Nadru yakhni

Step 1: Trim both ends of the 14 oz lotus stem (nadru), peel with a vegetable peeler and cut into diagonal slices. Rinse the slices under running water, pushing a chopstick through any channels that still hold mud.

Step 2: Bring 4 ¼ cups water and ½ tsp salt to the boil, add the lotus slices and cook over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, until a knife slides in with only slight resistance. The slices should still have a little bite. Drain.

Step 3: Whisk 14 oz full-fat plain yogurt with 2 tsp ground fennel and 1 tsp ground dry ginger (sonth) in a bowl until completely smooth, with no lumps of yogurt left.

Step 4: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy pan over a high heat until it just smokes, then turn the heat to medium and let it cool for a minute. Add 2 black cardamom pods, 4 green cardamom pods, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 bay leaves and stir for 30 seconds, until the cardamom puffs and smells smoky. Add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) for 5 seconds.

Step 5: Take the pan off the heat and pour in the yogurt mixture, stirring constantly in one direction. The most common mistake is adding yogurt to a pan that is still on high heat: it splits into grainy curds within seconds.

Step 6: Return the pan to a low-medium heat and keep stirring for 6–8 minutes, until the yogurt comes up to a gentle boil, turns glossy and stops looking thin and watery. Once it has boiled it will no longer curdle.

Step 7: Add 1 cup water, 1 tsp salt and the boiled lotus stem. Simmer uncovered over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gravy is creamy, ivory-coloured and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 8: Crumble in 1 tsp dried mint, stir and switch off. Rest for 5 minutes so the lotus soaks up the gravy, then serve with plain steamed rice.