FOOD FOR A HOT CLIMATE

Now that the summer months have arrived, we will all (hopefully) enjoy food that is not only seasonal but also lighter and brighter to match the time of year.

The preparation and preservation of food does shift when the climate changes. As a daughter of the North Indian community, and having lived in Europe and Johannesburg during my childhood years, it is interesting to examine how the culinary ‘rules’ alter according to the climate. There is one particular practice - marinating, that I think is useful to further examine.

The origin of marinades, as I have always understood them (and been told by the women in my family), are two-fold: safety and taste. The preservation of meat, from the moment of slaughter to the time you are ready to cook, is incredibly important and has been cause for concern over centuries (even millennia).

The type of ingredients used to impart flavour such as garlic, ginger, salt, spices and oil (to name but a few) are traditionally used in hot countries as a means of not only flavouring but also preserving the main ingredient. Hence the development of pickling – the process of storing freshly harvested produce in brine or vinegar to kill bacteria and make safe for consumption long after the season ends.

Views towards salt in cookery can vary greatly from person to person, from omitting it completely to never serving a dish without double checking the salt levels. On the whole, I have found that cold-climate countries have a tendency to encourage lower salt consumption, often linked to sedentary lifestyles and the associated health issues. In warmer climates, salt in cookery is rarely discouraged. It forms part of the rehydration process and so is used in many dishes – and sometimes beverages – to replace the fluids lost through perspiration.

Here in the UK, the preference for marinated dishes tends to be towards the sauce/gravy accompanying the ‘main’ within a meal. Head East however and you will find that sauces and gravies are usually considered a ‘special occasion’ food due to their higher calorie content. Marinades in everyday foods are used only to cook into the meat until succulent, keeping the meal tasty yet light.

Accompaniments served in hot climates are usually preserves in some form such as pickles or yoghurt, followed by either Paan (a betel leaf spice mix to be chewed) or tea with spices, all serving to aid digestion.

Lemon Chicken

temperature before cooking. On taking it out of the fridge, squeeze the lemon juice over it and mix to ensure the chicken is evenly coated as this will tenderise it. (Note: it is very important that you do not leave the lemon juice on the chicken for longer than 20 minutes as the acid in the lemon juice stops tenderising the meat at this point and will start to make the texture of the meat become tough.)

3 Preheat a frying pan (or barbecue) to a medium-tohigh heat. Sear the chicken first. If using a frying pan, ensure that you blot up any liquid as it comes out of the chicken – this will ensure a good sear.

4 Turn the temperature down and cover until cooked through to the centre.

5 Served hot with fresh mango salsa (see our recipe below).

Ingredients:

500g chicken thighs, skin removed, with or without the bone

2 heaped tablespoons ground coriander (must be ground from whole and coarsely ground)

1 green birds eye chilli, very finely diced

1 teaspoon of salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

1 Mix the raw chicken thighs, ground coriander, salt and chilli in a bowl and massage the ingredients together for a couple of minutes. Cover and refrigerate for as many days as possible (2 days or longer if the ‘use by’ date on your chicken allows for this).

2 Take the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking so that it adjusts to room

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

1 mango

1 red pepper

1 small red onion

1 tablespoon of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

Method: purepunjabi.co.uk

1 Cut the mango and red pepper into small cubes, all of an even size/shape.

2 Very finely slice the red onion. (It must be fine otherwise the texture will be incorrect.)

3 Add the coriander leaves and balsamic vinegar and leave to marinate one hour before serving.

The Indian Experience full-day cookery workshop - Saturday 5th August

Samosa-making workshop with dining experience - Sunday 6th August

Indian Street Food half-day workshop - Sunday 24th September

Details & booking: purepunjabi.co.uk/indian-cookery-school

The Cake Whisperer

Val Stones