Your plans of sipping beers lakeside in Leipzig or seeing the sun rise at the Stone Circle might be dashed, but don't set fire to your bucket hat just yet. There's still plenty of fun to be had this summer.
Up to six people are now allowed inside private homes in the UK, which makes this the perfect opportunity to hone your entertaining skills. For our new series, we've spoken to experts in food, wine, music and immersive events for their advice on transforming your kitchen, living room or broom cupboard into the hottest spot in town.
"The grill recipes we use remind me of warm evenings spent in Colaba, Bombay," says Dishoom's executive chef Naved Nasir. "Few things can beat standing on the street in the midst of the hubbub watching skewers of meat smoke and sizzle on the open grill. A feast of grills and breads – perhaps with raita and kachumber on the side – are a good way to recreate that cherished experience on summer evenings."
Since opening in 2010, Dishoom's restaurants pay homage to the bustling Irani cafés of Bombay, serving dishes which celebrate the spice and flavour of grilled meats, fragrant rice and bright curries in place of the middling fare which for so long was what curry houses in Britain were serving.
While Dishoom are opening their doors again to customers this month, we spoke to Nasir to ask for tips about recreating the restaurant experience from the comfort of home, which isn't as complicated as you might think.
Keeping guests satisfied with snacks you can make ahead is a great way to make sure nobody gets restless and hungry, and there are lots of Indian nibbles that will bring the whole experience together and feel far more exciting than a bowl of crisps.
"Samosas are the most famous of all the Indian snacks, and for good reason," Nasir says. "The art of folding samosas can be a little tricky to perfect – you need to fold tightly and neatly – but they can be prepared easily in advance. Chilli Cheese Toast – a favourite snack of Bombayites – takes five minutes to prepare and can be cut into bite-sized pieces for a quick and comforting snack. Likewise, Okra Fries make a crispy, light and deliciously addictive snack, especially when served with chutney. They are best served fresh from the fryer but can be prepared ahead and fried once your guests have arrived."
"Biryani is a firm favourite of mine for feasts," he says. "The technique takes a little time to perfect, but once you’ve mastered the preparation of the rice it’s actually a relatively simple recipe that makes an impressive centrepiece on any table."
If you're looking to get the hard work done before people arrive Nasir says that, "much of the hard work for curries and grills is done the day before. Masalas – simmering sauces, marinating meats – are an excellent option to prepare ahead of time."
For a crowd-pleasing feast which incorporates lots of different elements Naisr recommends, "approaching the main event as follows: a grill, a curry or daal – something with a raita would also do nicely – served alongside a bread, a rice dish, and a few sides. A chutney or two is always welcome too."
An ice cold beer might be the first thing that comes to mind in terms of drinks pairing, but Nasir also suggests livening up the non-alcoholic drinks on offer too. "Fresh Lime Soda is a citrus-salt-soda combination that is unbeatable for quenching the thirst on a hot day," he says. "We’re also partial to nostalgic Bombay sodas - Thums Up is a personal favourite, but can be a little tricky to track down in the UK. If you find a source, savour it."
Make these simple but delicious dishes the centrepiece of your feast with the three recipes below:
Chicken Tikka (serves four as starter)
Chicken tikka masala is supposedly Britain’s favourite dish. If it’s yours, then you may be disappointed: this dish is not it. Tikka simply means piece, or chunk – so this is chicken pieces, marinated then grilled. The marinade is based on sweet vinegar, not yoghurt – and there’s not a drop of food colouring in sight.
Ingredients:
500g boneless chicken thighs, with skin
For the marinade:
- 30g fresh root ginger
- 10g garlic (2–3 cloves)
- 10g green chillies (2–3)
- 30ml rice vinegar
- 1 tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
To grill and serve:
- 25g unsalted butter, melted
- Lime wedges
Method:
- Cut each chicken thigh into 3 pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Place in a large bowl.
- For the marinade, blitz the ingredients together in a blender or mini food processor to a smooth paste.
- Spoon the marinade over the chicken pieces and turn them to coat. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 6–24 hours.
- Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. (If you are using wooden skewers, soak them now.)
- Heat the grill to high. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, leaving enough space between the pieces for the heat to penetrate. Grill for 12–15 minutes, turning and basting regularly with the melted butter, until deep golden brown with some charring. Check
that the chicken pieces are cooked through. - Let the cooked chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, with lime wedges for squeezing.
Paneer and mango salad (serves 2)
This salad marries sweetness and bitterness to excellent effect. It works best with a firm, slightly green mango, and bitter leaves, such as chicory, bull’s blood and Treviso. Be generous when seasoning the paneer, since it can otherwise be bland. For a satisfying lunch, serve the salad with crispy sesame and onion seed naans. You can swap the mango for pomelo or pink grapefruit segments, and the paneer for juicy, garlicky grilled prawns if you like.
Ingredients:
- 150g paneer
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium mango, peeled and flesh cut from the stone (200g prepared weight)
- 60g assorted bitter salad leaves
- 60ml lime and chilli dressing
- 20g crispy onions or shallots
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Slice the paneer into long, thin slices, about 5mm thick. Add the olive oil and season generously with flaky salt and black pepper.
- Slice the mango flesh into long strips.
- Combine the paneer, mango and salad leaves in a bowl. Add the lime and chilli dressing and toss gently.
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the crispy onions or shallots. Serve with the crispy naan.
Lamb Sheekh Kebab (serves 4)
A sheekh kabab is formed from spiced lamb mince, wrapped around a skewer, then grilled. To create your mince for this recipe you can blend a mixture of 80% lean lamb leg and 20% fresh lamb suet to give the best balance of fat for optimum succulence. If you can manage this at home, we strongly recommend it. If you’re unable to buy lamb suet and your lamb mince is quite lean, processed cheese slices are a secret trick that will add a welcome richness. For the most succulent kababs, finely chop the cheese, mix with your lamb mince and then pass through the fine setting of a hand mincer.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 10g coriander stalks
- 10g green chillies (2–3)
- 50g red onion, roughly chopped
- 500g lamb mince (20% fat)
- 2 processed cheese slices, finely chopped (optional)
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 25g garlic paste
- 15g ginger paste
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ tsp garam masala
To serve:
- Mint leaves, chopped
- Red onion slices
- Lime wedges
Method:
1. Warm a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the coriander and cumin seeds and toast for 2 minutes, shaking the pan regularly. You should be able to smell the spices. Tip them out onto a plate and allow to cool, then crush to a powder, using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
2. Using a blender or mini food processor, briefly blitz the coriander stalks, green chillies and red onion to a coarse paste (do not make it fine).
3. If you have a mincer, pass the lamb (with the cheese, if using) through it for especially juicy kababs.
4. Put the lamb mince and salt into a large bowl and mix well to ensure they are thoroughly combined. Add the coriander, chilli and onion mix, along with the crushed toasted seeds, garlic and ginger pastes, black pepper and garam masala. Mix vigorously for 2–3 minutes (using a stand mixer if you have one). You should see tiny white strands forming in the meat, which indicates that it is ready. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. (If you are using wooden skewers, soak them now.)
5. Portion the kabab mix into 10 balls, each weighing 60g. Push a kabab stick through the centre of each, then press the mixture into a thin sausage shape around the skewer, using your hands. The prepared kababs can be covered and stored in the fridge for 3–4 hours if you’re not grilling them immediately.
6. Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill the kababs for 4–6 minutes, turning regularly, until nicely browned and cooked through, but still soft and tender inside. Let the kababs rest for 2 minutes, then transfer them to plates and garnish with chopped mint and red onion. Serve at once, with lime wedges.
Extracts taken from Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian restaurant by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar and Naved Nasir (Bloomsbury, £26.00)
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