Hot stuff (From York Press)

Hot stuff

11:28am Saturday 6th February 2010

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THERE’S nothing quite like the smell of garlic and chillies to blow away the cobwebs. Or in my case, a winter’s cold. I’d arrived at The Cooking Rooms – York’s spanking new cookery school at Clifton Moor – for a day’s workshop in Indian cuisine, sounding like an extra from the Tunes advert.

But as soon as we got down to business – peeling garlic and chilli and whizzing them up in a mini processor – my airways began to open and I could breathe again.

They say a curry is a great cure for a cold – well, I can vouch for that.

I was the sole female among a gang of four guys who’d come from across the region for a day’s tuition with Prett Tejura.

Prett, 42, runs her own cookery school at home in Wakefield and also makes the award winning chutneys and pickles, Curry Cuisine.

The mum of three begins by asking us how often we cook at home.

Not shy in coming forward, the fellas soon impress with tales of their culinary conquests in the curry department, from making their own bhajis to mastering the biriyani. I admit to making my own curry too – but with the help of a jar of sauce.

After “breakfast” of croissant, fresh fruit and some Indian tea, work begins.

We make some batata wada, potato bhaji, wonderful balls of lightly spiced mashed potato, dipped in a chickpea-flour batter then deep fried in a pan.

It was a double first for me – making a bhaji and deep frying – and I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was. Definitely something I’d have the confidence to try at home.

Soon we were tucking into the fruit of our endeavours – breaking open the fluffy golden balls and spooning some of Prett’s delicious chutneys on top. I particularly like the aubergine pickle – an award winner – and its rhubarb and mango sister.

It was enough to whet our appetites for lunch. Chicken masala, cauliflower, pea and potato curry and cumin rice were on the menu.

We were all surprised by the absence of ghee (clarified butter) and cream in the recipes.

Prett uses sunflower oil, insisting that Indian food can be a healthy option. Also, she says, using a lighter oil allows the spices to take centre stage.

Our top tip of the day was to infuse the oil with spices before adding the main ingredients.

For the chicken masala, we sprinkle some cloves and cinnamon sticks into the hot oil and wait until they sizzle before adding the onions.

Next we add some tinned chopped tomatoes and a carousel of spices, including turmeric, chilli, and garam masala, and simmer for ten minutes with the lid on. “The masala is ready when the oil appears on the surface,” reveals Prett.

This is the point to add the cubes of raw chicken. I was surprised we didn’t brown the meat first. However, this method ensures the chicken is tender and takes on the full flavours from the sauce.

Meanwhile, we rustle up the veggie curry. We sizzle some mustard seeds in hot oil until they pop before adding the veg, spices and tomatoes in that order. We cover and leave on a low heat for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. The secret here, instructs Prett, is not to stir.

Rice can be a tricky thing to get right, so we were eager for Prett’s top tips. First, she says, wash and soak it well before cooking and once cooked, pop it in the oven to “dry out” or rinse and steam on the hob until all the grains are dry and separate.

For the cumin rice, we begin by adding cumin seeds to the hot oil and wait for them to turn brown before adding the rice.

Then we add some hot stock and water, turn the heat down, cover the pan and leave until all the water has evaporated. The result is a delicious rice, with a subtle roasted-spice flavour from the cumin and a slight buttery texture from the oil.

To finish, Prett shows us how to make chapatti, first making the dough, then rolling it out into flat pancakes before heating on a stove. After we’ve made a pile of them, we are free to tuck into our feast.

It’s almost 2pm and we are ravenous. The food is delicious – and we enjoy it all the more knowing we’ve made it ourselves.

Prett is delighted too – it’s her first curry course at the new Cooking Rooms, which opened in December at the York Eco Business Centre in Amy Johnson Way. She will be running some more courses as well as a regular curry club at the venue.

Indian cuisine is just one of many courses being scheduled by Luke Norbury, who gave up a career in business and relocated his young family – wife Ann-Marie, daughter Meriel, three, and son Raphael, one – from London in order to follow his dream of opening a cookery school.

Highlights on the calendar include a seafood masterclass with Rob Green, of Green’s of Whitby, and national seafood chef of the year, and a preserve-making day with jam-making guru Michelle McKenna.

During half term, two junior chefs’ academies will be running, for children aged between eight and 11 and those over 12 years.

The state-of-the-art premises can accommodate 14 people cooking at one time, or up to 30 for demo and tasting sessions. They can be hired too for private parties. Also on the horizon are toddler cooking sessions.

Luke says he wants to run classes that appeal to a broad section of people. Prices are pitched across the board, starting at £30 and rising to £120 for a full day’s course.

“I looked at other cookery schools and they are more expensive elsewhere,” said Luke. “I am not offering a budget option, but want to offer value for money. I think more and more people are getting interested in food and see the value in learning how to do it properly.”

Find out more at thecookingrooms.com or telephone 01904 500700.

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