Venison badal jaam
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video.
Combining a Lucknow dish of badal jaam (aubergine in a spiced tomato sauce) and venison marinated in spices and vinegar (a technique from Rajasthan), this cross-pollination of regional Indian flavours and techniques results in a beautiful plate of food that's smoky, hot and fresh all at the same time.
Ingredients
Venison
- 600g of venison loin , or fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 20g of coriander seeds
- 20g of cumin seeds
- 6 whole dried kashmiri chillies
- 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp of malt vinegar
- 12g of ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
Tomato sauce
- 100g of plum tomatoes
- 12g of ginger , peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 green chilli , finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp of red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp of caster sugar
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 10g of fresh coriander , finely chopped
Aubergine
- 1 large aubergine , or 2 smaller ones
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tbsp of red chilli powder
- vegetable oil, for drizzling
Cream cheese
- 80g of cream cheese
- 12g of ginger , peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 green chilli , finely chopped
- 10g of fresh coriander , finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 pinch of sea salt
To serve (optional)
- cress
- 1 radish , finely sliced
- red vein sorrel leaves
Method
Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Kashmiri chillies, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon. Toast the spices for a minute until fragrant, then transfer to a blender or spice grinder. Blitz to a powder, reserve a small amount of the spice mix to garnish, then combine the rest with the malt vinegar, ginger-garlic paste and oil to create a paste
- 20g of cumin seeds
- 20g of coriander seeds
- 6 whole dried kashmiri chillies
- 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp of malt vinegar
- 12g of ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Place the venison in a bowl and add a few tablespoons of the spice paste, along with the red chilli powder, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Massage the marinade into the venison and set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
- 600g of venison loin , or fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
Meanwhile, make the tomato chutney. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and cut a small cross in the base of each tomato. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds, then drain and peel. Finely chop the flesh
- 100g of plum tomatoes
Heat a dash of oil in a saucepan and add the tomatoes, ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and you’re left with a thick sauce. Add the coriander leaves and keep warm
- 12g of ginger , peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 green chilli , finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp of red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp of caster sugar
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 10g of fresh coriander , finely chopped
For the cream cheese, simply mix all the ingredients together and place in a piping bag if you have one
- 80g of cream cheese
- 12g of ginger , peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 green chilli , finely chopped
- 10g of fresh coriander , finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Cut the aubergine into 8 thick slices and place on a tray or plate. Sprinkle with salt on both sides, then add a squeeze of lemon. Sprinkle over the turmeric and chilli powder, rubbing it into the aubergines, then drizzle with oil
- 1 large aubergine , or 2 smaller ones
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tbsp of red chilli powder
- vegetable oil, for drizzling
Preheat an oven to 230°C/gas mark 8 (or higher, if your oven allows it) and place a very large frying pan (or 2 smaller frying pans) over a high heat. Thread the marinated venison onto metal skewers, then arrange them on a wire rack
Fry the aubergine in the frying for around 10 minutes on each side until soft and golden. When they’re nearly ready, add the venison to the oven and cook for 3-5 minutes (or slightly longer if you don’t like your meat rare)
To serve, place 2 slices of aubergine on each plate and top with the tomato chutney. Arrange the venison on top, then pipe or spoon on some cream cheese. Garnish with cress, radish, sorrel and a pinch of the reserved spice mix
- cress
- 1 radish , finely sliced
- red vein sorrel leaves
Go to Comments
Venison badal jaam
