Wild Garlic Naan and Wild Garlic Pea Chutney
I have made naan for what feels like my whole life and although it's not a culture I have been born into I feel a familial comfort from Indian food that is rarely matched by other flavour combinations. Everything about that food culture is exciting to me and I often return to it for inspiration on how to make use of wild ingredients. For example, I highly recommend using dock or any other large edible leaves to make Gujarati Patra! or cleavers to make bhajis or nettles in saag aloo. Wild garlic is always so versatile and sings in both of the recipes below. If you're interested in futher wild spice exploration I really recommend this episode of the food programme featuring Mark Williams of Galloway Wild Foods. In the episode he talks about local alternatives to make a truly Scottish curry - its fascinating and very fun!
This is adapted from a Felicity Cloake recipe and while this doesn't have the authentic flavour of a tandoor cooked flatbread they are very delicious and easy to make. If you have access to a an outdoor cooking set up I really recommend cooking these over coals for that extra layer of deliciousness.
You will need
A large bowl & wooden spoon
A heavy bottomed cast iron pan or non stick pan
Makes 4 large naan
8 grams dried yeast
A pinch of brown or white sugar
100g warm water
5g salt
120g Whole milk yogurt
300g Plain Flour
50g + 10g Butter melted
Oil for greasing
Handful of wild garlic leaves some chopped some whole
Mix together the yeast, water and sugar and allow to dissolve. Mix the flour with the salt and pour over the yeast mixture. Add 50g of the melted butter and yogurt and mix until no dry spots appear. Feel free to add a little more water if this mix feels at all dry - wetter is always better. Grease a clean bowl with some oil or butter, add the dough to it and cover. Allow to rise at room temperature for 60 - 90 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Once risen tip the dough out on to a greased surface and knock some of the air back. Divide the dough into as many breads as you would like - 4 to 6 is ideal - and make into neat balls resisting the urge to add more flour. If it is very wet and hard to handle then dust a little extra flour for each ball and allow to hydrate again before working into a neat ball. Keep your dough balls covered.
Organise your pan and put on full heat. Take one of your dough balls and flatten gently with your hand. Then stretch out using your hands or a rolling pin to your desired size but don't be tempted to make it too thin. If desired you can add a whole wild garlic leaf to the bread by squishing it down into the dough with your hands or rolling pin. Place your rolled out dough into the pan and allow to cook until it starts to bubble and looks slightly charred on the pan size - about 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another minute or until there are no doughy spots. Keep each bread wrapped in a clean tea towel while you finish the batch. Add the chopped wild garlic leaves to the remaining melted butter and brush over the breads for serving.
Wild Garlic Naan
Wild Garlic and Pea Chutney
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Priya Krishna is someone I fell in love with especially over pandemic times when she shared her quarantine experience spent with her parents in Texas. Every day she would post their meals, cocktails and movie choices via instagram. I don't know what it was about it that so grabbed me. Something about that ordinary joy that they all seemed to get from just being together. Anyway, this and Priya's wonderful paratha recipe
were enough motivation for me to buy Priya's book Indian-ish. This chutney is adapted from it and it is so special not just with the naans above but also in tacos, alongside a green salad and even over baked potatoes.
You will need
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A medium sized pot
A blender or food processor
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Makes about 300g-ish
For the chutney
20ml oil
3g fenugreek seeds
3g whole black peppercorns
1 small green chilli seeds removed if you don't like it too spicy
1 large handful of wild garlic
1 small bunch of coriander leaves
3 whole scallions chopped roughly
140g frozen peas
20g dessciated coconut
Juice 1 lime​
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Heat the oil in the pot until warmed and add the fenugreek and peppercorns. Once they smell fragrant add the coconut, scallions and chilli. Toss in the flavoured oil for a minute and then add the peas. Add enough water to cover and allow to simmer until the peas are cooked and the scallions are softened. Remove from the heat and add the wild garlic leaves, coriander, lime juice and a large pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and taste for seasoning - adjust with more lime or salt as you wish. It should be herbal and zingy! Serve warm but also delicious cold (or in a cheese toastie.
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