Masterchef winner Wynne Evans' iconic Cardiff Curry
He’s the Welsh tenor known for those infamous TV ads, but now Wynne Evans is the Celebrity Masterchef Champion. Fresh from his victory, Wynne joins us to make his iconic Masterchef dish ‘Cardiff Curry’ - which combines everything from chilli-battered hake, to madras chips. There’ll be no need to Go Compare these flavours!
Cardiff curry
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Oil, for deep-frying
For the spicy dhal mushy peas:300g yellow lentils 1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp ground cardamom ½ tsp cloves1x 300g tin mushy peas2 tbsp hot madras powder200g coconut cream Small handful of flaked almonds 1 red chilli, finely chopped1 small bunch of mint, finely chopped
For the spice-battered hake:150g plain flour1 tsp baking powder3 green chillies, finely dicedPinch of saltPinch of pepperHandful of chopped fresh coriander1 tbsp Kashmiri masala powder1x 330ml bottle of beer2 pieces of hake (approximately 200g, skinned)2 tbsp chaat masala powder1 tsp dried coriander1 tsp mango spice (Amchur powder)
For the triple cooked chips:4 large potatoes2 tbsp madras powder2 tsp turmeric1 tsp salt1 tsp chilli flakes½ tsp dried coriander1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
Method
For the spicy dahl mushy peas:
1. For the spicy dhal mushy peas, place the yellow lentils in a saucepan along with the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Add a small amount of water to boil the lentils until tender, approximately 20-30 minutes.
2. When soft, add in the tin of mushy peas, hot madras powder, coconut cream, flaked almonds, chilli and mint, stir to combine and set to one side.
For the spice-battered hake:
1. Make the batter for the fish by combining flour, baking powder, chopped green chilli, salt, pepper, fresh coriander and dried, and the Kashmiri masala in a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the bottle of beer to make a thick batter, you might not need all of the beer.
2. Place the chaat masala, dried coriander and mango spice in a frying pan over a low heat and fry for a few minutes. Remove the spices from the pan once warmed and combine with the hake in a bowl. Rub well into the fish flesh to fully coat the hake in the rub.
3. Dip the hake in the beer batter and deep fry in a large saucepan of oil at 190℃ for 5-8 minutes or until crispy, golden and cooked through.
4. Remove the fish from the oil, drain and keep warm if needed.
For the triple cooked chips:
1. Cut potatoes into chips like your mum or dad used to do and place in a pan of boiling water and boil potatoes for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. For the chip seasoning, mix together the madras powder, turmeric, salt, chilli, fresh and dried coriander and fry in a pan over a low heat until dry and toasted.
3. Deep fry the chips in oil at 140℃ for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden, then drain and pat them dry. Increase the temperature of the oil to 190℃ and then fry again until golden.
4. Drain well and toss the chips in the seasoning powder.
5. Serve the fried hake along with the seasoned chips and mushy peas.