What’s in my Dabba? with Executive Chef Arun

No Bombay kitchen is complete without its Masala Dabba, a stainless-steel box, worn and battered, passed down through the generations. Or, perhaps in the home of newly weds, a beautiful painted wooden or ceramic pot. Inside small compartments, full of the owner’s most-favoured spices and blends, nestle around a dish of salt. Each Masala Dabba is as unique as its owner, and many-varied stories lie within. Aunty’s favourite ratio of cumin to coriander, Dadi’s treasured blend of garam masala. The spices used to bring warmth to daily meals or delight at celebrations.

In our series, What’s in my Dabba?, we get a glimpse into some of our friends’ kitchens, as they share the judicious spicing of their favourite dishes, along with hosting rituals, tips and stories.

In this instalment, we join Dishoom’s Executive Chef Arun Tilak and his wife Niru, as they cook up a tangy fish curry. Read on for Chef Arun’s earliest memories of cooking, the best way to welcome your guests, and why Niru is the real boss when it comes to certain recipes.

➻ What’s in your Masala Dabba?

Why limit yourself to one Dabba? My wife and I have three! One is for whole spices – plump cardamom pods, shards of cinnamon, spiky little cloves. Another has the trusty powder spices that form the basis of so many of the recipes we cook every day, like gold-glowing turmeric and warming garam masala. And then we have a third one for our spice blends, like the cumin powder with fenugreek seeds that we’re using in today’s recipe.

➻ Which spice are you reaching for most often while cooking?

When I’m cooking at home, I like to keep things simple. I don’t mix too many spices so you can taste the true flavours of the protein or vegetables. I’ll use coriander, turmeric and red chilli powders and maybe finish things off with a little garam masala. If it’s my turn to cook a homely dinner, it would be Punjabi Kadhi – crispy pakoras in a fragrant yoghurt sauce. If my wife’s in the kitchen, we’ll probably have a rich Hyderabadi Biryani.

➻ What are some of your earliest memories of cooking?

I remember getting my hands dirty at a very early age, especially during festivals when my mum would make snacks and sweets. At Holi, I would help her stuff and fry gujiya. Not many of them made it to the guests though – I’d eat at least half of them during the cooking process. I also used to help her dry homemade vermicelli. We’d turn my old cot upside down and hang the vermicelli off the bars.

➻ What’s on the menu for us today?

A fish curry that my wife Niru and I both love making. My side of the family is vegetarian so this recipe is Niru’s grandmother’s. But because it comes from Niru’s side, it means I have to follow her rules when I’m making it. If I’m chopping the onions too finely, you’d better believe Niru’s going to tell me. When I’m cooking this curry, my dear one is the real Executive Chef! You can find the recipe here.

➻ Can you give us your top tips for cooking with spices?

Keep the flame low, so you have more control over how the spices are cooking, and keep a bowl of hot water next to your pan. That way, if you get distracted doing other parts of the recipe and your spices start to burn, you can sprinkle some water on them to bring the temperature down really quickly.

➻ How are you welcoming guests to the table?

We put on some Eighties Bollywood music – a real favourite of ours and our friends – and fill our table with bite-size snacks, like pani puri or egg puffs. And chai, always chai! You can serve it at any time of the day and, once your guests have a steaming glass of it in their hands, they’ll quickly launch into sharing stories. Later on in the festivities, you can add a little whiskey to it, too.