chetna makan recipe

Chetna Makan&#8217;s combines the flavours of pistachio, cardamom and white chocolate to make the lightest of cakes that&#8217;s perfect served for afternoon tea.

Chetna Makan&#8217;s pistachio, cardamom and white chocolate cake

unsalted butter, softened,

caster sugar

eggs

self-raising flour

tsp baking powder

tsp cardamom seeds, crushed to a powder in a pestle and mortar

milk

shelled, unsalted pistachios,

white chocolate chips

For the icing

white chocolate,

unsalted butter, softened

vanilla extract

You’ll also need…

x 20cm round cake tins

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease the tins, then line with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each one is incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour, baking powder, cardamom and milk, then whisk for 1 minute. Fold in the 50g pistachios and white chocolate chips, then fill the tins with the batter. Bake for 30 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins.

For the icing, put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of just steaming water until melted, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Set aside to cool slightly. Cream the butter with an electric mixer, then beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla until light and creamy.

Remove the cooled sponges from the tins. Spread half the icing on 1 sponge, top with the second, then spread the rest of the icing on top. Sprinkle with the remaining pistachios, then leave for 20 minutes before slicing.

The beans add a lovely depth to this creamy paneer curry. Chetna says: &#8220;You could use dried red kidney beans, soaking them overnight, then boiling them before making the curry, but tinned beans and tomatoes make everything much quicker. This dish is great served with rotis, naan, rice or pilau rice.&#8221;

Rajma paneer curry with fenugreek

sunflower oil

cumin seeds

onions, finely chopped

ginger,

tin chopped tomatoes

tsp chilli powder

tsp turmeric

1⁄2 tsp garam masala

tsp coriander

tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi – see Know-how)

tsp sugar

salt

tin red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

water

paneer, diced

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add the onions and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Add the ginger, cook for a minute, then stir in the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the mixture is soft.

Remove the lid. Add the spices, sugar and salt, then cook for a minute. Stir in the beans and the boiling water, then cover again and cook on a low-medium heat for 30 minutes until the beans are nice and soft. Finally, add the paneer, mix well and serve. This recipe is from Chetna’s Healthy Indian: Vegetarian by Chetna Makan (Mitchell Beazley £20). https://www.waterstones.com/book/chetnas-healthy-indian-vegetarian/chetna-makan/9781784726621 You can order the hardback here.

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Rajma paneer curry with fenugreek

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Chetna Makan’s pistachio, car...