Kumar Menon started ’Leela’s Kitchen’, encompassing a cookery school and his own range of herbs and spices, in 2011.

This week he shares one of his favourite recipes, made with fresh Manx seafood and some of his own unique spice mix

This recipe uses locally caught Manx king scallops, delivered straight to my door fresh from the fisherman, in this case Danny Kermeen, who fishes out of Ramsey in the boat ’Ramsey Jak’.

You can purchased your own fresh scallops from the Ramsey-based fish suppliers Kermelly Seafood.

I started Leela’s Kitchen in 2011 in memory of my late grandmother Leela.

My grandmother and mother are the inspiration behind my passion for food especially Indian food, spices and the culinary journey.

The key reason to start Leela’s Kitchen was to start offering healthy Indian cookery workshops to clients at their homes in Isle of Man.

The business has grown from cookery workshops to providing tailor-made dinner parties, bespoke marinated meats and award-winning premium spices.

Spices are also a family legacy. My grandfather started trading spices way back in Kerala, in 1950s India. This makes me a third generation spice trader.

My love for great food and association with the spice business inspired me to launch a new premium range of spices not just to the Isle of Man but to the world. Lots of my spices are actually family recipes.

Our award-winning garam masala, mild Curry and authentic Goan vindaloo mix, used in this dish, are my grandmother’s, mother’s and aunt’s recipes.

Leela’s King Scallop in Molee sauce

Six to seven fresh king scallops, cleaned

One tablespoon of coconut oil

One quarter of a teaspoon of Leela’s Kitchen black mustard seeds

One quarter of a teaspoon of Leela’s Kitchen ground cumin

One half of a teaspoon of Leela’s Kitchen ground turmeric

One quarter of a teaspoon of Leela’s kitchen vindaloo curry powder. Don’t worry, though. This is not the hot version of a Vindaloo.

One onion, finely sliced

Two dried red chillis

Half an inch ginger, very finely chopped

Two sprigs of fresh curry leaves. You can get these fresh from Robinson’s at Ballapaddag.

400ml of coconut milk

10-12 plum or cherry tomatoes, halved

One tablespoon fresh coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Firstly, heat the coconut oil in a non-stick pan and, when hot, add the mustard seeds.

Once the seeds start to pop turn the heat down to medium-low and add the onions, curry leaves and ginger.

Mix well, adding a pinch of salt and cook till the onions have reduced and are a slight golden colour.

Now add turmeric, cumin and vindaloo spices and mix everything well for a minute.

Then add the coconut milk and once thoroughly mixed, increase the heat and bring the sauce to boil.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the cleaned scallops.

If they are too big, you can slice them into half before adding to the pan. Then cover and cook till they are done.

Add salt and serve over basmati rice if you’re serving as a main or use the cleaned scallop shell to serve as a starter.

I hope you’ll love my recipe! You can buy Leela’s kitchen products online from leelaskitchen.co.uk or from our amazing stockists Robinson’s, Mostly Manx and Mother Nature.

Thank you to each and everyone of you for supporting Manx businesses and using our products and services.