The Times Magazine 29t’s not just restaurant critics who flock to
Gymkhana in Mayfair (Giles Coren gave it
ten out of ten when it opened seven years
ago). On the day we visit, Rio Ferdinand
is picking up a takeaway – well, having
it delivered – and Rishi Sunak was in the
previous night for dinner. “We offered him a
comp, but he said that would look bad,” says
owner and head chef Karam Sethi. David
Beckham, Jude Law, Taylor Swift and Ed
Sheeran are also regulars.
The key to Gymkhana’s success, apart from
the elegant surroundings, lies in the artful
spicing of trademark dishes such as tandoori
lamb chops and chicken butter masala, which
cajole but never overpower the palate.
“It takes years of experience,” says Sethi,
“but it’s also about the freshness of your
spices.” Ideally, you should roast and grind
them as you use them, and not keep powders
for more than a week. “The mistake people
make is saying, ‘Oh, it’s a bit old. I’ll just use
more,’ ” he says.
The most important one in the kitchen
is the Kashmiri chilli powder, not to be
confused with regular chilli powder, which
gives the food its rich red colour and a mild
background heat, essential when you are
layering flavours. “We use a brand called
Fudco and if it’s ever out of stock we see a
noticeable change in the colour and flavour
of the marinades.” Tony TurnbullI
LASOONI DAAL
Serves 4
A Gymkhana classic best served warm with
roti or rice. Adjust the chilli for the perfect
hint of heat.- 200g split yellow lentils
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 15g garlic paste
- 10g ginger paste
- 15g ghee or clarified butter
- 4 red chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Wash the lentils under cold running water
until it runs clear. Put the lentils in a bowl,
cover with warm water and leave to soak for
35-45 minutes.
2 Drain the lentils and put in a pot with the
turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Cover withabout 800ml warm water, then stir in the
garlic and ginger pastes. Bring to a boil
and cook on a medium heat, stirring
occasionally, until the lentils are just tender,
about 20 minutes.
3 Gently melt the ghee in a frying pan on a
low heat. Add the chillies and stir until they
begin to darken, then add the cumin seeds
until they become brown and you can smell the
aroma. Add the garlic and sauté until it turns
golden brown. Pour onto the daal, cover again
and simmer for 10 minutes, then serve.Eat!
GYMKHANA
Karam Sethi