Sabrina Gidda's coconutty take on the classic French Dauphinoise turns a dairy-filled potato side dish into the perfect vegan main. It's easy, comforting, fragrant and you probably have everything you need to make it at home right now.
This recipe is taken from Modern South Asian Kitchen by Sabrina Gidda (Quadrille, £27) Photography: Maria Bell
Sabrina says: 'This dish is a bit of a revelation. I am sure there will be many who feel a potato gratin should accompany roast meats or feature as a side dish. But I think this is absolutely knockout. I would eat this with a green salad and a cool crisp glass of Riesling. It is vegan, it is utterly delicious and I think you may just want to make it again and again!'
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion slices and sauté for 10 minutes or so until they soften and begin to brown. Add your pastes and cook for a further 5 minutes before adding all your spices and salt. If you need to, add a couple of tablespoons of water to make sure the spices don’t burn
Peel your potatoes and slice them using a mandolin if you have one, otherwise slice them as finely as you can. Aim for them to be of an even thickness otherwise the potato will not cook evenly
Mix the coconut cream and stock together in a jug
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Begin to layer your potatoes in an ovenproof dish as evenly as you can, aiming for four layers in total, and you want to divide your masala onion mix between these layers, finishing with a final layer of potatoes. Now pour in the coconut stock until the dish is full
Bake for 1 hour or until your potatoes are tender and the dish is bubbling
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