FOOD & DRINK

Naseem with one of her awards in her restaurant in Xscape, and celebrating with son Adi (left)

It’s official - Naseem is the UK’s Curry Queen!

Namji Restaurant has put Milton Keynes firmly on the map for Punjabi cuisine – by taking not one, but two awards at this month’s seventh annual Asian Food & Restaurant Awards (AFRA) event.

Dozens of eateries competed for the title of Best Restaurant of the Year in Buckinghamshire at the glitzy awards show held in London, but Namji fought off spicy competition to take the award.

Owner Naseem Khan went home with a gong of her own, too – she can now officially be known as the UK’s Curry Queen of the Year!

“I was absolutely staggered to win the award for Best Restaurant for a second consecutive year,” Naseem said, “It is such a hotly contested category, and I am so proud of my whole team who are all responsible for Namji’s success.

“Being declared the UK’s Curry Queen was something I never expected. It’s a wonderful endorsement of all we do.”

Naseem opened Namji in Wolverton back in 2017, and her second branch, in Xscape in Central Milton Keynes, has proven a huge hit with locals and visitors alike since opening its doors last year.

“I’d love to be able to share the secret behind the success, but the recipes are a Namji secret!” She said, “This title really belongs to my late mother, Munawar Sultana – all the recipes are of her creation, so I accepted the award on her behalf.

“Food has always been at the heart of our family time, and her passion lives on through Namji. She would be thrilled to bits by this award.

“Namji’s success is only possible because of the support I get from my husband Malik and my son Adi. They push me to achieve and are so patient - it really is a group effort.”

Some of the delicious dishes on the menu at Namji

her charity Give Back 2U UK to educate and advance skills of women from ethnic minority and disadvantaged backgrounds which is making a difference locally.

During the pandemic, Naseem opened up a soup kitchen to help families in need, and as the cost of living crisis deepens, her kitchens are busier than usual too; each week Namji delivers 100s of meals to the homeless and the vulnerable across Milton Keynes.

“It’s important to feed mind, body and soul,” Naseem said, “I feel immensely privileged to be able to help people through the restaurant and the charity.”

Sprouts and Wensleydale cheese risotto

Give those sprouts a great makeover with this incredibly creamy risotto, also using the leftovers Wensleydale cheese with cranberries from the boards. A simple and speedy dish, still full of festive flavours.

INGREDIENTS

for 2 people:

150g risotto rice – this can be arborio or carnaroli if you are making risotto for the first time

1 small shallot 25g unsalted butter 500ml of hot vegetable stock from a stock cube 200g sprouts thinly sliced 75g chorizo cubed - optional Salt and pepper to taste Half glass of dry white wine – optional

For the cheese sauce:

2 tbsp of milk 55g of Wensleydale cranberries cheese

To serve:

Few crushed pink peppercorns

METHOD

1. In a large frying pan start by toasting your chorizo if using. Once this has become nicely crunchy, set aside. For a vegetarian alternative read from step 2. 2. In the same pan add your butter and shallot diced and let this sweat for about 1 or 2 minutes. Add your rice and toast for 2 minutes. If using some wine, now is the time to add and let the alcohol evaporate. Once your rice is toasted, start by introducing your liquid, make sure the stock is at the same temperature as the rice. 2. Add about 150ml at the time and continue until you have the last liquid in your jug, making sure that the previous has been fully absorbed. Add your sprouts and the last part of the stock and let simmer. In the meantime prepare your cheese sauce. To the small pan, add your milk and crumbled cheese and bring to a vivid simmer. Whisk lightly until the cheese is completely melted. Your risotto should be cooked. Take this off the heat and add your creamy sauce. Serve with chorizo and peppercorns.

Our recipes come from MK Pulse food writer, Sofia Gallo, an acclaimed local chef, food writer and teacher at Milton Keynes Cookery School. She has recently won the ICG Cooking Competition and was a contestant on BBC’s Masterchef.

Olneyʼs secret hidden Kitchen

Pulse foodie Emma Norris kicks off 2023 with a review of the Olney Kitchen.

Last month, I took a trip to a really picturesque spot in the heart of Olney: Olney Kitchen. Considering I’m a big foodie AND I’ve lived in Newport Pagnell for most of my life, I was confused when I was invited to visit – I really thought I knew all of the independent restaurants in my area, yet I hadn’t heard of Olney Kitchen before. After checking Google Maps, I was even more baffled as it was a restaurant just off Market Square – how could I not have stumbled upon this restaurant when I know the area so well?!

When I pulled up to park in Market Square car park (which I shortly worked out was situated mere steps from the entrance) I was still confused – where was this place? All of a sudden I spotted the branded awning across the street, just next to Olney Butchers. This quaint and hidden spot really did look beautifully welcoming, so I was excited for the meal to come. To gain access, you have to walk down a florally-adorned covered pathway which genuinely has to be one of loveliest entranceways to an eatery (that I’ve seen, at least!) in the Milton Keynes area; draping artificial flowers, whitewashed brick walls and Victorian-style wall lights lit the way to the doors of the restaurant.

As we visited on a Wednesday evening, Olney Kitchen was pretty quiet with just a handful of staff and only a few tables occupied, but you can certainly tell this would be a bustling spot a little nearer to the weekend. You enter directly into the bar area – conservatory-style ceiling windows would make this a gorgeously airy space in the Summer, but on this dark autumnal evening, we were cosily lit instead by large candelabra chandeliers. The restaurant also pays homage to its hometown, with pictures of Olney through the ages on the walls.

Staff who showed us to our seats instantly put us at ease and were incredibly welcoming and attentive. We had a selection of tables to choose from in the huge, open-plan restaurant area (with tall, barn-like ceilings) and opted for a central circular table; there were booths available too, which would be a great choice for a more intimate dining experience on the busier weekends. The tables that were occupied, on this evening in particular,

intriguing Peking Roast Duck Pizza (£9.95) which was topped with hoisin sauce, mozzarella, julienne carrots, onion and crispy crushed wontons – traditionalists and Italians look away The attractive entrance to the restaurant now – but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! Our burgers arrived promptly afterwards and spanned the generational divide – from toddlers to grandparents, the family-friendly environment is mirrored in Olney Kitchen’s old meets new décor. The first thing we noticed when looking at the menu was the incredible value. Before I detail the price of each dish individually, it’s worth noting that the total our abundant dinner, Coke and a cocktail, came to was less than £46 (between two) which, especially in the current climate, is fantastic value for money. The second thing to note is also the vast array of food on offer at Olney Kitchen: from pasta and pizza to a huge selection of burgers, plentiful vegetarian options, seafood and grilled meat, there really is something here for everyone. Peking roast duck pizza they were absolutely huge. I’d seen these on their Instagram account (@olneykitchen) and, I have to say, they were even more impressive in real life. My guest opted for ‘The Boss’ – a juicy burger patty topped with crispy sautéed onions and mushrooms, bacon, two slices of melted cheddar cheese and spicy pepperoni – which was served with a basket of fries, for an incredibly reasonable £8.90 and I went for the server’s suggestion, ‘The Bad Boy Burger’ at £13.90. Also served with fries, this absolute mountain consisted of a patty, pulled pork, bacon and extraordinarily oozy melted cheese, topped with two BBQ wings and two crispy hot wings. A veritable feast! Olney Kitchen also offer collection so, if you’re unable to dine-in, this would be a great option. They occasionally host Jazz Nights which, I would imagine, would be a perfect fit for the relaxed, rustic and spacious surroundings – so be sure to check out their website (www.olneyskitchen.uk/olney) for more details! We opted to share the baked dough balls with garlic butter to start, priced at £2.99, as we really wanted to ‘start small’ and try their unorthodox pizza (a nod to ‘Café Brio’ – the previous restaurant before Olney Kitchen, renowned for their unusual pizzas) and the towering burgers on offer. We then shared the

The Bad Boy Burger

Olney Kitchen offers a cocktail menu

olneyskitchen.uk/olney 01234 717000

> If you would like your restaurant reviewed get in touch mkpulse@pulsegroupmedia.co.uk Follow Emma on Instagram: @emmaroseeats