Mushroom kaalan

Step 1: Make the gravy first. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium heat, add ½ tsp fennel seeds and 10 curry leaves for 20 seconds, then 1 onion, and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden.

Step 2: Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and 1 tomato and cook for 4 minutes, until the tomato collapses. Stir in 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tsp black pepper and ½ tsp salt, pour in 1 cup water and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp cornflour and cook 1 minute, until glossy and lightly thickened.

Step 3: Pour 2 ½ cups vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pan so it comes no more than a third of the way up the sides, and heat it to 350°F on a thermometer; without one, a cube of bread should turn golden in about 60 seconds. Never leave the hot oil unattended.

Step 4: Put 9 oz button mushrooms and 3 ½ oz white cabbage in a bowl with 3 tbsp cornflour, 3 tbsp plain flour, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and ½ tsp salt and squeeze together with your hand; the mushrooms give off enough moisture to bind it, so add water only a teaspoon at a time if it stays dry. Common mistake: mixing too early, so the batter turns wet and the fritters soak up oil.

Step 5: Drop small rough clumps into the oil and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until crisp and deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Step 6: Bring the gravy back to a bubble, add the fritters and chop through them roughly with a spatula for 1–2 minutes, so some pieces stay crunchy and some soak up the masala.

Step 7: Pile onto plates and top with 1 red onion and 3 tbsp coriander leaves. Eat at once.