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Head Chef Jamshed Ali rules the roost at Ajanta, an opulent Indian restaurant which sets a whole new benchmark for curry in Moscow.

So what makes a good curry?

Timing is crucial. Ancient Mughal recipes stress the importance of adding spice to a dish only gradually, so that the flavors of the curry sauce and the meat are well mingled. If you season the meat too early, before it’s been fried, then the meat’s natural juiciness is killed. It’s true that traditionally people used to curry meat this way when times were hard and the only available meat was poor quality or rotten, but if the meat is decent, there’s no excuse. The key is to add the spices to the curry step by step; with some dishes the last seasoning will be added only moments before the dish is served. And finally, use only the ripest tomatoes. Sour tomatoes can ruin a whole curry.

Any tricks to preparing meat for curry?

Cut your own meat, and cut it well. I believe that we are the only Indian restaurant in Moscow to butcher our own meat. It’s important to know what you’re doing, because if you cut across the fibres of the meat, their ends will be exposed in the dish, and this is undesirable because the spiciness in which the meat is steeped can escape.

Where in Moscow do you buy your spices, and what are your staple spices?

Just local Indian shops, big or small, that everybody knows. For example, Indian Spices, which has outlets on Miklukho Maklaya Ul. and Sretenka Ul. We use a whole variety of spices at Ajanta, of course, but the stocks we replenish most often are those of spices such as cardamom, saffron, turmeric, chilli and paprika, to name a few. And most of the time we use the whole spice; for example, whole cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and whole curry leaves.

What’s the best way to keep spices fresh?

Storing them whole and in airtight jars will help preserve their aroma. The spice’s aroma is particular important to us. Our Russian clients particularly appreciate the taste of the spice, since they choose the milder dishes.

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