We are so lucky in this country to have four wonderful seasons all of which come with their own special features from the weather to the spectacular produce that comes along too. Each month I have decided to focus on some key ingredients that are timely and seasonal. Some will be everyday ingredients but some will be a bit more unusual.
For each of the ingredients I will be sharing some of my favourite recipes, researching old school cooking methods and creating some new and exciting dishes too. I’m hoping there will be something for everyone from healthy recipes right through to a few quirky ones for you Indian food fanatics. I’m also hoping that you will all get into the kitchen to cook with a new ingredient you haven’t used before, but above all you will have some fun and try some great new flavours.
It’s April
This is such an exciting time of year. The days are getting longer, the air is getting warmer and Easter is just round the corner. My April favourites are crab, lamb and the delicious morel mushroom. These are all in season at the moment, so make sure you enjoy them now when they are at their best.
New Season Lamb
New season lamb is just wonderful because it has a delicate flavour that is tender and succulent. The meat tends to be sweeter and milder in flavour, which is great for my fresher-tasting Palak walee Lamb (Lamb with spinach) recipe.
Lamb is also the traditional roast for Easter lunch, it's a real favourite in my home. But I do also love to cook with a mutton leg. My Mutton Raan recipe is a roast dinner spectacular where the meat is marinated over two days with two different marinades, and is just perfect for a big family get together.
A video posted by Hari Ghotra (@harighotra) on Apr 3, 2015 at 6:14am PDT
Morel Mushrooms
These look like little aliens but they taste fantastic. Wild morels are found all over the UK at this time of year, and have a cone shaped cap with a distinctive honeycomb pattern all over. They are considered a real treat in the Kashmir region, where they are known as ‘gucchi’ and are often used as a delicious way to jazz up a rice pilau. This is my version of this famous dish called Gucchi Pilau or Morel Mushroom Pilau.
Fresh Crab
Crab is a common South Indian ingredient because the sweet meat works so beautifully with warming Indian spices. In season in the UK between April and November, they are best bought live or as fresh as possible. Go for both brown and white meat for the full flavour. I always indulge in a few claws too, as I love the soft meat. Check out my delicious Crab and Prawn Cakes and my new South Indian Crab Curry - it's awesome!
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