Monsoon

Asma Khan · Monsoon

You may be surprised at the lack of spices and chillies in this dish. This is a traditional Anglo-Indian potato chop, which many of us grew up eating in Calcutta. The only seasoning used was salt and pepper. I have had versions of this dish where some chilli powder was added to the stuffing – so you could add ½ teaspoon of chilli powder while cooking the meat. In our house, aloo chop was always served with buttered toast. I would dip it into tomato ketchup, while my sister would add chilli sauce as a condiment. Leftovers were mashed and used as a sandwich filling and put into our tiffin box the next day. The oval shape of this chop seems to be an important part of its culinary heritage. Most other chops we ate in Bengal were either cylindrical croquettes or flat like a patty. Once you are confident with the recipe, feel free to experiment and add more things.

Asma Khan · Monsoon

The combination of pumpkin, garlic, roasted cumin seeds, and yogurt is one of my favourite combinations in a raita. The sourness of the yogurt is a great foil for the pungent garlic. Garlic is often called the destroyer of diseases, and this is a great autumnal dish to make to boost immunity before the cold winter months arrive.