67-min
Posted on September 1, 2016 by

August – Game Cooked in an Indian Wok

August’s dish of the month is in celebration of the game season. On the Glorious Twelfth, the first grouse of the shooting season was brought to London in the fastest mode possible; in a Porsche Macan Turbo, and served for lunch at The Cinnamon Club! Check out our feature in the London Evening Standard.

Kadhai ka shikar or game cooked in an Indian wok- Shikar is a Hindi term for hunted meat, and this kadhai-style preparation is a quick and easy way to enjoy whatever you may be able to lay your hands upon. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 grouse, breasts deboned
  • 3 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • 3 green cardamom pods
  • 1 bay leaf/cinnamon leaf
  • 2 medium sized onions, ½  finely chopped & ½ cut into strips 1cm ( ½ inch) thick
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 green chilli, chopped
  • ½ tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 3 tomatoes, 2 puréed and 1 deseeded and cut into strips 1cm (½  inch) thick
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh coriander
  • Juice of 1 lime

Spice mix

Method

Skin the birds, and then cut the breasts off the bone. You won’t need the legs but you could keep them to use for another dish. Cut the breasts into strips about 1cm ( ½ inch) thick and set aside.

To make the spice mix, roast all the ingredients in a dry frying pan, over a moderate heat for a couple of minutes and then pound them to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or a large frying pan, add the whole spices and bay leaves and let them crackle. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until golden. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté for a minute.

Stir in the chilli powder, ground coriander and cumin and cook for another minute. Add the puréed tomatoes and continue cooking until they are reduced by half. Add the meat and sauté over a high heat for 2 minutes to sear it quickly. Add the onion strips, reduce the heat, stir in the spice mix, salt and sugar and cook for another minute or so. Add the tomato strips and mix well. Sprinkle in the fresh coriander, squeeze in the lime juice and remove from the heat.

Serve with paratha or a light salad.

Shrimp Kichri-min
Posted on July 11, 2016 by

July – Shrimp Kichri

July’s dish of the month features the recipe for shrimp kichri, a great brunch dish and as made by Vivek on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen – catch up on the show here!

I remember my Dad used to say a true Bengali can’t have a single meal without fish or something fishy! Kichri was something that was made every Saturday for lunch and even more of a fixture if it happened to be a rainy or even overcast day. Different versions would include a vegetarian version with peas, cauliflower, carrots etc., a plain version to be enjoyed with rich spicy mutton curry, and this dried shrimp version when there wasn’t enough fish to feed the entire family!

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 200g/7oz split yellow mung beans, washed
  • 1 litre/1¾ pints fish stock or water
  • pinch ground turmeric
  • 75g/2¾oz ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2½cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
  • 4 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 100g/3½oz shrimps (or small prawns), peeled
  • 2 tomatoes, seeds removed and cut into 1cm/½in cubes
  • 1 tsp dry shrimp paste
  • 150g/5½oz basmati rice, cooked and cooled
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 lemon, juice only

Method

Put the mung beans in a saucepan with the fish stock and turmeric. Bring to the boil and simmer until the beans are cooked and falling apart (about 20-30 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 60g/2¼oz ghee in a heavy-based pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and gently fry until golden-brown. Add the ginger, chillies and salt and fry for 1 minute.

Add the shrimps and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the mung beans and bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes and shrimp paste. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then fold in the rice. Mix carefully, mixing the rice just enough to heat through without breaking.

Finish with the remaining ghee, sprinkle with lemon juice and coriander. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

fishy 1help me-000014-min
Posted on July 11, 2016 by

June – Baked Whole Fish

As demonstrated to the crowds by Vivek at this year’s Taste of London festival in Regent’s Park, for June’s dish of the month we’re sharing a simple yet effective barbecue dish, perfect for entertaining or an impressive family lunch. You could easily wrap the fish in foil and cook over a barbecue, but baking in the oven is possibly the simplest method. Sea bream is used here, but you can also use sea bass, pomfret, snapper or mackerel – anything you like really. The spice crust has quite a kick to it. Depending upon how coarsely you’ve pounded the spices, you end up with an interesting texture which beautifully highlights the delicate texture of moist fish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 whole sea bream, 350-400g each, gutted, cleaned, fins and tails trimmed
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 4 tbsp clarified butter, to baste lemon wedges, to serve

For the stuffing (optional)

  • 2 lime leaves, torn into 2-3 pieces
  • 100g boiled basmati rice (30g uncooked weight)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp sugar

For the spice crust

Method

Using a sharp knife, slash the fish two or three times on each side and rub in the salt, chilli powder, turmeric and lemon juice. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/ gas mark 6.

Mix together the stuffing ingredients and divide equally between the fish, spooning it into the belly (you may omit the stuffing if you wish).

To make the spice crust, coarsely pound all the dry ingredients together using a pestle and mortar, then mix together with the garlic, ginger, coriander and oil. Apply the spice crust to both sides of the fish to form an even coating.

Place the fish on a baking tray and cook in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. If the fish starts to colour too quickly, reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C/gas mark 4 after 6-8 minutes and carefully turn the fish over for even cooking. Baste with clarified butter halfway through the cooking time. If you think the spice crust is in danger of burning, cover the fish with foil. To check the fish is cooked, insert the tip of a sharp knife or a wooden skewer through the thickest part of the fish; if the juices run clear and the tip feels warm to the lips then the fish is cooked.

Serve the fish with a simple salad, accompanied by lemon wedges.

Roast Rack of Lamb with Saffron Sauce_8823-min
Posted on May 9, 2016 by

May – Roast Rack of Lamb with Saffron Sauce

Welcoming Spring lamb this month! We are excited to be introducing Sunday dining at The Cinnamon Club, where the best of British Spring lamb features prominently. Found out more here!

Now for May’s recipe of the month, don’t let the picture and cheffy flourishes with sauce put you off; my recipe for roast rack of lamb with saffron sauce is a very simple, yet impressive dish to wow your guests with at a dinner party. You can make the sauce and marinate the meat ahead of time, leaving you just to roast, rest, slice and serve! 

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 x 8-bone racks of lamb, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the marinade

  • 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 12g Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
  • 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
  • A pince of sugar

For the sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 400g tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and ground in a mortar and pestle
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 500ml chicken stock or water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Garam Masala
  • A small pinch of saffron strands
  • 2 tbsp single cream
  • 15g cold butter

Method

If the racks of lamb haven’t already been prepared, trim off the skin and most of the fat, leaving just a thin layer of fat on the meat. Mix together the ingredients for the marinade, rub them over the lamb and set aside for 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, heat the oil to smoking point in a large saucepan and add the cloves, cardamom pods and the bay leaves. When they crackle, add the tomatoes, garlic, onion and ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the tomatoes and onions are softened. Add the red chilli powder and stock and simmer on a low heat for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have completely broken down and the onion is very soft. Puree the sauce in a blender or food processor, then strain it through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Bring the sauce back to the boil, then simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the salt, sugar, and garam masala, then sprinkle in the saffron and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Just before serving stir in the cream and finally finish the sauce by stirring in the cold butter. Do not let the sauce boil after adding the butter or it will separate and become thin. Set aside and keep hot.

To cook the lamb, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan on a high heat. Add the lamb racks and sear for 2-3 minutes, until browned all over. Transfer them to a roasting tray and place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees C/Gas Mark 6 and roast for up to 15 minutes, depending on how well done you like your meat. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.

Divide the sauce between 4 serving plates, place the lamb on top and serve immediately with stir-fried greens.

Stir-Fried Shrimps with Red Chard_9957-min
Posted on April 12, 2016 by

April – Stir Fried Shrimps with Red Chard

Spring has truly sprung this month, and we’re embracing this with a splash of seasonal colour & flavours with our vibrant spring dishes at our restaurants. Find out more here!

Today, I’m sharing with you my recipe for Stir-Fried Shrimps with Red Chard – a very simple yet effective starter, and I particularly like the way the umami-rich prawn flavour is intensified by the dried shrimp paste. It’s a clever piece of traditional cooking, and the addition of red chard at the end adds a fresh touch. 

Serves 6 as a starter, 10 for canapes

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
  • 1kg raw deveined and peeled shrimps or tiny prawns
  • 300g red-veined chard leaves, washed and drained
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For the Bengali shrimp paste

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1cm piece of cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 green cardamom pod
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 50g tiny peeled shrimps, thawed if frozen, and finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in warm water for 15 mins and drained
  • 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tap ground turmeric
  • 125ml coconut milk
  • 1 green chilli, slit lengthways
  • ½ tsp Bengali Garam Masala
  • Juice of ½ lemon

Method

For the Bengali shrimp paste, heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan on a medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pod and cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onion, ginger and garlic paste, salt and sugar and continue cooking. When the onion is translucent add the fresh and dried shrimps and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and the chilli powder, ground cumin and turmeric and cook until the tomatoes become soft and oil starts to float on the side.

Add the coconut milk and the green chilli and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Bengali garam masala and the lemon juice. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender or food processor and blend. Leave to cool, cover, then store in a refrigerator until ready for use.

To finish the dish, heat the oil in a large, heavy based frying pan or wok until very hot. Add the shrimps and stir-fry for a minute or so. When they turn pink, stir in the Bengali shrimp paste, then correct seasoning, if necessary. Finally, throw in the red chard leaves and continue stirring just until they wilt. Squeeze over the lemon juice and serve immediately in bowls as a starter, or spear them with cocktail sticks and pass around as a snack with drinks.

Old Delhi-Style Butter Chicken
Posted on March 30, 2016 by

March – Old Delhi-Style Butter Chicken

In honour of James Martin’s final Saturday Kitchen Live appearance, March’s recipe has to be his all-time favourite – Old Delhi-Style Butter Chicken! Without doubt butter chicken has to be India’s favourite dish when eating out. I must have asked hundreds of people to name the one dish they always order when they go out and Butter Chicken has featured in every response! As for me personally, this is the best dish ever – it has sugar and spice, kick and texture, creamy unctiousness and bite, all at the same time.

2x 750g free-range young chicken (poussin), skinned and each cut in half along the backbone (alternatively use 800g boned chicken thighs cut into two)

For the marinade

120g Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons Ginger & Garlic paste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Juice of 1 lemon

3 teaspoons red chilli powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon garam masala

For the sauce

1kg tomatoes

125 ml water

5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled, half crushed and half finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled

4 green cardamom pods

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon red chilli powder

80g butter, diced

2 green chillies, slit lengthways

75ml single cream

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your fingertips

½ teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon sugar

Method

First, prepare the chicken.  Make small cuts all over the chicken pieces with a sharp knife to help the marinade penetrate.

To prepare the marinade – mix together the yoghurt with all the other ingredients for the marinade in a deep bowl.  Smear the cut chicken with the marinade, cover and set aside in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Cook the chicken in an oven preheated to 220C/Gas Mark 7 for 13-15 minutes. You may need to turn the pieces after 8-10 minutes or so to ensure they colour evenly on both sides. Cut the cooked chicken into smaller pieces as per your preference.  The chicken should not be completely cooked at this point as it will be simmered for a few more minutes in the sauce. Strain off the juices through a fine sieve and set aside.

For the sauce, slice the tomatoes in half and place in a pan with the water, crushed ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf and simmer until the tomatoes have completely disintegrated. Now blend this tomato broth with a hand-held blender and pass it through a sieve to obtain a smooth puree. Return to a clean pan, add the chilli powder and simmer for 12-15 minutes. It should slowly begin to thicken. When the sauce turns glossy, add the chicken pieces and the reserved roasting juices. Then add a cup of water and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until the water is absorbed and the sauce returns to its original glossy consistency.

Slowly whisk in the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is beginning to acquire a glaze. Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and cream and simmer for a minute or two longer, taking care that the sauce does not split. Stir in the salt, crushed fenugreek leaves and garam masala, then check the seasoning and add the sugar. Serve with naan bread or pilau rice.

cc pancake-min
Posted on February 4, 2016 by

February – Uttapam – South Indian rice pancake with spiced potatoes

Uttapam – South Indian rice pancake with spiced potatoes

In celebration of Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday this month, how about trying uttapam? A firm favourite of mine, that can be enjoyed anytime of the day but are excellent for breakfast. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For rice pancake

  • 50g split white urad dal
  • 150g basmati or dosa rice (parboiled rice is available in most speciality ingredient stores)
  • 1 tsp salt

For the topping

  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 small yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • ½ inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

For spiced potatoes

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 red onions, chopped
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp roasted chana dal
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 2 potatoes, boiled and grated
  • ¼ tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • ½ inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

1. Soak the rice and the dal for at least for 6 hours. Blend it in a food processor to a fine paste, adding water, and leave overnight for fermentation in a warm place roughly 40°C.

2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the chana dal and curry leaves and when it splutters, add the onion and sauté till soft. Now add the turmeric, chillies and the ginger and sauté for a minute. Add salt and the grated potatoes and mix well.

3. To make the pancakes, add salt to the batter and mix well. Keep a well seasoned pan or a nonstick pan on medium heat, smear a little oil and pour a small ladleful of batter and spread it with the ladle into a thick circular pancake about 4” in diameter. This may take some practice to do as it can be tricky for novices but gets easier with practice. Sprinkle all the chopped vegetables on top. When bubbles start appearing on the surface of the pancake and the edges start settling in, turn it over with a flat ladle and press it lightly to flatten it evenly. Cook for a minute and remove. Both the sides should be crisp and light brown in colour. Serve with a green coconut chutney and sambhar.

CS Roganjosh shepherd's pie
Posted on January 20, 2016 by

January – Roganjosh Shepherd’s Pie

Rogan Josh Shepherd’s Pie

How about a warming and hearty dish for a chilly January evening? Try my take on this British favourite, but with an Indian twist, combining two of Britain’s culinary loves; curry and a pie!

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 green cardamom pods
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 1 black cardamom pod
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 onions, 2 finely chopped and one sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 500g boned leg of lamb, diced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 700g lean lamb mince
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 25g plain yoghurt
  • 1/2 sweet potato, finely diced
  • 100g celeriac, finely diced
  • 100g turnip, finely diced
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves & stalks

For the potato topping

  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • a pinch of salt
  • 200g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
  • 25g butter
  • 15g Cheddar cheese, grated

For the spice mix

  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 2 star anise
  • 2.5cm piece of cinnamon stick
  • 1tsp fennel seeds

Method

  1. To make the potato topping, bring a pan of water with the turmeric and salt to the boil. peel and quarter the potatoes, then add them to the pan, return the water to the boil and continue cooking until tender. Drain the potatoes well, then return them to the pan and add the butter and cheddar cheese. Mash the potatoes, then pass them through a fine sieve and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil to smoking point in a large, heavy bottomed pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, chillies, black cardamom pod and cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the garlic. When the garlic turns golden, add the finely chopped onion and salt and cook, stirring, on medium heat for 4-6 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, to make the spice mix, roast the whole spices and fennel seeds together in a dry frying pan on a medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes, until their aromas are released. Quickly remove them from the pan and grind or pound them to a fine powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
  4. After the lamb has cooked for 30 minutes, add the chilli powder and ground coriander and cumin and stir for 5 minutes on a medium-low heat. Add the minced lamb and tomato puree and gradually stir in the yoghurt. Cook for another 20 minutes, until the meat is tender and cooked through. Stir in the sweet potato, celeriac, turnip, sliced onion and the spice mix and cook for a further 5-8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Check the seasoning and stir in the fresh coriander.
  5. Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a pie dish and top with the mashed potato. Transfer to a pie dish and top with the mashed potato. Transfer to an oven preheated to 200C and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the potato topping is golden and the filling piping hot.
  6. Remove the pie from the oven and serve with green salad.
biryani and raita
Posted on December 3, 2015 by

December – Root Vegetable Biryani & Pomegranate Raita

Root Vegetable Biryani 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1kg basmati rice

Vegetables

2 turnips
2 carrots
2 swedes
1 celeriac
2 sweet potatoes with orange flesh
2 Jerusalem artichokes
20 snow peas

Spices for boiling

3 green cardamoms
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
2 mace
1 tbsp cumin
3 litres water
50g salt
75g ghee
75ml milk
½ g saffron
2 tbsp. kewra water (screw pine essence)

Marinade

5 medium onions, sliced & deep fried golden
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
½ a nutmeg, grated
6 green chillies, slit length-wise
1 small bunch mint, chopped
½ bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
250ml natural yoghurt

Method

  • Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes in cold water.
  • Wash all the vegetables well and cut them into roughly 1 inch cubes. In hot oil, flash fry the vegetables until they are a little under half cooked. Place the vegetables in a thick bottomed casserole and add all the ingredients for the marinade and marinate, set aside for 15 minutes.
  • Take a pot of water and boil it with the whole spices and salt. Meanwhile, soak the saffron in warm milk. Mix in the ghee and kewra water after 3-5 minutes
  • When the water is boiling, add the strained soaked rice and boil for about 10-12 minutes.
    When the rice is half done, strain and layer it over the marinated vegetables. After the rice has been layered, sprinkle some chopped mint and the soaked saffron mix over the rice and cover the casserole with a tight lid with a small gap for the steam to escape.
  • Now put the casserole on a high flame for 5-7 minutes and lower the flame to minimum for another 8-10 minutes. Leave the casserole aside to rest for 5 minutes after taking it off the flame. Now the root vegetable biryani is ready.
  • Open the lid when all the guests are around, as the steam escapes the casserole; it fills the surroundings with aroma of saffron, rose water and spices.

Pomegranate Raita

Raita is a commonly served accompaniment to Indian meals, it helps take the heat of certain dishes, keeps the body cool in hot months and aids digestion generally.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pomegranate
500g Greek yogurt
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, roasted and ground
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon, chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

  • Cut the pomegranate into two halves and remove the seeds by gently tapping with a rolling pin or back of a heavy knife. Reserve a few grains of pomegranate for garnishing.
  • Combine all the ingredients except the coriander leaves and mix well. Transfer the raita into 4 bowls, sprinkle the coriander on top and refrigerate until use.
SAH_Dessert_Apple_Carom_Seed_Crumble
Posted on November 9, 2015 by

November – Apple & Carom Seed Crumble

Apple & Carom Seed Crumble

This is a dessert we often make when our neighbours have too many apples in their garden. As you can probably tell by now, ajwain or carom seeds are a particularly favourite spice of mine, so there I go again! Carom seeds add a wonderful pungency and savouriness to the dessert and give it added depth.

You also probably know they aid digestion, so will come in handy burning off the sugar and butter too.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the crumble topping

120g plain flour

60g caster sugar

1 tsp carom seeds

60g unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces

For the fruit compote

30g unsalted butter

30g demerara sugar

300g cooking apples

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

100g blackberries

vanilla ice cream or custard, to serve

Method

  • Preheat oven to 190C.
  • To make the crumble, tip the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Add the carom seeds & butter, and then rub into the flour using your fingertips to make a light breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork it or the crumble will become heavy. Sprinkle the mixture evenly in a thin layer over a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 mins or until lightly coloured.
  • Meanwhile, for the compote, peel, core and cut the apples into 2cm dice. Put the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and melt together over a medium heat. Cook for 3 mins until the mixture turns to a light caramel colour. Stir in the apples and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon, stir, and cook for 3 minutes more.
  • Cover the pan with a lid, remove from the heat, then leave for 2-3 minutes to continue cooking in the warmth of the pan. Sprinkle in the blackberries.
  • To serve, spoon the warm fruit into an ovenproof gratin dish, top with the crumble mix, then reheat in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 190C.
  • Serve with ice cream or home made custard.
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