Raan is the stuff of legend.

Quite literally. The story goes that the dish can be traced to Alexander the Great – whom Indians call Sikandar.

Sikandar captured the Indian king, Paurava of Takshila, after a tough and bloody battle. Even in defeat, the proud and valorous Paurava, his head held high, asked that he be treated befitting his status as a king. Sikandar, impressed with his adversary, released him, and they became friends. The barbecued whole leg of lamb was the centrepiece of a banquet laid on to celebrate the new friendship of Sikandar and Paurava, and hence the dish became known as Sikandari Raan.

Over time, the Raan has journeyed from being rustic, hearty fare to being a rather exclusive and refined dish enjoyed only in the most costly restaurants. But this felt all wrong to us. Raan shouldn’t just be the preserve of fine dining. We needed to take it back to its roots.

By putting this on our menu – and even more so by putting it in a bun – we wanted to democratise this very special dish and make it much more accessible. It’s a proper feast for every day.

To make the Raan (which literally means “leg”), a whole leg of lamb is rubbed first with a dry marinade of salt and Kashmiri red chilli, and then second with ginger and garlic. It is marinated overnight, then submerged and braised in a juice of whole spices (including star anise, cinnamon and bay leaf) in malt vinegar and slow-cooked for several hours. We skewer the braised meat then grill it over hot coals until it’s nicely roasted (basting as we go, to keep it moist). Finally, it’s pulled off the bone in loose chunks, and the tender meat is dressed with a spices, butter and fresh lime for a final hit of rich juiciness, or juicy richness. Either way, it’s very rich, and very juicy and you’ll mourn a little when you take your final bite.

To make the Lamb Raan Bun, we put a generous pile of Raan into a strong sourdough bun, along with pickles and onions, and serve it with sali crisp-chips and deep fried green chillies. Pick it up with both hands and take a properly big bite. Juices may run down your chin. Then, carefully, take an occasional nibble of the fried chilli to cast a warm glow over the whole meal. Wash it down with our deliciously hoppy Dishoom IPA, from Hackney’s Beavertown Brewery, brewed to stand up to the strong flavours in the meat. And it will totally hit that spot.

We serve the Lamb Raan Bun only at Dishoom Shoreditch. But for the first time ever, we will be serving the Lamb Raan Bun in the wild, outside its home – at FEAST. Come and see us as part of this spectacular banquet event on on 7-10 March at Tobacco Docks in Wapping, and taste it for yourself…

Chilli. Mexican. Or maybe Tex-Mex. Not really Bombay, or indeed Indian, at all. So when we were first asked to take part in the UK “Chilli Standoff“, which took place last Saturday 17th November, we had to put our (slightly dirty and dog-eared) thinking topis on. But we quickly decided it looked such damn good fun that we simply had to be the Pete Sellers at this particular party.

And so, Chef Naved set to work in the kitchen. A bit of keema here, a few rajma there… liberal amounts of spices, onions, fresh lime, garlic, ginger… and as it turns out, it wasn’t such a leap of faith after all. Served with a sprinkle of crispy fried onions, a twist of lime, fried green mirchi and some toasted, buttered pau bun, it wouldn’t have felt out of place on our menu at all.

In the end – we came third. A podium finish! Not quite the first place we were hoping for, but against such food legends as Lucky Chip (1st) – with their slow-cooked chilli with bone marrow and vanilla butter – and Will Yates‘ (2nd) complex rare-breed chilli (stalwart Will was undaunted by a potentially broken hand), third place was a proud achievement. (We were just a touch sad that Salim did not get to do his victory dance.) And even before the results were announced, it was already a first-class day out, in the company of some of the best names in the food business (Gizzi Erskine, Angela Harnett, Tom Parker-Bowles…). All proceedings were helped along by plenty of ale (from Texas – or Hackney), a chota-peg of tequila, chocolate-chilli gelato, and a meringue “kiss”.

(A great – and somewhat more objective! – write-up of the event can be found here.)

And really – what could we have called it, but Slumdog Chillionaire? For anyone that’s still hankering after it – you can recreate it at home. And we may even serve it up as a special one day soon.

DISHOOM’S “PODIUM” SLUMDOG CHILLIONAIRE RECIPE 

1)    Soak the rajma overnight in cold water. Drain the water and replace with fresh water, then bring to a boil.

2)    Heat the oil and add the bayleaf, and then add the ginger and garlic paste. Saute to a nice golden brown.

3)    Add the onions and cook until browned.

4)    Add all the spice powders, including salt.

5)    Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.

6)    Add the boiled rajma and cook until the mixture thickens.

7)    Then add the lamb boti chunks in the rajma.

8)    Serve garnished with chopped coriander, a squeeze of lime and crispy fried onions, and some buttery fried bread.

LAMB BOTI KABAB RECIPE

We used this as the meat in our Slumdog Chillionaire – but it’s very good indeed on its own, straight from the grill.

1.      Pat the lamb dry with a paper towel and prick the chunks with a fork. Squeeze out any moisture from the meat.

2.      Mix all the other ingredients for the marinade. Add the chunks of lamb and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

3.      Skewer the chunks an inch apart and grill on a high heat for 3 minutes and turn. Cook for another 2 minutes.

4.      Baste with melted butter and then grill for another 3 minutes before serving hot.

On the story of Diwali – a guest blog post by master storyteller, Vayu Naidu

“The great thing about dark November days is that you can actually SEE the lights – amber skies, street lights with their haloes, electric signs, and bonfires with their candle flames and smell of cinnamon.

The festival of Diwali is a celebration of a legend that became epic in the hands of its first author – Valmiki. There have been at least nine others and their literary Ramayanas from the 4^th to the 19^th Century, and other regional variations across the world.

Ramayana is an epic tale, and really the first novel when you think of it – since 4^th century AD. But first, it was a novel that was told, spoken, sung and then it was written down. Rama was a prince with four brothers. Lakshmana was his brother, best friend and a sort of spiritual twin and they both set out early in life on an odyssey guided by a sage Vishwamitra. Rakshasa were ogre-like figures, but apart from their looks they were devious, negative fields of energy. So our epic hero’s mission was to destroy them. Rama and Lakshmana did, when they were 16, in Dandaka forest. Then Sage Viswamitra took them to a kingdom – Mithila, where a tournament was held. It was the kingdom of princess Sita – a young woman who had the spirit of fire and would challenge any injustice, and was loved by her family, friends and the kingdom for her intelligence, compassion, and beauty. Of the 500 princes who competed to lift the giant iron bow at the tournament, Rama was the one who not only lifted it, but broke it in two. He was the best suited for Sita – and so they married, but they were also in love. It wasn’t exactly “happily ever after” – and that’s what qualifies an epic as different from fairy tales! They loved each other, but more adventures were to follow, possibly to test their mettle.

When Rama was to be crowned King, his stepmother exiled Rama for 13 years out of the kingdom so her son Bharata could be king. Sita insisted she accompany Rama inspite of him dissuading her – there’s a wonderful village telling where an actor performing Sita says to the Rama actor in that great moment of improvisation as he pleads with her not to come: “Rama, in every Ramayana – Sita comes to the forest, if she doesn’t, there is no plot to the story!” Lakshmana insists on being their bodyguard during exile. Does Rama have a choice with two such strong-willed and loving people? The three of them set out on exile.

In the thirteenth year, Sita sees a ‘golden deer’. A crisis. This is a distraction that takes Rama and soon Lakshmana off the scene. A distraction by Ravana, the Emperor of the Rakshasa clan. He abducts Sita and keeps her captive in his exquisite garden Asokavan, hoping she will come to him of her own will.

Now comes the crux of the ethical dilemma – Rama, after months of grieving at the loss of Sita, meets Hanuman – an exiled Chief Minister of the monkey kingdom Vanara. Hanuman’s special powers enable him to find Sita, and when he asks her to return with him, she says: “Rama must fight this war of Right against Might. Ravana has tyrranised humanity long enough.”

This has become the central inspiration of the epic – and yes, it has championed and inspired many just causes, but we have to take exceptional care in not letting epics and its legendary characters become propagandist for chauvinistic uses – in any culture!

The war is fought, and now 14 years have passed. A village woman on a moonless night remembers it is time for Rama and Sita and Lakshmana to return. But she has only one diya (‘Di’ – in the Diwali) and hopes it will light their way. Soon her neighbours also start lighting their diyas, and all the streets are lit in the kingdom to welcome Rama and Sita, with Lakshmana and now Hanuman following their triumph over a dark time, and a Rakshasa’s dark reign, with light and liberty.

Let’s welcome Obama’s “The best is yet to come”. It’s a time for that kind of optimism that brings Light. A real triumph about getting serious about climate, economic downturn, and malicious politics. I’m remembering too, my father 90 years and still going, after he retired as an Indian Army Gurka General – Aban Naidu, who on this very day warded off an enemy air attack 70 years ago with the Allies in Burma. More stories of age and courage, and love and remembering – please!

Every year the story continues to be performed or retold at Ramlila or the ‘the play of Rama’s life’, in India’s 22 different languages with diverse versions to suit the terrain from  northern Punjab to southern Kanyakumari, western Gujarat, to eastern Assam – worldwide  and East Africa, and now, for the second year, here at Dishoom in London.

I couldn’t just stop here could I?  So as I was thinking of Sita, I thought I’d write a whole new novel titled Sita’s Ascent, about what happened to Sita after their return. Remember, she is nearly 30 now. It’s out in a few weeks from now.

Ever wondered why Indians didn’t write the story down in the first place? It’s about memory. Oral memory. And the sounds of words, the relish for language. At a time when people were not literate, because of their work, or indeed as women, the old stories were told, and performed so everyone heard them and knew them and passed them on by word of mouth. And in each telling and retelling of these stories they are nourished, like beautiful living things.”

- Vayu Naidu

Vayu is bringing to life the story of Diwali at Dishoom in two magical performances on Sunday 11th November 2012 – click here for details.

Dr. Vayu Naidu is a Storyteller and performer. She began her relish for language in ‘70s Bombay, from St. Xavier’s College round the corner from Irani Cafés where it all began. Her Ph.D from Unviersity of Leeds was on performing oral traditons of Ramayan and Mahabharata. As an artist and practitioner, her postdoctoral work combined art forms for storytelling with contemporary dance, world and western music both classical and contemporary, and digital arts: www.vayunaiducompany.org.uk was regularly funded for 12 years by Arts Council England. She now writes and trains and is setting up VISTA, a storytelling academy.

Her new novel titled ‘Sita’s Ascent’ is out in a few weeks – published by Penguin – and will be available in the UK.

CELEBRATING DIWALI IN BOMBAY (AND LONDON)

Bombay. This magnificent yet (at times) mad “maximum city” is heaving with people of all backgrounds, races and religions. A city groaning under the weight of its own success and darkly seductive appeal, a city hurtling towards its real and imagined destinations at breakneck speed. All the while bearing the bulk of its 20 million residents, each one clinging on for dear life.

In the midst of this perfect chaos, Diwali provides an occasion to stop, take a pause for breath, gather one’s loved ones, and celebrate all that is good in the world. With its symbolism of awakening, new joy and hope, the beginning of a new year, the festival of light brings people together in celebration, regardless of wealth or status, of race or background and even beliefs. Bombay is all people and all religions, and Bombay, as a city, celebrates Diwali with boundless passion.

In the days and weeks before Diwali, the excitement and gaiety flickers through Bombay like electricity. It gently brings all the members of the family and community back together, much like an old dadi (grandmother) lovingly knitting a sweater, pulling at loose ends, tugging at the corners, and reaffirming the ties that bind. Mothers and grandmothers embark on their annual frenzy of cleaning and tidying; each corner of the house is scrubbed bright; and the prized linen, crockery and silverware stored away for ‘best’ are taken out with a flourish for Diwali – the most special of occasions.

Each household ritual has its own sweet, nostalgic significance. But what matters is not the size of the home; whether the trappings of Diwali are luxurious and brand-new or carefully preserved hand-me-downs; or whether the car in the garage is a Mercedes or a Maruti. What matters in every home, from the smallest slum dwelling to the grandest Malabar Hill mansion, is that come dusk, each window and door is left open, and earthen oil lamps are lit to welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth.

The day of Diwali dawns: the Diwali story has been played out. The fearsome ten-headed demon Ravana has been defeated; Lord Rama and Hanuman are on their gloried return home, with Sita safely rescued from Ravana.

Homes are sparkling clean. Dinner tables groan with the weight of food painstakingly prepared throughout the day. Platters are laden with sweets (and filched by small, sticky fingers!). Miniature earthen lamps with cotton wicks are dipped in ghee, and lit as the sun sets. And families dressed in silken Diwali finery gather around as the dusky skyline is illuminated by firecrackers. Sparklers, pinwheels, rockets, ladi bombs, mithai, colourful celebrations, fun and laughter… this is the picture of Diwali in so many homes in India.

And this year, here in London, we would once again like to invite you to celebrate Diwali with us. We may not be in Bombay, but somehow we can all try and capture a little of its spirit and share it with each other.

Diwali at Dishoom this year

On Sunday 11th November, we’ve teamed up with the South Asian Literature Festival to celebrate the wonderful stories behind Diwali with a fun-packed family day of face-painting, pavement art and storytelling.

Dishoom’s spellbinding (and world-famous!) master storyteller Vayu Naidu will narrate the fabulous story of Rama, Sita and Hanuman. A tale of kidnapped princesses, daring and wonder, shape-shifting golden deer, chariots flying across skies, monkey gods leaping across oceans! Adults and children alike will be captivated.

So, bring your kids, your friends and yourselves and celebrate the Diwali story at Dishoom. Have a look at last year’s Facebook album to see all the fun that was had!

COVENT GARDEN

11am – 1pm – Pavement Rangoli and face-painting for kids and adults of all ages – transform yourself into a colourful character from the Diwali story or have your face decorated with a delicate design.

At 11.30am – Vayu Naidu, story-teller extraordinaire, tells the story of Diwali, princes, princesses and monkey gods! (roughly 45 mins)

SHOREDITCH

At 4.30pm – a welcoming glass of Diwali Punch (or Chocolate Chai for the teetotallers and young ones)

At 5pm – Vayu Naidu will give a second performance of the marvellous story of Diwali. (around 45 mins)

At 6pm – mithai (Indian sweets) and sweet paan for all.

Make a reservation here 

(There’s absolutely no charge for any of the special activities – all are welcome. Of course, you’re very welcome to eat with us too before or after the activities. You don’t have to reserve a table if you’d like to eat, but if there’s a large group of you it might be a good idea.)

Siblings can be frustrating, can’t they? Know-it-all elder sisters. Pesky little brothers, bullying big ones. There’s always naughtiness, teasing, sniffling, snitching. Sharing, borrowing, breaking, side-taking. As we crawl past toddler-hood, jostle one another through childhood, mope into teenage angst and emerge, somewhat baffled and bruised by the transition, into adult life, we come to know each other only too well (and of course, we get especially good at knowing how to wind each other up). There’s no airs and graces amongst siblings. No boundaries between us – you might try to put them there, but they’ll no doubt be trampled down again. These are relationships of tears and tantrums, just as much as of fun and laughter.

Yet despite (and because of!) this proximity, the endless chafing and bickering, a unique bond develops. Friendships and partnerships ebb and flow over time, and life may take you in odd directions, but your siblings will always be a part of you, and you will come to be glad of that. It will no longer matter whose colouring book it was (and in truth, it never really mattered – just saying). Although you might never admit it, those careworn hand-me-down clothes that you claimed to resent can actually be comforting in their familiarity.

Your siblings are your confidantes, your playmates, your partners in crime. They’re your own personal compass to guide you when you need guiding, and anchor you when you’re getting carried away. They’ll shoo you away from danger and encourage you towards your goals. They buck up your burdens when they’re too heavy to shoulder alone, scold you (rightly!) when you’re out of line, share your deepest secrets, and are a truly lifelong source of joy, support and companionship. You knew them from birth, and you will know them all your life.

The festival of Raksha Bandhan celebrates this most enduring of bonds. According to the Hindu legend, in order to protect the good people, Lord Krishna had killed the evil King Shishupal. During the battle, Krishna was left with a bleeding finger. Seeing this, Draupadi (Krishna’s sakhi – beloved friend) immediately tore off a strip of cloth from her sari and tied it around his wrist to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna was deeply touched by her concern, and declared himself bounded by her sisterly love, and vowed to repay this debt by protecting Draupadi whenever she was in need.

And so Raksha Bandhan came to be the embodiment of this deep sense of loyalty and protection, a celebration of the love that exists between a brother and sister. On the day of the festival, the first day of the lunar month of Shravan, the sister prepares a pooja thali (plate) bearing red kumkum powder, a rakhi (piece of thread), and her brother’s favourite mithai (traditional Indian sweets). The sister prays for raksha (protection) over him, and puts a tilak on his forehead (smudginess often correlates directly to the sister’s mischievousness!). She ties the rakhi around the wrist of her brother, and feeds him the mithai. In return, the brother promises to return her love and protect her from life’s harms, and offers her a gift.

The ceremony now complete, the band laced around his wrist is thought to be stronger than a metal chain, thanks to the bond between them.

This year, Raksha Bandhan falls on Thursday, August 2nd. To celebrate this gentle festival of love and loyalty, from Thursday to Sunday we’ll provide rakhis and a special pooja thali for your ceremonies, along with our favourite, festive chocolate barfi.

So, faithful sisters, bring your brothers… and protective brothers, bring your sisters! It’ll be an honour to be part of your Raksha Bandhan this year, so if you come as a pair to celebrate at Dishoom on August 2nd, it definitely deserves a drink on us.

Last week, millions of Muslims around the world embarked on the month-long cycle of fasting, prayer and reflection that is Ramadan – the holiest month of the Islamic calendar. Despite the day’s length and the sun’s summer strength, no morsel of food or drop of liquid will pass their lips from dawn until nightfall, when they may finally break their fast.

But the spirit of Ramadan goes beyond the ritual of fasting and purifying oneself. The essence of this sacred month – during which the first chapters of the holy Qur’an were first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him – truly lies in the spirit of sharing and giving. This warmth of spirit is seen every evening in families coming together to joyfully break their fasts at nightfall, and in the many acts of compassion towards the less fortunate, from donations to charity to gifts of food to the poor.

During Ramadan, an early, hearty breakfast prepares the body for the challenging day ahead. The day passes, and towards nightfall, anticipation builds. As the sun sinks beneath the skyline, the family gathers around the dining table, recounting the day’s events, sharing jokes and complimenting the women in the household for their skilful preparation of the iftar meal. Or perhaps a visit to the mosque, to join with one’s Muslim brothers and sisters for a communal banquet, shared between tens or even hundreds. After dark, no-one goes hungry.

Ramadan culminates with Eid al-Fitr, this year in mid-August, following the sighting of the moon which marks the advent of a new Islamic month. The evening before Eid, which is known as Chaand Raat (night of the moon) is a celebration filled with joy and excitement. It signifies the end of a period of self-discipline and the beginning of great festivities – and of course, the copious amounts of delicious food that comes with them. The evening is filled with last-minute visits to tailors, adding the finishing touches to the brand-new outfits customarily worn at Eid; a trip to the barber’s may also be in order. The atmosphere buzzes with the chatter of cousins and friends decorating one another’s hands with intricate henna patterns; the air is scented with seductive aromas emanating from the kitchen, as the Eid feast is prepared.

At last, the morning of Eid al-Fitr dawns. Families wake, prepare, visit the mosque to perform the communal morning prayers. Dressed in their new clothes, they spend the day visiting relatives to pay their respects and receive their blessings. Feasting continues throughout the day, as every household invariably serves their guests a dizzying array of festive dishes, from hearty haleem garnished with ginger, green chillies and caramelized onions, to seviyan and Sheer Khurma, a signature Eid dish in Asian Muslim households.

But although the feasts are fondly recalled after the event, at its heart, Eid is truly a time for families to forgive past grievances, create treasured memories, and come together to rejoice in each other’s company.

Guest post by Rida Bilgrami – read more of her work on her blog

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So, in the spirit of the celebration, we’re serving a special Eid feast from Sunday 19th August (when Eid is likely to begin – depending on the moon’s sighting, of course). We’ll also have a paan-wallah and mehndi-walli on hand for all to enjoy – so we really hope you can join in the festivities with us!

In the meantime, we wish Ramadan Kareem to all our Muslim friends. May your prayers and fasts be accepted.

(Oh, and we’ll have some dates available every day to break your fast – just ask!)

All chicken and lamb served at Dishoom is always sourced from Halal certified suppliers.

Holi is a chance to shed inhibitions and indulge in merrymaking

Bura na mano, Holi hai!
(Or for the non-Desis amongst us, ‘Don’t get offended, it’s Holi!’)

There’s nothing quite like Holi. Literally, you have to see it to believe it.

All over India, hordes of ordinary people seem to lose their collective minds, abandon all sense of decorum and go a bit wild on the streets, chasing and pelting each other with gulal (coloured powders). As the vibrant powders are unleashed on enthusiastic – or unsuspecting – revellers, social boundaries are blurred with colour and for that one crazy day, anything goes.

The Holi festival comes around on the day after the full moon each March. Its roots lie in a Hindu legend, in which the wicked Holika, the sister of the demon Hiranyakashaypu, meets her demise in a blazing fire, and the good child Prahalad escapes unharmed. Holi celebrates this triumph of good over evil, the power of Prahalad’s faith, and it heralds the end of winter, spring’s grateful rebirth.

It has also become a chance (or more accurately, an excuse!) for Indians to shed their tightly-held inhibitions. The usual social strictures are delightfully subverted, leaving us free to indulge in feverish colour-play and light-hearted merrymaking. The fact that bhang (cannabis) is traditionally consumed at Holi, in thandai, lassi or pakoras, only casts a happy glow over  the playful nature of proceedings.

It could only be Holi when an employee dumps a bucket of coloured powder over his most senior colleague without fear of recrimination. Or when a usually conservative maasi (aunty) ends up soaked to the skin with dye, or when a younger brother flirts outrageously with his bhabhi (sister-in-law). Who can forget the scene in Vikram Seth’s ‘A Suitable Boy’, in which Maan – high on bhang – gently terrorises his bhabhi and dunks a college professor in a bathtub of pink liquid? Magical.

And by breaking down these social boundaries, Holi also brings us all together, regardless of caste, religion or social status. It’s a chance for us to forgive past transgressions and extend the hand of peace; a day of chaos and joyful, exuberant mess that can somehow wipe the slate clean.

This year * at Dishoom, we wanted to celebrate this slightly barmy, fun-filled festival of Holi.

Of course, we had to figure out the practicalities of doing Holi over here – what with bhang not being that legal, and the lack of open space to play colours in (we definitely didn’t like the idea of a cleaning bill from Westminster Council). But in our own way, we’re bringing Holi to London.

From next week, we’ll be decorating Dishoom with brightly coloured kites and Holi bunting, and colourful chalk Holi colours will adorn the pavement outside (we thought it would be fun to do a rangoli at Holi!)

We’ll be serving a Holi menu and a selection of specially created Holi drinks, including a ‘Naughty Holi Lassi’, served with rum and generous helpings of our version of gulal – flavoured sugar-powders that you add and mix to your flavour and colour taste. Or go for the Bhang Lassi – with rum instead of bhang – if you want to keep it traditional (without breaking the law!). And our special HoliBollybellini is a Bollybellini with a twist – the addition of colourful spherified Bollybellini pearls.

Then on Thursday 8^th and Friday 9^th March – the days the celebrations really kick off in India – our staff will be given the Holi treatment (that means they’ll be welcoming you covered in traditional coloured powders!) And of course, we’ll be serving traditional mithai to all our guests.

There’s also some cool (passworded) Holi freebies on their way so keep an eye out for these on Facebook and Twitter.

So – we very much look forward to celebrating Holi with you here in London, and wish you a very happy Holi!

PS. Who knows? Next year we might find a way to actually play Holi in London. Interested? Let us know below!

* This information was published for our 2012 Holi celebrations. For 2013, we’ve something much bigger and better planned – see www.dishoom.com/holi to find out more…

People in the West assume that Valentine’s Day is a Western tradition. But we at Dishoom know better.

Last year we learnt the true origins of the festival, explaining how Valentine’s Day (or more accurately, Velan-times Day) started. It was all down to the rolling pin of freedom – the humble velan.

This year, the story continues, with a daring rescue of the wife from treacherous villains in the nick of time, allowing the happy couple to celebrate a romantic Velantimes Day dinner together.

You can see the original explanation for Velantime’s here and the other Desi Couple videos here!

]]> http://www.dishoom.com/2012/02/velantimes-day-ii-velan-shakti-by-the-power-of-the-rolling-pin/feed/ 1 http://www.dishoom.com/2011/11/turkey/ http://www.dishoom.com/2011/11/turkey/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:09:09 +0000 sara http://www.dishoom.com/?p=3537 Christmas Turkey. Now be honest. Does the thought of it fill you with excitement? Does it make your taste buds stand to attention?

Probably not. Everyone seems to have a memory of a Christmas dinner that turned out appallingly – insipid meat, flabby sprouts – and the mere idea of cooking a roast fowl can send some people into a decline.

So naturally, we felt it was our responsibility to rescue Dishoom-wallahs from this pit of turkey despair. A noble mission to turn this uninspiring meat into something amazing. Something that friends would squabble over the scraps of. A Bombay Party in your mouth, so to speak.

One of our absolute favourite Indian dishes is Raan, a whole leg of lamb, slow-cooked until the meat is so tender it’s falling off the bone. Much-celebrated and more than a little lavish, and therefore quite fitting for Christmas. And in a slightly inspired (read crazy) move we decided to try it with turkey instead – and the results were absolutely phenomenal. Our chef Naved Nasir could actually be a genius. Perhaps a superhero, like in that new Sharukh Khan movie. That’s going a bit far, but you get the idea…

Unlike a traditional roast, we marinate the meat and cook it slowly over a whole day to keep maximum moisture and flavour. We cover the turkey leg with a dry rub of salt and chilli followed by ginger and garlic paste, then allow it to rest and absorb the flavours. The marinated meat is braised over several hours in a rich stock spiced with star anise, black cardamom and bay leaves, before being grilled over charcoal. Finally, in a nod to old-school British traditions, a little tasty charring and a tiny bit of theatre (it IS Christmas, after all) – we serve it flambéed with a shot of brandy.

Rich, moist and packed with flavour, Flaming Turkey Raan is the antidote to every disappointing Christmas dinner you’ve ever had…

And let’s not forget the accompaniments – the turkey comes with a fiery-sweet chutney made with cranberries and red chillies. And zingy Bombay Potatoes and Masala Winter Greens round off an altogether pretty spectacular dish.

Having given the traditional meal a dramatic Dishoom makeover, Christmas also wouldn’t be Christmas without champagne – so we created our awesome ‘Cherry Chocolate Velvet’ cocktail, made with dark chocolate liqueur and homemade black cherry syrup.

And no matter how full you feel, it will be impossible to resist finishing off your feast with our melt-in-the-mouth Chilli Mince Pies and a glass of Naughty Chai.

So this Christmas say no to dull-as-dishwater dinners, and come and try a Bombay Christmas feast in London.

Christmas menu at Dishoom – 14th November – 24th December 2011

Cold, rainy morning, not very long ago in a comfortable booth at Dishoom on St Martin’s Lane.

A motley crew of Dishoom-wallahs, mulling over ideas for Christmas.

ST: (staring intently at glass of Chai) I know I sound like a scratched Mohamed Rafi vinyl, but our Chai is rocking. There is no better Chai this side of Colaba Causeway. (That’s in Bombay. India. By the way.)

BT: (Wearing black hat and Wayfarers, inappropriately, for the setting is indoors) Can’t beat it. Drives away the blues, when you got dem blues…(pulls out sitar and breaks into a blues riff…)

All: (murmurs, wise nods of agreement)

CB: Ah yes. Drives away dem blues….like a bottle of the good stuff….

ST: OMG. LOL. That’s it!

KT: WTF?

ST: Yaar. That’s totally what we should do for Christmas. The only thing better than our Chai, would be our Chai….with benefits.

BT: (eyebrow raised) Like, pimp my Chai?

ST: Well yeah, but more like naughty chai. Sexed up Chai. You know.

CB: Hmm. It’s gonna have to have a bit of a kick for it to be Christmassy.

BT: Or… how about Bailey’s and Chai…

CB: How about Chai with Dark Chocolate Syrup, chocolate shavings, a little Bourbon, cream.

All: (sharp intake of breath, followed by glances of admiration)

BT: I love it when a plan comes together (chomps cigar…)

And so it came to pass that the Yuletide season brought forth our naughty Chais.

That very same evening, the hot bar-wallahs took a few drams of good stuff (Bourbon, Rum, Cognac) and stuck them in Dishoom Chai. And they saw that it was good and it pleased them.

They dare you not to be tempted by Naughty Chocolate Chai – with dark chocolate liqueur, chocolate shavings, Bourbon and Chai.

And Bailey’s Chai is an outrageous treat. Warm, luxurious, and topped with a layer of fresh cream.

Or Chai Egg Nog – as festive as it gets. With Hennessy VS and dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon.

It’s like a warm hug from a familiar friend. Who you suddenly realise is really pretty sexy. (So then, naturally, you’ll want another one.)

And if for any reason you don’t fancy a Naughty Chai (Hello? Anyone?!?), you can also keep out the chill in the air with a gorgeous Winter Pimm’s, served warm with Calvados and cloudy apple juice, gently spiced. Or sip on our Desi Mulled Wine, infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and black pepper.

Try them. They’re outrageously good. Seriously, if your Christmas isn’t merry after these naughty Dishoom treats, we’ll eat our slightly old and dirty Indian Christmas party hats.

Available from 14th November.

Click here for the Naughty Chai menu