Our 2 top picks of the month’s recipes for 2 people...

Methi (also known as fenugreek), though not a particularly well-known curry ingredient in the West, gives a really distinctive sweet and savoury perfumed scent that is instantly associated with the aroma of an Indian restaurant. Here, the lamb is first marinated in a spiced yogurt then slow cooked in a rich sauce and finished with an aromatic masala.

Vietnamese cuisine is all about balance - a traditional Vietnamese cook will aim for many different colours, textures and flavours, which are thought to affect different senses. Here we’ve a got a stirfried dish of tofu and tomato flavoured with a blend of Phu Quoc pepper and Vietnamese forest pepper, lemongrass rice and a vibrant salad on the side.

LAMB MARINADE: Fenugreek leaf, coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, fenugreek seed

CURRY WHOLE SPICES: Green cardamon, black cardamon, bay

CURRY GARAM MASALA: Coriander leaf, fenugreek leaf, cumin, coriander, black cardamon, black pepper, green cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, mace, bay, nutmeg

RAITA HERBS: Coriander leaf, mint, green chilli

VIETNAMESE PEPPER BLEND: Vietnamese pepper, Vietnamese forest pepper

PEANUT SPICES: Kashmiri chilli powder, chilli flakes, ginger, garlic

LEMONGRASS QUILLS 

Methi Gosht

• 300g diced lamb
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• Fresh ginger - finely chopped to make 2 tsp
• 3 tomatoes 
• 150g spinach
• 10g bunch of coriander- roughly chopped (optional)
• 150g full fat natural yogurt (not Greek yogurt or set yogurt)
• Rice for 2 to serve

Vietnamese Pepper

• Tofu 198g block of tofu (½ a standard sized pack)
• 1 bunch of spring onions 
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 1 large carrot 
• 100g beansprouts
• 3 tomatoes
• 20g bunch of coriander and/or mint 
• 1 lime
• 30ml fish sauce or soy sauce
• 10g white sugar
• 25g peanuts
• 150g standard long grain (not easy cook) or jasmine rice