From the heat of the MasterChef kitchen to the heart of her cookbook pages, Kamini Pather dishes up dazzling “Indian-ish” in her debut cookbook.

Kamini Pather wears many hats. Some of her accolades include MasterChef SA season 2 winner, TV show host, three-time marathon runner and now author. She also takes pride in leading a holistic lifestyle, something she teaches clients as an integrative health and nutrition coach. For Kamini, food will always mean family and memory, but it has taken a new role as something bigger. Living holistically doesn’t mean eating only certain foods and waking up at 5am.

For Kamini, it means balancing life across various areas, particularly in one’s emotional-, spiritual-, physical- and mental well-being. Food plays a huge role in all these facets of life, and so she encourages mindful eating, home cooking and investing in your body. Kamini’s cookbook All Dhal’d Up aims to bring you along on this journey, and is filled with warming, familiar foods that boast delectable, rich flavours. Dig in! 

Partee’s sweet-sour apple curry  

Serves 4  

‘This is a riff on a favourite dish of mine growing up. My partee (paternal grandmother) used to make a sweet mango curry, because mangos are everywhere during the Durban summer. The recipe called for unripe mangoes so that the sour flesh would contrast the sweetness of the sugar. So, when you’re choosing an apple for this more accessible incarnation, pick a variety that is spirited on the tongue with a flashy tartness.’ 

Ingredients

4 Tbsp coconut oil 
½ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp urad dhal, optional 
½ onion, finely diced 
4 curry leaves
1 dried red chilli
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1cm cubes 1 tsp 
Ma’s masala (recipe below)
½ tsp salt  

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pot over a high heat, then add the seeds and urad dhal. 
2. When the seeds start to pop, lower the heat to medium, add the onion, curry leaves and chilli, and cook until softened (5-7 minutes). 
3. Add the apple and Ma’s masala to the pot and mix through. Cook until the apple has softened, then use the back of a fork to gently press about a third of the apple and onion. It should have a soft but coarse, puree-like texture. 
4. Season and enjoy! 

 

Butter beans curry  

Serves 4 

 

‘Beans are one of the pulses linked to longevity. Even without that benefit, beans are incredibly versatile and, when curried, can carry a meal single-handedly. And PS: beans don’t have to be the ‘musical fruit’ if you add a sprinkle of asafoetida to them. You’re welcome.’  

Ingredients

1 can (400g) butter beans in brine
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 green cardamom pod 
2cm stick cinnamon 
2 whole cloves
½ tsp asafoetida
1 onion, diced
1 stem fresh curry leaves
1 green chilli
½ tsp coriander seeds 
½ tsp cumin seeds 
2 Tbsp Ma’s masala 
½ tomato, diced, skin on
1-2 tsp salt
½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
½ tsp butter  

Method

1. Rinse the beans thoroughly and allow to drain in a colander.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat and toss in the cardamom pod, cinnamon and cloves. Fry gently, then add the asafoetida, followed by the onion, curry leaves and green chilli. Allow the onions to soften.
3. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the coriander and cumin seeds to a powder, then add to the onion mixture. Add Ma’s masala and mix thoroughly. Allow the masala to cook. You will start to smell the spices as they are convinced to release their wiles to the hot oil. 
4. Add the tomato to the pot with the onion mixture. Stir and allow to cool down until a thick paste forms. Add the beans and salt. Pour in the stock and allow to come to a simmer. The gravy of the curry will start to thicken, and the beans will soften slightly. 
5. Check for seasoning before stirring in the butter. Serve garnished as you prefer.

 

Dry-fry potatoes  

Serves 2  

‘If you are like my mum (and so many others) who relish the thought of carbs on carbs, then a dry-fry potato sandwich will warm the cockles of your heart. My folks spent a year in Manchester before I was born, so 1 imagine that this is a spicy throwback to a British chip-butty.’ 

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, sliced 
2 Tbsp coconut oil
¼ tsp black mustard seeds 
¼ tsp cumin seeds 
1 dried red chilli 
1 sprig fresh curry leaves 
1 tsp masala 
½ tsp ground turmeric
1-2 tsp salt  

Method

1. Slice the potatoes into 0.5cm slices with the skin on. Soak them in water (to prevent them from discolouring), then set aside. Drain just before using.
2. In a pan, heat the coconut oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilli and curry leaves. When the seeds start to sizzle, add the drained potatoes, masala, ground turmeric and salt. Mix the potatoes until they take on the colour of the spices. 
3. Allow the potatoes to cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they are fork-tender. If the potatoes are too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. 

 

Ma’s masala 

Makes ±2KG 

Ingredients

1.4kg chilli powder 
50g ground fennel seeds
50g ground coriander
50g ground turmeric
25g yellow mustard powder 
20g ground fenugreek seeds
100g ground cumin
38g garam masala
1 cup coconut oil
4 stems fresh curry leaves 
6 unpeeled cloves garlic  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Mix all the spices in a bowl, then spread the mix on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, opening the oven every 5 minutes to stir the spice mix. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. 
3. Add the coconut oil to a small pot and heat over a low heat until melted. Turn the heat up to medium and add the curry leaves and garlic. Fry the garlic until golden, but not burnt, and the curry leaves until they are crisp. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 
4. Using a sieve, sift the cooled spice mix into a mixing bowl. Pour the cooled oil over the spices and mix well until lump-free. Allow to cool overnight before dividing among storage bottles.

 

Chilli bite-dipped carrot top fritters 

Serves 4  

The Mystery Box Challenge on MasterChef SA is really just what people do every day. You peer into the fridge and let your mind go wild, which is why I like to fill my fridge with things that will be inspiring. This dish was an accidental marvel when I had leftover carrot tops and half a bag of chilli bite mix lurking around. I do like that 1 still surprise myself sometimes — it reminds me why I started cooking in the first place.’ 

Ingredients

½ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup cake wheat flour, + extra
½ cup for dusting 
2 Tbsp panko crumbs
A pinch of ground cumin
A pinch of ground coriander
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
¼ tsp lightly crushed fennel seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¼ – ½ cup very cold sparkling water
3 ice cubes
Vegetable oil for deep-frying 
A bunch of carrot tops (4-5 tops per person), left whole or slightly trimmed 
Maldon salt to sprinkle 
Fresh coriander, finely chopped, to sprinkle  

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the flours, crumbs, ground spices, fennel seeds, baking powder and salt. Mix in a few tablespoons of sparkling water to make a paste. Then, add a little extra water until the batter is thin and runny. Add the ice cubes. 
2. Heat the oil in a small, deep pot over a medium-high heat. You will know it is hot enough when you splash in a few drops of batter and they start to bubble immediately.
3. Dredge the carrot tops through the batter in batches and fry until golden. Allow to drain on kitchen towel. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and coriander. 
4. Serve with Hey dhal-ling (recipe in All Dhal’d Up) and basmati rice.

 

Words by: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Recipes: Kamini Pather
Photography by: Dawid Botha
Extract from All Dhal’d Up
Courtesy of Penguin Random House