Make Indian cuisine with us as we explore a new Fort Mill area cooking class

Heidi Finley
·5 min read

Santhoshi Radhakrishnan lives with purpose — and her overarching life’s goal is to share Indian cooking from the Charlotte-area corner of the world that she’s made her home.

The native of India has done that since 2015 from her home in Fort Mill, S.C., along with selling jarred tomato chutney and Indian meal kits along the way. Now, Radhakrishnan is expanding her life’s work by opening the new Santhoshi’s Kitchen studio in Tega Cay, S.C.

“If I can help my clients to cook Indian food with confidence, that means I’ve achieved my goal in life,” she said.

The doors will open Friday, Sept. 15 with an open house from 6-9 p.m., where you can find surprise offers and sample a few staples of Indian cuisine, including chicken tikka masala, chana masala and samosas. You’ll also be able to get in on discounts until then, including 25% off on group classes and 15% off on private when you register with the code grandsale25 for group classes and grandsale 15 for private classes.

In Santhosi’s Kitchen classes, you’ll learn something from Radhakrishnan, whether it’s your first time in the kitchen or you’re a seasoned pro. Along with the cooking lesson, she’ll pass along a few tidbits on Indian food and culture.

“Everyone wants a leg piece in their biryani,” for example. In India, chicken legs are a premium cut, she said.

And don’t be afraid of spice.

“Just add less chili powder for less spice,” Radhakrishnan said. “It will be authentic, but just less spicy. If you want it more spicy, add more chili powder.”

You can purchase Indian spices at a variety of groceries around Charlotte, including Patel Brothers, Super G Mart, Triveni Supermarket and others. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive
You can purchase Indian spices at a variety of groceries around Charlotte, including Patel Brothers, Super G Mart, Triveni Supermarket and others. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive

[READ NEXT: Charlotte-area chef Santhoshi Radhakrishnan shares her chickpea curry recipe.]

Along with the cooking tips, Radhakrishnan may also slip in a few tidbits on finding your passion and sharing your gifts with others. She’s an avid fan of motivational speakers including Les Brown, Earl Nightingale and Wayne Dyer, and TED Talks such as one by Richard Lieder that focuses on living purpose-driven lives.

In the new space, she’ll also be adding on classes in Mexican and Thai cuisine, as the recipes share many of the same flavors and ingredients.

For Radhakrishnan, sharing her love of cooking is the greatest joy.

“I love it — that’s the best part. I don’t even feel hungry after that. I just get satisfied watching them eat and enjoy their food,” she said.

Radhakrishnan walked CharlotteFive through her recipes for chicken tikka masala and jeera rice so you can try it at home, or just check out what to expect from a class.

After a Santhoshi’s Kitchen’s cooking class, the guests will sit down to eat their creation. Here, the dish is chicken tikka masala and jeera rice. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive
After a Santhoshi’s Kitchen’s cooking class, the guests will sit down to eat their creation. Here, the dish is chicken tikka masala and jeera rice. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

1.5 pounds chicken breast

1 cup bell peppers, cubed

1 cup onion, cubed

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

4 Tbs. ginger garlic paste, pre-prepared or store-bought

1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. coriander powder

2 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. tumeric powder

1/2 tsp. kasoori methi (fenugreek leaf powder)

3/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. plain yogurt

6 Tbs. olive or vegetable oil

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Santhoshi Radhakrishnan uses a high-speed blender from India to make the garlic and ginger paste for her recipes. She mixes two parts unpeeled garlic cloves with one part peeled ginger and blends the two into a thick paste. If you don’t have a high-speed blender or are looking for a shortcut, you can buy pre-prepared pastes. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive

Method of preparation

Cut the chicken into small cubes, then add yogurt, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. coriander powder, 1 tsp. garam masala, 1/2 tsp. kasoori methi, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2 Tbs. ginger garlic paste, 1 Tbs. lemon juice and 2 Tbs. oil in a large bowl and mix it well. Add in the cubed bell peppers and onions, then mix and marinate the chicken and veggies for an hour.

Place the marinated chicken and veggies in a deep baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, add 4 Tbs. oil to a heavy bottomed pan on the stove top and set to medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 1 tsp. cumin seeds. As the seeds turn dark brown, add chopped onion into the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Then add chopped tomatoes, 2 Tbs. garlic and ginger paste, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. coriander powder, 1 tsp. cumin powder, 1 tsp. tumeric powder, 1 tsp. garam masala and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mix well and cover pan, stirring occasionally as it cooks for 5-10 minutes. When you see oil oozing at the edge of the sauce, switch off the heat.

When oil starts to pool at the edges of the masala sauce, it has finished cooking. You can then mix it into the chicken and vegetable mixture and add heavy whipping cream to finish the dish. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive
When oil starts to pool at the edges of the masala sauce, it has finished cooking. You can then mix it into the chicken and vegetable mixture and add heavy whipping cream to finish the dish. Heidi Finley/CharlotteFive

After the chicken and veggies have baked 30 minutes, broil the chicken on low for 10 minutes. Then add the mixture into your heavy bottomed pan on the stove top. Stir and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with naan, roti or jeera rice (recipe below).

Note: Cooking times may vary, depending on your stovetop and oven.

Jeera Rice

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. ghee

2 cups of water

1 Tbs. cumin seeds

Method of preparation

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes, then rinse well.

Place a pot on the stove and turn on the heat to medium high. Add the ghee into the pot, then the cumin seeds after the ghee has melted. When the seeds crackle, add the rice, salt and water.

Cook the rice on high heat for 5 minutes, then turn the heat to low and close the pot with a lid. Cook for 25 minutes on low heat, then fluff when ready.

Santhoshi’s Kitchen

Location: 1182 Stone Crest Blvd, Suite 106, Tega Cay SC 29708

Instagram: @santhoshi_kitchen