He’s known for innovative Indian-accented dishes at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Opheem, in Birmingham. When Aktar is relaxing at home with his family, the food is simpler – but it always features big, bold flavours, as these three dishes show
PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON FOOD STYLING POLLYANNA COUPLAND
The food I cook at home.
Fennel and onion pakoras
Serves 2-4 as a snack or side Hands-on time 1 hour (less if not making the chutney) Specialist kit Thermometer
“I’ve used fennel, onion and potato in these pakoras, but you can use any veg – it’s a great recipe for using up veg peelings. The trick is not to bind the batter too tightly so it remains light and crisp. We’ve all had bhajis that were doughy in the middle, but these are almost like a tempura. My mum makes them really, really spicy, and with a sweet chutney the combo works beautifully.”
EASY SWAPS
You can serve these pakoras with a shop-bought chutney, but it’s worth giving this one a go.
KNOW-HOW
Frozen fenugreek leaves (also called methi) can be bought from Ocado, Morrisons and Asda, or you can get fresh or frozen from Indian grocers. Omit them if you can’t find any, but they do give the pakoras an incredible flavour.
Ginger-garlic paste is a popular Indian shortcut – find it in large supermarkets and Indian grocers (or make your own using equal amounts of whizzed garlic and fresh ginger).
Chaat masala is a sweet and sour spice blend available from Waitrose and Indian grocers.
Deggi mirch is a mild, deep red chilli powder. Find it in Waitrose, online and in Indian grocers – or use kashmiri chilli powder.• Handful fenugreek leaves, defrosted if frozen (optional; see Know-how)
• 3 small onions, finely sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced
• 2 new potatoes, cut into matchsticks
• Bunch coriander, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste (see Know-how)
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
• 1 tsp panch phoran, toasted and crushed
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp tomato purée
• Juice 1 lime
• 1 small free-range egg, or 2 tbsp water to keep it vegan
• 4 tbsp gram (or chickpea) flour, plus extra if needed
• 2 tbsp cornflour, plus extra if needed
• Vegetable oil to deep-fry
• Chaat masala to sprinkle
For the chutney (optional)
• 3 tbsp corn oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tb
