Moroccan and Levantine

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• Seeds of 4 green cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 5 cm cassia bark
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp mild Kashmiri chilli
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals

Method

1. Dry-toast the first six ingredients in a triply pan on low for 2–3 min until the cumin darkens a shade and smells sweet. Spread on a plate and cool 2 min.
2. Grind to a fine powder, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Store in a small, tightly closed jar away from light. Use within 6–8 weeks; for the best flavour, toast and grind in batches of 2 tbsp.

Ingredients

• 6 thin-skinned pahadi lemons, or 2 galgal
• 90 g coarse salt (about 15% of the fruit weight)
• Extra juice of 4–6 lemons
• 2 tejpat leaves
• 6 black peppercorns
• A clean glass jar, scalded with boiling water

Method

1. Scrub the fruit. Cut each lemon nearly into quarters from the top, leaving the base attached; cut galgal into 1 cm slices.
2. Pack salt into the cuts, press the fruit into the jar and add tejpat and pepper.
3. Press down until juice rises, then top with lemon juice to cover. Close the jar.
4. Shake daily for a week, then keep somewhere cool for 4 weeks. The rind is ready when it is soft. Rinse before use, discard the pulp and chop the rind.

Ingredients

• 200 g hulled white sesame (til)
• 40–60 ml neutral oil, or sesame oil
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Toast the sesame in a dry pan over low heat 3–4 min, stirring, until pale gold. Cool completely.
2. Grind in a blender or small grinder with short breaks 6–8 min, adding the oil a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and pourable. Add salt.
3. Store in a jar in the refrigerator; stir before use. Keeps about 2 months.

Ingredients

• 300 g pumpkin and 3 carrots, cut in 3 cm pieces
• 250 g small potatoes
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp whole kala jeera, toasted, plus 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tbsp Kumaon ras el hanout
• 8 dried apricots, halved
• 2 strips galgal peel and ¼ preserved lemon rind, chopped
• 350 ml water or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Coriander leaf and mint

Method

1. Roast the pumpkin and carrots with 1 tbsp ghee at 200 °C for 20 min until their edges colour.
2. Meanwhile sweat the onion and garlic in the remaining ghee in a heavy pot (kasera) for 10 min. Add kala jeera, cumin and ras, and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add water, apricots and potatoes. Cover and simmer 12 min.
4. Add the roasted vegetables and both citrus peels. Cover and braise 10 min more, then uncover and reduce a little.
5. Scatter sesame, coriander and mint. Serve with rice or the harcha below.

Ingredients

• Meat and pulse
• 800 g bone-in goat shoulder or leg, in 5 cm pieces
• 120 g gahat, soaked 10 h
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ghee
• Braise
• 2 onions (about 300 g), finely sliced
• 4 cloves garlic and 3 cm ginger, grated
• 1 tsp whole kala jeera
• 2 tejpat leaves
• 1 tbsp Kumaon ras el hanout
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 400 ml hot water
• ½ preserved galgal or lemon rind, chopped
• Finish
• 2 tbsp oil, warmed to about 60 °C
• ¼ tsp timur, freshly crushed
• Coriander leaf

Method

1. Pressure cook the soaked gahat in fresh water 20 min after full pressure, until nearly soft. Keep the liquid.
2. Salt the meat. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in the pot until hot and sear the meat in two or three batches, 3–4 min a side, until well browned. Do not crowd the pan. Set aside.
3. Lower the heat, add the remaining ghee, bloom the kala jeera 15–20 seconds, then add the onions and a splash of water. Cook 12 min until golden. Add garlic and ginger for 2 min, then ras and turmeric for 30 seconds.
4. Return the meat with its juices, add the tejpat and 400 ml hot water (use the gahat liquid for part of it). Cover with paper and lid and braise at a bare simmer, or in a 150 °C oven, for 1½–2 h until the meat is tender but not yet falling apart.
5. Add the gahat and the rind and cook 30 min more, uncovered for the last 10 to thicken the sauce.
6. Stir the timur into the warm oil, leave 1 min, and drizzle over the tagine with coriander leaf.

Ingredients

• 200 g bhatt, soaked 10 h
• 2 large onions (about 400 g), sliced
• 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tbsp Kumaon ras el hanout
• 6 dried figs, quartered
• 6 dried apricots, halved
• 2 strips galgal or lemon peel
• 300 ml bhatt cooking liquid
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• Salt, lemon juice, mint and coriander
• For the tarka: 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp whole kala jeera, ½ tsp ground kala jeera

Method

1. Pressure cook the bhatt in salted water 30 min after full pressure until soft. Keep 300 ml of the liquid.
2. Cook the onions in 2 tbsp oil over low heat with a pinch of salt, stirring now and then, 25–30 min until deep amber.
3. Stir in the ras for 30 seconds. Add the bhatt, liquid, fruit and peel. Cover and braise on low 30 min.
4. For the tarka, warm the ghee to about 150 °C, bloom the whole kala jeera 15–20 seconds, take it off the heat, and stir in the ground kala jeera. Pour over the tagine and cover again for 5 min.
5. Finish with lemon juice to taste, the sesame and the fresh herbs. Rest 10 min before serving.

Ingredients

• 200 g gahat, soaked 10 h
• 80 g tahini (see above)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 45 ml lemon or galgal juice
• 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds, ground
• 60 ml ice water
• Salt
• For the jambu oil: 40 ml olive oil and 1 tsp jambu

Method

1. Drain the gahat and pressure cook with plenty of water and salt, 25 min after full pressure, until very soft. Keep a cup of the liquid.
2. Blend the warm beans with tahini, garlic, juice, cumin and ice water for 4–5 min, adding bean liquid for a creamy texture. Rest 30 min and re-taste.
3. Warm the oil until it just shimmers, take it off the heat and stir in the jambu. Pour over the hummus.

Ingredients

• 200 g bhatt, soaked 10 h
• 2 tejpat leaves, 1 black cardamom, 4 cloves, 5 cm cassia, 6 peppercorns (the khada spices)
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp roasted wheat flour, mixed with 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp coriander seed, freshly ground
• ½ tsp cumin, freshly ground
• A pinch (⅛ tsp or less) of gandrayan, optional
• Salt

Method

1. Pressure cook the bhatt with water to cover, salt and half the khada spices, 30 min after full pressure, until soft. Keep 400 ml of liquid.
2. Heat the mustard oil until it just smokes, then cool 1 min. Add the remaining khada spices and onion, cook 8 min. Add garlic, ginger and tomatoes, and cook until the oil separates, about 10 min.
3. Add bhatt and liquid, the flour paste, and simmer 20 min until the gravy coats a spoon.
4. Off the heat, stir in ground coriander and cumin and the gandrayan. Rest 10 min covered.

Ingredients

• 200 g fine semolina
• 60 g mandua flour
• 6 g baking powder (about 1½ tsp)
• 5 g salt
• 10 g jaggery, powdered
• 80 g ghee or butter, melted
• 180 ml warm milk
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus a pinch of ground cumin

Method

1. Mix the dry ingredients with the jaggery. Rub in the melted ghee, then add milk to form a soft dough. Rest 10 min.
2. Shape into 8 discs about 1.5 cm thick. Press sesame and cumin onto both sides.
3. Cook on a tava over low-medium heat 6–7 min per side, until golden and cooked through. Serve warm, split and filled with jam or cheese, or beside the tagine.