmati rice or pappadams to serve.

Lemongrass Curry

 

Remember when Jamie Oliver did this Lamb Curry song? Back when I was a youngster who had never had curry (my mum's curried sausages don't count :P), it used to make me cringe, but now that I've sampled some of Stephen's lemongrass curry, I can definitely appreciate the need to burst into song.

We made this last night for Stephen's family, and it proved to be pretty popular. There's a perfect balance between the flavours of the curry and the aromatic lemongrass, and it's very mild, catering for everyone's tolerance. It's a good choice for people trying curry for the first time. The chicken thigh is a classic choice for dishes cooked in a sauce, as it stays beautifully succulent and juicy. Serve with basmati rice and plain greek yoghurt - delicious!

Lemongrass Curry

INGREDIENTS

6 chicken thighs (1/2 kilo), trimmed and quatered

2 tablespoons mild curry powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 pinch dried medium chilli flakes

1 lemongrass stalk, crushed and split

5 cm piece of ginger, grated

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons castor sugar

600g potatoes, peeled and diced

500 mL chicken stock

240mL coconut milk

 

    1. Combine the chicken and the curry powder in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

    2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken in batches, setting aside cooked chicken. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a large stockpot, and add the spring onions, stirring until softened. Add the chicken, then add the lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer at a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    3. Stir in the coconut milk, then cover and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    4. Serve with rice and plain greek yoghurt. Serves 4 - 6 people.