A fusion dish bordering on the silly, this Indian Sunday Roast is a fusion dish combining the stodgily British tradition of the Sunday roast with Indian influences via South Africa's Indian Diasporan cooking. You've probably encountered all of its elements individually, but maybe not together before.
Cocking a snook
Okay, so just scroll straight down to the recipe if you don't have time for the story behind the dish...
The history of the interactions between the cuisines of Britain and the Indian Subcontinent are complex and often fraught. There's no getting past the colonialist mentality of the British, even when embracing the cuisines of the Indian Subcontinent. There is no denying that the British fell in love with Indian food, even before imposing colonial rule. And, indeed, even by the 19th century, recipes for Indian "curries" could be found in popular magazines read by respectable Victorian ladies, proudly served up on the tables of the bourgeoisie. But, even in that love for Indian food, some theorists point out, the colonial mindset was not absent. Indian cooking presented on the tables of Mayfair or Wimbledon seemed to say, "Look! Look at this fantastical fare from the distant land over which Victoria reigns supreme as empress." It was less a matter of cultural appropriation and more one of subcontinental appropriation.
And, it was a two-direction colonialism. The British ruling and administrative classes in India, as in all the other places that became "the pink bits" of the world map of an empire on which the sun didn't set, more often and not fell in love with the new cuisines they encountered in distant lands. Nonetheless, they also demanded that local cooks produce the stodgy British dishes that were their birthright. From Kenya to Calcutta, Cape Town to Cairo, bourgeois traditions such as high tea, a full English breakfast or the Sunday roast became compulsory in parallel to the traditional cuisines of these places. And, indeed, in India, one might even argue that it was where fusion cuisine began for the British.
Think, for example, of kedgeree, supposedly invented by an English officer's Indian batman when trying to interpret his commanding officer's description of a full English breakfast. Or the legendary Mulligatawny, a soup, though based on extant Indian dishes of the 18th-century, that was evolved into a form that was particularly popular with British colonials in the dining rooms of officers and members clubs from Chennai to Pall Mall.
Yet, the evolution of the fusion of British and Indian cooking is not as simple or as singular as a colonial narrative of only one idea; one simplistic power dynamic. Especially during the 20th century, things changed. For example, with post-WWII immigration from the Indian Subcontinent (or indeed Uganda) to the UK, British Indian cuisine became democratised. Once the reserve of the pro-Empire privileged, the 1960s and 1970s in particular saw hardworking immigrants open swathes of affordable, successful, local Indian eateries across the UK. Alongside the cuisines of other earlier immigrant waves (most notably Chinese and Italian) Indian cuisine became one of those the British working classes could afford to enjoy. They embraced it wholeheartedly, especially when served up in versions canny cooks had evolved to better appeal to the British palate. Despite the promises of authenticity, some of the top-selling dishes in Indian restaurants were, in fact, fusion dishes.
Contemporaneous and later waves of emigration from India would see a similar pattern elsewhere: Canada and the USA, for example.
Meanwhile in Africa...
Elsewhere, most notably (perhaps inevitably) along Africa's Indian Ocean coast, the evolution of the relationship between Indian Diasporan cuisine mutated in different ways. For one thing, here it rubbed up against British colonial cuisine among a broader field of players bringing culinary influence. One need only think of Mombasa, for example, with its British colonial rulers, African cooking and the centuries-old Arabic influence, with strong ties to Zanzibar, not to mention a Portuguese influence that was just as old. Here, Indian Diasporan cuisine was merely one element in a complex melting pot.
The same could be said for parts of what is today KwaZulu-Natal. Places like Durban remained bastions of British, English-speaking traditions and allegiances even long after being entirely sidelined politically during the Apartheid era built on a foundation of Afrikaner Nationalism. As the part of the country with the highest proportion of population of Indian descent, it's the region where the influence of both of these cuisines remained most prevalent for nearly a century.
In the second half of the 20th century, when South Africa evolved an uncertain, contradictory and often toxic post-Independence self-identity, the elephant in the room few will mention now is that many white Durbanites actually felt more comfortable embracing South African Indian cuisine than they did serving up "Afrikaner dishes" despite claiming a proud, independent national identity of the trope claimed by Aussies, Kiwis and Canucks.
Fortunately, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission did reach the kitchen. Along with progress brought by the Internet, today the South African culinary scene not only embraces African, Afrikaner, British, Cape Malay and all the other cuisines brought by longstanding immigrant cultures whether Greek, Chinese, Portuguese or Lebanese, but a myriad of other world cuisines that were almost entirely absent during the decades of boycotts. Mexican, Thai, Moroccan or Japanese cooking, among numerous others, now also appear in the broader household culinary choices of a contemporary South Africa just as they do in many other parts of the world.
But, what I wanted to do with my "Indian Sunday roast", years ago, was to have a little fun reflecting specifically on that intersection of the British and Indian influences mixed together as they so often have for hundreds of years, but in a different way. So here it is...
This meal is written as a recipe in quantities for about four adult diners. But, please note that the images show something slightly different, cooked in a smaller quantity for fewer people. Thus, they are indicative not definitive.
At these quantities, this is a very fragrant but mild meal in terms of spices. It's intentional. As a kind of musing on fusion cuisine, I have resisted my own temptation and dialed back the spiciness. Of course, there's nothing to stop you using more chillies and chilli powder if you you prefer more heat in your dish.
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Indian Sunday Roast
for the tandoori masala roast chicken
One chicken to feed all diners OR 1 poussin per diner; spatchcocked
1 tbspn tandoori masala spice mix
4 or 5 cloves of garlic; peeled and cut into large pieces
Approx. 250g full-fat, Greek-style yoghurt
1 dried red Kashmiri chilli; chopped
Salt and black pepper to season
A little peanut oil or sunflower oil
for the saag aloo roast potatoes
Approx. 500 to 750g potatoes; peeled and cut into large pieces
Approx 200g fresh young spinach (or frozen equivalent)
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic; roughly chopped
4 or 5 tbspns sunflower oil (or peanut oil)
Approx. 5 tbspns plain white flour
1.5 tspns garam masala
A handful of flaked almonds
Salt to taste
for the bunny chow Yorkshire puddings
1 individual Yorkshire pudding per diner
Approx. 2 tbspns vegetable curry (such as this one) per pudding
for the okra side dish
Approx. 200g fresh okra (or frozen equivalent)
3 spring onions, roughly chopped
2 fresh red chillies; sliced
1 tspn garlic & ginger paste
2 tbspns sunflower oil (or peanut oil)
½ tspn amchoor
The juice and pulp of 1 fresh lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
for the raitha
½ a fresh cucumber; scrubbed and cut into large chunks
A generous clutch of fresh coriander
2 fresh mild red chillies
Approx. 250g full-fat, Greek-style yoghurt
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cooking Method
the tandoori masala roast chicken
Mix the yoghurt, tandoori masala spice and chopped Kashmiri chili together to form your marinade and place to one side. Spatchcock your poussins (or chicken) and minimally season with salt and black pepper
Lay out on a plate or baking tray and press flat. Thickly coat with the marinade on both sides using a pastry brush or clean fingers. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, though overnight is advised. Cover the remaining marinade and store in the fridge for use during cooking
Lay the spatchcocked bird/s out on a non-stick roasting tray or pan with only a minimal coating of oil. Lay out with the exposed cavity side facing upwards. Re-coat with marinade and press the large pieces of peeled garlic onto the bird. Place in a pre-heated oven of approx. 180°C. After about 12 to 15mins, remove from the oven, turn over and coat the skin side with the marinade. Return to the oven
Repeat this process a number of times, turning every 10mins or so. Once both sides of the bird show signs of being cooked, increase the heat to 250°C and return to the oven, finishing with the skin side upwards so that it becomes nicely crisp
Depending on the size of your poussin or chicken and your oven, the cooking time will vary substantially. For example, a poussin cooked in this manner could be ready in as little as 35mins, a larger chicken in about 50mins. Thus, you will need to plan timings of the other elements in order to be ready at table at the same time. Top tip: if your chicken is ready way in advance of the potatoes and other dishes, decant to an oven-proof dish with a lid. If you have a second oven, place a small bowl of water into the larger dish (to keep the bird moist) and keep warm on a low heat. If you don't have a second oven, merely keep it covered and return to the hot oven, uncovered (with the bowl of water), about 5 mins before you plan to serve
When all elements are ready, carve, plate or take to table in serving dishes
the saag aloo roast potatoes
The potatoes are actually the most complex component in this meal. Thus, I tend to start cooking them before the poussin goes into the oven. Add the potatoes to a large pot of salted boiling water and parboil for 5mins
While you are doing this (you can actually parboil them earlier), heat the oil in a suitable roasting pan in the oven at 250°C. Once the oil is hot and the potatoes fully drained, add them to the hot oil, being careful not to burn yourself. Ensure the potatoes are fully coated by the oil either by turning them with a fork or "rolling" them in the pan. Place them in the oven and cook for at least 10mins without interruption. If using the same oven for the bird, lower the heat once you start cooking the bird/s at 180°C, occasionally turning the potatoes so that they cook evenly on all sides
While the potatoes are cooking, mix the garam masala and plain flour together and spread across the bottom of a clean dish. After about 30mins of cooking, remove the potatoes from the oven, but only once they are already browning. When cool enough to handle, roll each potato in the flour and spice mix and return to the roasting pan; return to the oven. Don't disturb them too much after this point until the coating of flour and spice has begun to crisp up
In a small frying pan, heat a little oil on a medium heat. Sweat the shallots. Once they soften, add the garlic and cook for barely a few mins. Add the spinach and cook for only 1min. You want to wilt the spinach, not actually cook it. As soon as it has wilted, remove from the heat and sprinkle the almonds into the warm pan
Timing is important. When the potatoes are fully crisped and while everything is being pulled together, gently fold the wilted spinach mix into the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and return briefly to the warm oven (where everything is being kept warm) for no more than about 5mins. You want the spinach to be hot, but not dried out
Plate or take to table in a serving dish for diners to help themselves
the bunny chow Yorkshire puddings
Heat your Yorkshire puddings in the oven at the appropriate time according to whether they are "fresh" or frozen. NB: even if you are making them from scratch, I advise that you cook them before starting the chicken and potatoes and later reheat them rather than risking them flopping as that oven door is opened and closed to cook the other elements of the meal. Yes, I know Yorkshire bravado claims it can all be done at once, but I'll leave that to them: I doubt many of you have a wood-burning Aga with multiple ovens...
Reheat your vegetable curry until piping hot, timing it according to whether you're doing it on the stove top or in the microwave. Either is fine
Spoon the curry into the Yorkshire puddings and plate or take to table on a platter
the okra side dish
This side dish needs to be timed so that it is cooked immediately before serving. But, it doesn't take long to cook. So, it can be cooked while other elements are kept warm. In a frying pan, heat a little oil on a medium-high heat. Add the sliced spring onions and chillies, and stir
After approx. 1min, add the okra and stir fry for about 3mins or until they begin to soften (this will take about 1min longer if cooking from frozen). Add the garlic & ginger paste and stir in. Cook for 40secs. Then add the juice and pulp of the lime and stir in
When the juice has almost cooked off (i.e. don't let it caramelise) sprinkle the amchoor into the pan and stir in. Cook for a further 40sec, then remove from the heat; cover to keep warm
Plate or take to table in a serving dish with the other elements
the raitha
Fortunately, you can do this hours or even days before it needs to go to table and store in the fridge, returning to room temperature shortly before serving. In a mini-chopper or food processor, chop the chillies, coriander and cucumber
Pour in the yoghurt, blending it in a little at a time. Decant and store in the fridge util shortly before serving
Take to table in a serving dish; a condiment in lieu of the traditional gravy of the British roast in this meal
Alternatives
Ironically everything in this recipe is vegan except for the bird itself. I have certainly cooked lacto-vegetarian versions using Quorn "chicken" fillets and the same marinade process. But, both fake chicken and vegan alternatives to yoghurt have come a long way since I last cooked this dish for veggies. So, it's kinda up to you to decide where you'd like to take it.
That said, if I were asked to cook this for a vegan dinner party tomorrow, my gut instinct would actually be to replace the bird with a vegan nut roast that included the tandoori masala spices within the roast itself and additionally in a glaze of tandoori masala spices and lime pickle. Go figure...
I have never been tempted to create a pescatarian version of this recipe. On the rare occasions that I've been exposed to pescatarian variations of the Sunday roast in Scottish houses, the only conclusion I reached is that roast potatoes and fish or seafood are largely an utterly vile combination.
Pairings
I confess: I have never been too experimental with this one. For a start, it's about 30 years since I last cooked it, and frankly we're back to the debate about wines that work with curries and Indian food.
I suspect it works well with beer: the last time I remember serving it for guests, those who demanded beer didn't complain. Then again, they were rugby players with tree-trunk thighs and a penchant for actually sucking the meat off the bones of the bird. Fee-fi-fo-fum...
This time my go-to option was one of those peppery South African chenin blancs I love and know can hold their own in a spicy landscape. This one was a Kaapzicht Bush Vine Chenin Blanc. I have no complaints.
Entirely theoretical (because I have never tried out the combination) I also feel confident that my Jedi wine training by Karel enables me to predict that it would be very good with a lovely Principi di Butera Grillo from Sicily that I have enjoyed with other dishes, but never tried with this one.
