Two celebrity chefs share favourite recipes they consider delicious and easy to make

Bhindi Salan by Ritu Dalmia

Bhindi (okra) is the vegetable equivalent of that girl in school who got along with everyone and took part in all competitions. Celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia’s bhindi salan is a hybrid tweak of the desi favourite.

Ingredients

300 g okra, slit
¼ cup tamarind pulp
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
½ tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp crushed peanuts for garnish
Water

Spices for the tadka

½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida

For the paste

1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup toasted peanuts
2 medium-sized tomatoes, blanched
½-inch ginger
½ tsp cumin seeds
2–3 green chillies
2 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation

• Blend all the ingredients for the paste in a food blender till smooth and keep aside.

• In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat 2 tbsp oil.

• Add fenugreek, mustard and asafoetida.

• When the spices start to sputter, add the paste and cook on low flame till the oil starts floating on top.

• Add tamarind paste, salt, lemon juice, sugar and some water and cook on low heat again.

• In a separate pan, heat oil and fry the slit okra.

• Mix the fried okra with the paste and cook for another few minutes.

• Garnish with the peanuts, coriander and sesame seeds and serve with parathas or rice.

Not-So-Authentic Street-Style Thai Flat Noodles by Kelvin Cheung

If you’re craving noodles but can’t handle the guilt of overindulging, grab a bowl of celebrity...

Read more