It’s a huge pleasure to introduce you to the one and only Spice Queen – TV chef, working mother, and passionate cook Parveen Ashraf. You’ll find Parveen making guest appearances on James Martin’s Saturday morning show, cooking for celebrities or whipping up tasty recipes for us to try at home.

I met Parveen recently, albeit virtually and as the first South Asian Heritage Month is in full swing, I thought it would be great to join forces and celebrate the influence of food and fashion in the UK. South Asian Heritage Month celebrates and raises the profile of British South Asian history, arts, culture & heritage. As two Asian women who adore handmade Indian textiles, like to challenge stereotypes and love nothing more than cooking delicious homemade Indian food, we realised we shared so much in common. South Asian cuisine is so versatile and the perfect antidote to the usual lockdown lunch of sandwiches. With all of us having to conjure up recipes for the family to enjoy, this interview provides some handy tips on how to spice up meals and avoid overwhelm in the kitchen. It’s also a very candid interview where Parveen shares the inspirations behind her love of cooking. Read on for some delicious recipes then click on the exciting giveaway at the end.

Click to download recipe for Kulfi Lollies. Image credit: Parveen Ashraf

Parveen’s Indian Kitchen was a huge hit. I loved how you shared exciting regional recipes from the bustling streets of India to here in the UK. What was the inspiration behind the show?

I am so pleased that you refer to the show as a 'hit'. I thought it was too and I loved every moment of filming it. The inspiration was to showcase the vast food culture South Asians have. Highlighting regional cuisines from the Punjab, Bengal and Gujarat, allowed us to show diversity of food styles, recipes and ingredients. In the UK, we mirrored this by interviewing restaurateurs from the same regions. As I said on the show, "Indian food is more than just rice and curry”!

Was there a turning point in your life that inspired you to share your love of Indian cooking?

The turning point for me was when I was diagnosed with a tumour back in 2007. Going through four lots of invasive surgery in a year was life changing and kind of put things into perspective. It gave me the wake-up call I needed to do something that made me happy. Around that time, I had left the corporate world to follow my dreams and turn my passion into my business. I loved throwing dinner parties and sharing my love of Indian food, but never thought it could possibly turn into a 'real job' or a business, for that matter. So, I began teaching Indian cooking in schools and colleges. Lucky for me, I had a background in education, so I found teaching came naturally. Most of all, I enjoyed it. About the same time, I also began travelling the UK as a private chef and selling my own range of spice kits. I then wrote my cook book with recipes inspired by my mother. Mum was a very passionate cook and I think she passed that on to me.

Parveen’s book is a homage to her late mother. Image credit: Parveen Ashraf

How much of an influence was your mum on your new-found career?

Everything mum cooked just tasted amazing. She always said that her secret key ingredient was love. Food cooked with love always tastes better! Writing the cook book took me about five years plus another two years to find a publisher. But I never gave up and eventually got there in the end! My mum never got to see the book in print - she passed away weeks before my book deal, but the book is a real homage to her. There are tiny glimpses of her throughout the book: a white scarf that she gave me, a bread basket she gifted and a photo of her signature Carrot Halwa dish (Gajar Ka Halva), where I’m styled in one of her handmade diamante midnight blue shawls. I sometimes close my eyes and can just picture her, smiling as she turns every page with her henna painted hands. The book was a major turning point in my life. It gave me the gravitas that comes with being an author and it allowed me to pursue the next part of my career with confidence - that of a TV chef. 'Parveen The Spice Queen, step by step Indian cooking' is full of recipes from my childhood along with humorous anecdotes and is very dear to me. Naturally it is dedicated to my late mother.

Parveen’s cookbook is full of easy to follow recipes. Image credit: Parveen Ashraf.

South Asian cooking has come along way, but do you think there are stereotypes around Indian cooking that stop people from really embracing it?

Goodness me, no one in the 60's or 70's would have dreamed of cooking Indian food at home except Asian immigrant families! The popularity of Indian restaurants and take-away foods improved, but it was still associated with the weekend 'booze-up and tuck into an Indian' image. The industry caught on and 'cook-in-sauces' emerged but came and went. Over the last few decades, things have really changed. We now have a myriad of Asian inspired recipes and products gracing our supermarket shelves, high-end delis and trendy eateries; from Michelin starred restaurants through to Indian ready meals and cookery kits. After my show was aired, I found a huge surge in interest for my recipes. I think I demystified Indian cooking with easy to follow recipes and ingredients that weren’t as long as your arm. Receiving hundreds of positive messages and photos of people cooking authentic Indian food was so inspiring and it’s great to know I showed them how.

You support a number of charities that are close to your heart, what else feeds your soul?

I am an Ambassador for the Born too Soon campaign run by Action Medical Research. I was a premature baby and feel an affinity to the work that they do. I am also involved with a charity called the One Family. They have so many projects, from helping refugee camps in Greece to rehabilitating Nepalese girls that have been trafficked. I aim to hold a Bollywood Ball this year to raise awareness and funds so that I can travel to Nepal and help some of these vulnerable girls set up and operate a sustainable cafe. I don't have many skills in life, but I know I can teach cooking and run a food business - so it feels right to me. Hopefully my previous experience in child protection will come in handy. I feel so blessed to have a purpose and be in a position where I can give back to a project that empowers young girls to have a better life.

As a working mum how do you balance work and life?

I don't think anybody really has a work life balance that they are happy with - it's always a balancing act. When my children were younger, I really struggled. It seemed like to an endless cycle of meetings, emails, travelling, cooking, cleaning and somewhere in between, I was trying to find some me time. But in reality there was no time for me. I think in hindsight, the stress of holding down a full time job, running a home and raising three children was the reason I became so ill. So, now I try and prioritise my health. I’ve learned to say 'no' which is quite difficult for me - I am a bit of a people pleaser!

Your outfits are always so colourful on screen, do you style yourself or is there a team that helps?

I’ve always had a strong sense of my own style, thanks to a personal styling course I did. Everything in my wardrobe is in my style, colour, shape and matches my personality. However, even though I was confident about my styling, I still needed help. Luckily for me, one of the personal stylists lives in the same city, so she worked closely with the production team, hair and make-up artist to ensure that what I wore was colourful, but did not distract from the main star of the show - the food!

What does your style say about you?

Like you, I love handmade clothes and colour! When I wear the right colour and style, I feel confident from the inside out. I think confidence begins with how you feel. If you feel good, you exude a confidence that really comes across positively in all areas of your life. I usually wear bright colours like, red, cobalt blue, hot pink as well as classic neutrals. When I am doing a talk, demo or TV work, I tend to wear western clothes but when I attend evening events, there’s nothing more elegant and glamorous than a beaded or sequinned sari.

What dishes have you been cooking whilst you’ve been staying home?

Ironically, I don't always have time to cook for my own family, but I guess the upside to the lockdown has been that now I do have the time! My husband loves chicken masala (on the bone) and my son loves Keema. On the rare occasion when I cook what I like, it's usually a vegetable dish and pilau rice. However, when I am busy and need something quick and easy, I just marinate chicken thighs and drumsticks in tandoori masala, add a few potatoes and bell peppers and onions. I then roast it for an hour or so in the oven and serve with a little hot bread or salad. Job done - you have a meal that feeds the whole family!

With social distancing the new norm, people are now spending more time cooking at home. What tips can you give to those who feel overwhelmed in the kitchen?

I’ve seen a huge surge in my online tutorial videos and an interest in my cook book and spice kits since the lockdown. People are always looking for new ideas. It's not always easy to feed a family and keep everyone happy. When all my three children were at home, I would often cook one dish but then each child would eat it in their own unique way. It kind of took the pressure off me! Pan Fried Tandoori Chicken is one of my favourites as it’s so easy to throw together and adapt.

Pan Fried Tandoori Chicken

This is a 10 minute recipe, yep - I did say 10 minutes! When I demonstrate this, I often ask an audience member to time me. I have a little saying 'its marination to mouth in 10 mins.' It can be cooked indoors or on a BBQ.

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes between 18 to 20 pieces

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts

1 tbsp plain yoghurt

1 tsp of chilli powder

1 tsp of tandoori powder

½ tsp of coriander seed powder

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

METHOD

1. Cut chicken into medallions (1cm thick) the pieces should be roughly the same size.

2. In a large bowl, add the yoghurt, salt, lemon juice, chilli powder, coriander powder and tandoori powder and mix together - this is the marinade. Now add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly.

3. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the chicken pieces into the pan. Add 6 or 7 pieces in the pan at one time. (Make sure you leave space between each piece)

4. Cook on high heat for about 1 min on each side to seal the chicken, then a further 2 minutes on each side to make sure the chicken is cooked through.

5. Clean the frying pan with kitchen paper between each batch of chicken and continue to cook all the chicken.

6. Best served in warm pitta bread with a mint dip or in a wrap with a shredded lettuce and a little mayo.

Vegetarian alternative - Chick peas and Spinach Masala, click for the recipe Image credit: Parveen Ashraf — Vegetarian alternative - Chick peas and Spinach Masala, click for the recipe
Image credit: Parveen Ashraf

Parveen’s Top Tips

If you have a busy life, you can marinate the chicken and it will keep in the fridge for 2 days. Then just pan fry and eat. Or you can make a big batch and freeze the chicken and all you have to do is take it out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave on high for 2 minutes and you are good to go!

Once the chicken is cooked, here are 5 ways to serve it.

1. Go Authentic - in a pitta bread with a green chilli dip & red onion

2. East Meets West - in a sandwich with salad and a little ketchup

3. Go Carb-Free - add to a bed of salad; lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber & rocket

4. Go Decadent - in a brioche burger bun with melted cheese and chilli fries

5. Go Classy - in a wrap with avocado mayo and shredded lettuce

Keema alloo mattar mince with potatoes - Image credit: Parveen Ashraf

Keema Curry - (Lamb Mince) Make It Go Further

One of my youngest son's favourite dishes is Keema. It's also one of the first dishes he learned to cook. It was so good that I named him the 'Keema King.' The only problem is that sometimes, he cooks too much, so we often have to be creative how we eat it. Keema is amazing with a hot buttered chapatti or some fluffy fragrant pilau rice. Here’s a few inventive ways of serving it:

1. East Meets West - in a toasty with some sliced red onion

2. Indo/Italian - on top of spaghetti, topped in melted cheese

3. Spicy Snack - loaded nachos with jalapenos, sour cream and salsa

4. Pizza Topping - transform any ordinary cheese pizza into a spicy Keema pizza

5. Sweet Potato - use as a topping for a sweet potatoes Jackets

Parveen’s book Parveen The Spice Queen - Step by Step Authentic Indian Cooking is available from her website

GIVEAWAY

Head over to the Jewelled Buddha Instagram Page for details on an amazing giveaway in collaboration with Parveen the Spice Queen.

Easy Indian Cooking with Parveen Ashraf - The Spice Queen