Beloved Indian Restaurant Babur Shares 3 Of Its Signature Recipes

Since 1985, Babur has been serving up top-class Indian food to Forest Hill locals. The family-run restaurant is one of south London’s foodie institutions, securing a string of accolades along the way. And now, fans have the chance to recreate some of its best-loved dishes at home thanks to a new cookbook, Babur: Forty Years of Flavour. It includes recipes for some of the restaurant’s long-standing house classics, as well as tips and stories from executive chef Jiwan Lal. Below, we share three of our favourites, perfect for your next curry night at home.

3 Indian Recipes From Babur

Dal Makhani

Makhani is a Punjabi word meaning “buttery” or “with butter”. It is perhaps unsurprising then that this dal makhani recipe is slow-cooked with rich spices and a generous amount of butter and cream until it reaches silky perfection. When we first added dal makhani to our menu, not everyone was convinced but it quickly became one of our most beloved dishes. One regular even takes 50 portions back to Wales every year.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 200g whole urad dal or black lentils 
• 50g kidney beans (rajma) 
• 1-1.2L water 
• 90g butter 
• 20g ginger-garlic paste
• 250g tomato purée 
• ½ tsp red chilli powder 
• A pinch of ground nutmeg 
• ½ tsp garam masala 
• ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 
• 10g fresh ginger, thinly sliced (keeping 2–3g for garnish) 
• Salt to taste 
• 30ml fresh cream (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the dal and kidney beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. 
2. Add the soaked dal and beans to a pressure cooker with about 900ml of the water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6–8 whistles or until soft.
3. In a deep pan, melt 70g of the butter. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until golden, then add the tomato purée and red chilli powder. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until the butter separates. 
4. Add the cooked dal mixture to the pan. Stir well. Simmer on low heat for 30–45 minutes, adding more water (up to 400ml) as needed to reach a creamy consistency.
5. Stir in the nutmeg, garam masala, kasuri methi, and fresh ginger. Season to taste with salt. 
6. Stir in the remaining 20g butter for richness. Add the fresh cream and simmer for a final 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with the remaining ginger and a swirl of cream.

Murga Palak Paneer

This was Chef Jiwan Lal’s very first original dish, created in 2005 as a modern take on the traditional korma. Fresh spinach and Indian cottage cheese create a delicious filling for butterflied chicken breast, served in a silky, delicately spiced korma sauce. It remained on Babur’s menu for several years and was a proud milestone in Chef Jiwan’s culinary journey.

Ingredients:

For the chicken roulade

• 2 tbsp ghee or oil 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, minced ½-inch piece of ginger, minced 
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional) 
• 200g fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped 
• 150g paneer, crumbled or finely diced 
• ½ tsp garam masala 
• Salt and pepper, to taste 
• 4 large chicken breasts (about 150–180g each) 

For the korma sauce

• ½ cup cashew nuts, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes 
• ¼ cup Greek yoghurt or thick cream 
• ½ cup water or chicken stock 
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil 
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped 
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 
• 1 tsp ground coriander 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• ½ tsp turmeric powder 
• ½ tsp garam masala 
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom 

For the steamed rice

• 2 cups basmati rice 
• 4 cups water 
• ½ tsp salt 

Method:

1. First, make the filling for the chicken roulade. Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee or oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, and green chilli (if using) until soft and fragrant.
2. Add the chopped spinach and cook until wilted and excess moisture evaporates. Stir in the paneer, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally through the middle without cutting all the way through, opening it like a book. Place between sheets of cling film and gently pound to even thickness, about ¼ inch. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the spinach-paneer filling evenly over each flattened chicken breast, leaving a small border around the edges. Carefully roll up the chicken breasts tightly and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
5. Heat the remaining oil or ghee in a pan and sear the roulades for 1–2 minutes on each side until lightly browned, then transfer them to a heatproof dish or steamer basket.
6. Steam over boiling water for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature should be approx. 75°C / 165°F). Remove from the steamer, rest for 5 minutes, then slice the roulades into thick rounds.
7. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Blend the soaked cashew nuts with the yoghurt and water or stock until smooth, then set aside.
8. Heat the ghee or oil in a pan and sauté the onions until golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the spices to cook for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the cashew yoghurt blend and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.

Steamed Shoulder of Lamb

A Babur classic for over 18 years, this Punjabi-style lamb shoulder is simply seasoned with crushed cumin, coriander, chilli flakes and our house garam masala. Steamed to melting tenderness, it’s rich, spiced, and perfectly balanced with fresh, zesty sides. The steaming process ensures the lamb becomes incredibly tender and fall-off-the-bone delicious! Adjust the marinade to your desired heat level and for a spicier kick, you can even add in some fresh green chillies. Finishing with cucumber, onion, and lemon will balance the richness of the dish perfectly.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1.1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into wide strips 

For the marinade

• 2 tbsp crushed red chilli 
• 2 tbsp red chilli powder 
• 2 tbsp salt 
• 2½ tbsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp ground coriander 
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp garlic paste 
• 2 tbsp ginger paste 
• 100ml lemon juice
• Vegetable oil (for marinating) 

To finish

• Cucumber, julienned 
• Red onion, thinly sliced 
• Chillies, thinly sliced 
• Lemon wedges

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine the crushed red chilli, red chilli powder, salt, cumin, coriander, garam masala, garlic paste, ginger paste, and lemon juice. Add a splash of vegetable oil to create a smooth marinade.
2. Add the lamb strips to the marinade and mix them thoroughly to ensure that all pieces are well coated.
3. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Let the lamb marinate for at least 3 days. The longer the marination, the more flavourful the lamb will become. Make sure to stir the meat occasionally to ensure even marination.
4. After marinating, place the lamb in a pot with a glug of oil. Set the pot over medium heat.
5. Turn the meat over frequently for about 20 minutes, cooking the meat gently to ensure it doesn’t brown and allowing the marinade to start bubbling.
6. Once the marinade starts bubbling, cover with the lid and seal with a flour and water paste for steaming.
7. Reduce the heat and steam the lamb for 3 hours, or until the meat becomes tender and falls off the bone.
8. Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the pot and serve with slices of cucumber, red onion, chillies and lemon wedges.

Babur: Forty Years of Flavour is out now