Twenty seven-year-old MasterChef Australia 13 contestant Justin Narayan is one of the most promising cooks on the show. With a varied range of specialties, Justin has constantly managed to wow judges Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo, as well as special guests and the audience watching from home.
While Justin keeps up the good work on MasterChef Australia, here are three of his top recipes that you can try at home.
Charcoal Chicken With Toum, Flatbread and Pickle Salad
In an interview with News18, Justin had revealed that this is his favourite dish. “One of my all-time favourite dishes was the charcoal chicken and toum, it’s super delicious and reminds me of a lot of good times with a lot of good mates,” he shared. The judges in the episode also seemed to echo the sentiment.
Take a look at the easy recipe below:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Prepare a hibachi or charcoal BBQ when ready to serve.
2. For the Charcoal Chicken, remove the backbone by cutting either side then discard. Place into a large baking dish.
3. Add remaining ingredients and massage into the chicken for 1-2 minutes to marinate. Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight if possible.
4. Place the chicken onto the hibachi, skin side down and cook until the skin is dark golden brown about 5-8 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
5. For the Toum, place garlic and salt into a small food processer and process until smooth. With motor running, alternately add 1½ cups oil and juice from ½ lemon until a light fluffy mixture is achieved. Set aside.
6. Place egg, mustard, and the remaining ¾ cup canola oil into the canister of a stick blender. Place the blade cage of the stick blender over the egg yolk and process until mixture starts to thicken. Slowly draw the stick blender up through the oil and continue to process until mixture is thick. Fold through garlic mixture, add lemon juice and salt, to taste. Cover and set aside in the fridge.
7. For the Yoghurt Flatbreads, place ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixture and using a dough hook, knead together to form a smooth, slightly sticky dough, about 5 minutes.
8. Generously dust dough with flour and divide into 8-10 equally sized balls. Roll each out as thinly as possible, about 2 mm.
9. Cook on hibachi for 1-2 minutes on each side. Wrap in a clean tea towel until ready to serve.
10. For the Pickled Salad, shave onion and apple into 2mm slices using a mandolin. Place into a bowl and toss together with the remaining ingredients except the pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle over just before serving.
To assemble, cut the chicken into quarters and place onto a serving board. Pile up the Flatbreads and add the bowls of Toum and Pickled Salad.
Read: MasterChef Australia’s Justin Narayan: Food and Hospitality Have Always Been in My Culture, Learnt to Appreciate it More
Indian Chicken Curry, Crispy Chicken Skin and an Apple and Cucumber Pickle
Justin, who is proud of his Fijian and Indian heritage, took this traditional Indian dish and gave it his very own twist. This dish was a big hit among viewers who appreciated his creativity.
Let us take a look at the detailed recipe below:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree C fan forced.
2. To prepare the chicken, use fingers to separate the skin from the chicken then carefully remove in one piece. Place chicken skin in a single layer onto a lined baking tray. Remove the breasts from the chicken, place into a bowl and set aside in the fridge. Remove the Marylands and reserve for another use. Chop the wings and carcass into small pieces and set aside.
3. For the Crispy Chicken Skin, sprinkle the chicken skin with turmeric and salt. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and a second baking tray so the skin stays flat.
4. Bake in the oven until golden and crisp, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and set aside on a sheet of paper towel.
5. For the Curry Sauce, place a deep frypan over medium high heat. Add oil and chopped chicken bones and cook, stirring until golden. Reduce the heat to medium.
6. Add onion and cook until slightly caramelised, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
7. Meanwhile, place curry leaves, whole spices and chana dal into a dry frypan and toast till fragrant, swirling the pan occasionally. Allow to cool slightly then blend into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
8. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the spice mix to the frypan along with the chilli powder, turmeric, smoked paprika. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Add coriander leaves, tomato and water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
10. Once reduced, add soy sauce then strain through a large fine sieve into a saucepan. Place onto a medium heat and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and lemon. Add the cream then butter, stirring continuously until combined. Remove from heat. Transfer to a jug when ready to serve.
11. For the Chilli Chutney, place the chillies into a small food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and cumin seeds and process until very finely chopped but not pureed.
12. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan with the mustard oil and salt. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring regularly until reduced and thickened. Add lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cumin powder and enough vinegar and salt to balance the chutney so that it is little sour and salty. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
13. For the Cauliflower Puree, cut the cauliflower into florets and place into a saucepan along with milk and salt. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
14. Strain off and reserve milk, leaving approximately ¼ cup of milk in the saucepan. Use a stick blender to process cauliflower to a puree. Add a little reserved cooking milk if required then add butter and salt to taste and process until smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside, covered, to keep warm.
15. For the Cucumber and Apple Pickle, using a mandolin on the thinnest setting, slice the cucumber and apple and place into a medium bowl.
16. Dress with remaining ingredients and set aside in the fridge until required.
17. For the Chicken Breasts, add oil, spices and salt to the chicken, toss to coat then allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
18. Heat a medium, oven-proof frypan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sear each side for 2 minutes. Add butter to the pan and when melted, baste the chicken.
19. Transfer pan to the oven for and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Slice each breast in half lengthways to serve.
20. To serve, place a portion of chicken breast onto each plate. Add some drained pickle and a shard of chicken skin. Add some puree and some chutney. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with the jug of sauce on the side. Preheat oven to 180C fan forced.
21. To prepare the chicken, use fingers to separate the skin from the chicken then carefully remove in one piece. Place chicken skin in a single layer onto a lined baking tray. Remove the breasts from the chicken, place into a bowl and set aside in the fridge. Remove the Marylands and reserve for another use. Chop the wings and carcass into small pieces and set aside.
22. For the Crispy Chicken Skin, sprinkle the chicken skin with turmeric and salt. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and a second baking tray so the skin stays flat.
23. Bake in the oven until golden and crisp, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and set aside on a sheet of paper towel.
For the Curry Sauce, place a deep frypan over medium high heat. Add oil and chopped chicken bones and cook, stirring until golden. Reduce the heat to medium.
24. Add onion and cook until slightly caramelised, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Meanwhile, place curry leaves, whole spices and chana dal into a dry frypan and toast till fragrant, swirling the pan occasionally. Allow to cool slightly then blend into a fine powder using a spice grinder.
25. Transfer 2 teaspoons of the spice mix to the frypan along with the chilli powder, turmeric, smoked paprika. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
26. Add coriander leaves, tomato and water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
27. Once reduced, add soy sauce then strain through a large fine sieve into a saucepan. Place onto a medium heat and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and lemon. Add the cream then butter, stirring continuously until combined. Remove from heat. Transfer to a jug when ready to serve.
28. For the Chilli Chutney, place the chillies into a small food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and cumin seeds and process until very finely chopped but not pureed.
29. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan with the mustard oil and salt. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring regularly until reduced and thickened. Add lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cumin powder and enough vinegar and salt to balance the chutney so that it is little sour and salty. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
30. For the Cauliflower Puree, cut the cauliflower into florets and place into a saucepan along with milk and salt. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
31. Strain off and reserve milk, leaving approximately ¼ cup of milk in the saucepan. Use a stick blender to process cauliflower to a puree. Add a little reserved cooking milk if required then add butter and salt to taste and process until smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside, covered, to keep warm.
32. For the Cucumber and Apple Pickle, using a mandolin on the thinnest setting, slice the cucumber and apple and place into a medium bowl.
Dress with remaining ingredients and set aside in the fridge until required.
33. For the Chicken Breasts, add oil, spices and salt to the chicken, toss to coat then allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a medium, oven-proof frypan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sear each side for 2 minutes. Add butter to the pan and when melted, baste the chicken.
34. Transfer pan to the oven for and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Slice each breast in half lengthways to serve.
To serve, place a portion of chicken breast onto each plate. Add some drained pickle and a shard of chicken skin. Add some puree and some chutney. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with the jug of sauce on the side.
Read: MasterChef Australia 13: Try Depinder Chhibber’s 3 Delicious Recipes at Home
Spiced Sweet Potato Taco
For his vegetarian audience, Justin prepared the delicious dish of spiced sweet potato Taco. This fan-favourite dish was also highly appreciated by the audience. Let’s take a look at the recipe below:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Prepare a hibachi grill if using.
2. For the Sweet Potato, peel sweet potato, reserving the peel for later use. Cut the sweet potato in 1.5cm discs, then into quarters.
3. Place sweet potato into a baking dish, add melted butter, spices and salt and mix together well using your hands. Spread out on a lined tray and bake for 35 minutes, turning halfway, until tender. Remove from the oven.
4. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato along with any butter from the tray and fry on each cut side until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. For the Blue Corn Tortilla, combine masa and salt in a bowl. Add water and mix together to a pliable dough. Add more water or masa as needed. Cover and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
6. Heat a non stick frypan over high heat. Divide dough into 8 portions. Using a tortilla press, press into tortillas about 1.5mm thick.
7. Cook in hot pan for 10 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for 50-60 seconds and flip again, gently pressing the tortilla until it puffs up. Once puffed, remove from the pan and place in a tortilla warmer or under a clean tea towel. Repeat with remaining rounds.
8. For the Avocado Crema, place avocado, crème fraiche, lime juice, coriander, water and a generous pinch of salt into a stick blender canister and blend until smooth. Transfer to a squeezy bottle and set aside in the fridge.
9. For the Tomatillo Salsa, place tomatillos and jalapenos into the hibachi coal (or directly over a gas flame or under the grill) until chillies are entirely black and tomatillos have charred slightly. Transfer to a food processor along with remaining ingredients and process together. Season to taste and set aside.
Preheat oil in deep fryer to 180°C.
10. For the Crispy Potato Skins, julienne potato skins and toss in chickpea flour and paprika. Lift from the bowl and shake to remove excess. Deep fry in batches until golden brown and crispy. Place on a paper towel to drain.
To serve, gentle crush a few pieces of sweet potato over top of each tortilla, spoon over salsa, and drizzle with crema, then top with onion, coriander and crumbled feta. Arrange filled tacos on a serving platter with potato skins on top. Serve remaining crema and salsa on the side.
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