FAMED for its curry houses and Bengali sweet shops, its long-running market and its beigel shops, Brick Lane in London is home to the UK’s biggest Bangladeshi community, sitting alongside a thriving creative scene and the vanguard of the country’s street food.
Now Dina Begum’s debut book, Brick Lane Cookbook, encapsulates this eclectic
and vibrant food scene, celebrating the diversity of food in the area and recording the history of the street through its cuisine.
Aloo bhaji and freshly fried puri is a classic breakfast combination.
The potatoes are spicy without being hot, so they make a perfect brunch, followed by steaming cups of spiced tea.
This dish is really versatile and is a staple in the Bangladeshi community no matter the time of day.
Brick Lane Cookbook by Dina Begum is published in hardback by Kitchen Press and is available nationwide, priced at £20.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
3 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium onion, finely sliced
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 green chilli, chopped
1–2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Method
1 Heat the oil in a frying pan
over medium-high heat. Add
the cumin and mustard seeds.
2 Once the mustard seeds begin to pop, which should
take about 30 seconds,
add the sliced onion and
salt.
3 Saute for a couple of
minutes until the onions are translucent and then add the ground turmeric, cumin and chilli powder.
4 Cook for another minute
and then stir in the potatoes
and green chilli. Add 50ml
of water, bring to a gentle simmer and then reduce
the heat to medium-low.
5 Cover and cook for five minutes, then stir and add
the chopped coriander.
Cookfor a further three
or four minutes, still covered, until the potatoes are soft
but still hold their shape.
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