Chicken tikka, crab curry and podi cauliflower rice

Chetna Makan’s chicken tikka are crisp little bites made with gram flour, Greek yoghurt and grated cheddar. They’re delicious hot on their own with coriander chutney, or served alongside paratha, plain roti or a simple pulao. The gram flour is dry‑roasted, mixed with yoghurt, cheese and chilli, then the chicken is coated and fried in batches until golden; once cooked, a sprinkle of chaat masala lifts the flavour, or the pieces can be threaded on skewers and barbecued.

The crab curry is a compact, spice‑forward dish built on softened onions, sabji and garam masalas, salt and chilli powder. Spinach adds bite and colour to the intense white crab meat; once the spices are added the spinach, crab and boiling water are cooked together until bubbling hot, and the curry is served with plain white rice.

Podi cauliflower rice puts cauliflower, podi masala and peanuts at the centre. The podi is made by dry‑roasting peanuts, chana dal and cumin, then roasting garlic and chillies before blending to a coarse powder.

chicken tikka, gram flour, greek yoghurt, grated cheddar, chaat masala, crab curry, garam masala, spinach, podi masala, cauliflower rice