Public institutions, from hospitals to museums, are the most international communities, both in the workforce and in those who visit. It’s something that became obvious to us when we were cooking our globally inspired meals for frontline workers at Kings College Hospital, London, during the pandemic. The menu at Café Jikoni, our new restaurant at the V&A East museum, speaks to the depth and breadth of east London’s diverse community, with dishes that cross borders, celebrate pluralism and taste like home – wherever that may be. After all, the best hospitality is all about making your guests feel at home.

Spicy coconut dal

This dal wanders from India into Thailand; we make a curry paste from scratch at Café Jikoni, but using a good-quality one, such as Maeploy, is a smart shortcut.

Prep 10 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 4-6

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 quill cinnamon
4 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
3 tbsp red curry paste
400ml coconut milk
300g red lentils, washed and drained
250g carrots, chopped into thick rounds
30g soft light palm sugar, or to taste
30ml fish sauce, or to taste
1 heaped tbsp tamarind extract, or to taste
Juice of 1 lime, to finish
Picked coriander leaves, to garnish

Put the oil in an extra-large saucepan on a medium-high heat, then fry the cinnamon, cardamom and star anise until fragrant.

Add the curry paste, stir-fry for three to four minutes, until toasted and beginning to deepen in colour, then tip in the coconut milk and 600ml water, and bring to a simmer.

Add the lentils and carrots, turn down the heat to low-medium, and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

In the last few minutes of cooking, season to taste with palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind for a balance of salty, sweet, and sour. Add the lime juice, then serve scattered with coriander.

Goan aubergine pickle, cheddar and chutney toasted sandwich

Spiky aubergine pickle, a cooling, herbaceous chutney and melted cheese make up my perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

Prep 20 min
Cook 50 min
Makes 4 sandwiches

2 tbsp neutral oil, such as avocado
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
12 fresh curry leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
3cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
2 green serrano chillies, slit open lengthways
1 tsp turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
½ tsp chilli powder
1 large aubergine (about 500g), cut into 2cm dice
75ml white-wine vinegar
40g light soft brown sugar
Sea salt, to taste

For the green chutney
100g fresh coriander (including stalks)
20g fresh mint leaves
20 cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
1 green chilli, roughly chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt, to taste
1 heaped tsp caster sugar
60ml ice-cold water

For the sandwiches
125g butter, softened
8 thick slices white sourdough
75g mature cheddar, grated
75g mozzarella, grated

Put everything for the chutney in a blender and whizz to a fine puree.

For the pickle, put the oil in a wide saucepan on a medium heat, then scatter in the fenugreek, fennel, cumin and cinnamon, and let the seeds crackle. Add the curry leaves, then turn down the heat so the spices don’t catch and burn.

Add the garlic and ginger, stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until golden and fragrant, then drop in the chillies and cook until they lighten in colour. Sprinkle in the turmeric, chilli flakes and chilli powder, then add the aubergine and saute for 30 seconds, stirring to coat it in the spices. Pour in the vinegar, sugar and salt, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover and leave to simmer over a low heat for half an hour, until the aubergine is tender. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Heat a sandwich toaster or frying pan. Butter both sides of the bread and put half the slices butter-side down on a sheet of baking paper. Generously smear each one with the chutney, a mixture of both cheeses and the aubergine pickle, then sandwich together with the remaining slices of bread. Cook in the toastie maker or hot pan until the cheese has melted and the bread is a deep golden brown.

Carrot halva mini bundts (pictured top)

Carrot halva is a sticky, spice-laced pudding that’s beloved across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the diaspora communities abroad. This cake is reminiscent of halva’s sticky fudginess.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min
Makes 12

175ml rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing
200ml whole milk
300g finely grated carrots
100g ground jaggery, or light brown sugar
2 large eggs
175g plain flour
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
Salt
Finely grated zest of 1 orange, plus a little extra to garnish
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
75g chopped walnuts

For the cream cheese frosting
115g cream cheese
240g icing sugar, sifted
¼ tsp cardamom
½ lemon, zest finely grated, then juiced to get 1 tsp

To garnish
12 walnuts
Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Oil 12 mini bundt tins, making sure you get right into the crevices; alternatively, oil a muffin tray.

Heat the milk in a pan and, when it comes to a simmer, add the carrots and cook on a low heat until the milk evaporates and the carrots are sticky and fudgy. Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Combine the jaggery and oil in a stand mixer, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, bicarb/baking soda, spices, a pinch of salt and the citrus zest, then fold this into the egg mixture, followed by the chopped walnuts and cooked carrots.

Divide the mix evenly between the bundt tins, then bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and leave to cool on a rack.

To make the icing, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the icing sugar, cardamom, and the lemon zest and juice, and beat again until combined. Pipe or spread the icing over the top of each cake, then stud them with a walnut half and decorate with some orange zest.