This year has been a busy one. After figuring out how to send Bacon Naan Rolls in the post, we then found a way to send delicious, part-prepped meals to your homes, and soon Home Feasts were being enjoyed in houses (and gardens, campsites, caravans..!) all over the UK.
However, there was one common complaint: the star dishes are Sheekh Kabab and Murgh Malai, and this meant our vegetarian friends felt a little left out. Of course, in Bombay, vegetarian dishes abound. From street food stalls to lavish banquets, there is no need of meat to provide a fulsome feast, and many Bombayites forgo it happily. This is one of the reasons our restaurant and delivery menus are so vegetarian-friendly, and so it was obvious, in hindsight, that the Dishoom Store needed to catch up.
In response, Chef Naved and his inventions-wallas busied themselves again, and now we’re very glad to be able to send you a delicious, hearty, entirely vegetarian meal at home by way of the Biryani Feast.
Slow-cooked, layered and aromatic, the Biryani traces its origins to Iran. The traditional method is long, complex and requires a good amount of skill and attention. Gratifyingly, Chef Naved has cleverly found a way to provide a welcome shortcut to a first-class Biryani along with a range of vegetarian favourites, ready for you to dish up and share with your fortunate loved ones in the comfort of your own home.
We’ll also send an ample range of other Dishoom favourites: Mattar Paneer, House Black Daal, Kachumber, Raita, Bhel, Tawa Rotis and Gulkand Mess to finish. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will be delighted (and very, very full!).
Your at-home feast is accompanied by a creamy and refreshing Mango Lassi, and you may also opt for a bottle of natural Italian sparkling wine from top-notch independent producers, Integrale. A fetching Dishoom tea towel is also included for good measure (and for keeping your rotis nicely warmed).
The Biryani Feast serves 3–4 people generously and may be ordered now with nominated day delivery up to three months in advance!
Prepared with love by Dishoom chefs, kits are delivered nationwide* before 10pm on your chosen date. For every kit you enjoy, we donate a meal to Akshaya Patra.
Jackfruit Biryani – Jackfruit is the star of this vegetarian version of the legendary Irani café special. In India, it is used (unripe and savoury) in biryanis, and renouncers and lovers of meat alike relish its exceptional savour and satisfying bite. Marinated with a special blend of spices for deep, rich flavour, layer your jackfruit with seasoned rice and anoint with luxurious saffron, cream and a little butter – a golden touch before sealing for baking (traditionally this is done with dough, but foil will also do nicely). Crispy fried onions are also included for essential sweetness and crunch. Dig deep with your spoon when serving to ensure all hungry guests enjoy its multi-layered delight.
House Black Daal – Dishoom’s signature dish, dark, rich, deeply flavoured. A labour of love cooked over 24 hours for extra harmony (though it will take mere minutes in your own kitchen!)
Mattar Paneer – A steadfast, humble and delicious vegetarian curry with a rich tomato base, sweet peas and mild Indian cheese. Warm your heart with its heartiness.
Kachumber – Whole tomatoes, cucumbers and onions ready to chop and mix with coriander and lime juice for freshness and crunch.
Raita – Delicate minty yoghurt, for mellowness.
Bhel – A tempting delicacy, and sunset snack of choice on Chowpatty Beach. Puffed rice, peanuts, Bombay Mix and nylon sev tossed with fresh pomegranate, tomato, onion, lime, tamarind and mint – cold and crunchy, light and lovely.
Tawa Rotis – Three dough balls artfully handmade with wholemeal atta flour ready to be rolled out and gently browned. Lighter than a naan, these will counter the richness of your Home Feast nicely.
Gulkand Mess – Strawberries in rose syrup, muddled with fresh cream and meringue. Sweet, indulgent, sublime.
Teatowel – Finest quality organic cotton, with a pleasing "Dishoom Textiles" design. Generously sized, and something you will enjoy using for years to come.
Salted Butter – Milk of renowned quality, churned in the traditional way in Somerset for finishing your Biryani and generously slathering onto freshly made rotis.
Mango Lassi – Superior yoghurt blended with fresh mango pulp. Welcome coolness.
You may also upgrade your kit to include a bottle of organic sparkling Italian wine.
Int3gral3 Organic Unfiltered Frizzante Bianco, NV, Trento – A delicious natural wine with just the right body to complement these flavourful dishes. Gently fizzing with lively sparkles and a cloud of white flowers with a dry grapefruit bite. Naturally lower in alcohol (10.5%) but mirth is likely.
*Delivery area covers the UK mainland (except Northern Ireland), with some exclusions in Scotland and Channel Islands due to the transit time required. Regretfully, no changes or substitutions can be made to this kit. Must be consumed within two days of delivery.
We often find it too easy to hurtle through the days, in an attempt to outpace the bustling city – be it London or Bombay – which always seems to be running away like a steam-engine train on a rickety track. Occasionally, it does us good to pause for thought, to disembark the carriage and sit on the platform awhile.
How does one create a space where people can truly connect over food? How can a host make their guests feel relaxed, at ease, and suitably cared for? Since launching our all-new Dishoom Crockery, we have been pondering the answers to these questions even more than usual. We recently discussed them with Creative Director - and frequent dinner party hostess - Kirthanaa Naidu when we invited her to create a first-class tablescape in our Canary Wharf café.
Each year, the spring equinox – when day and night are equal length – marks a transition in earth’s relationship with the sun. This event, sacred to many cultures throughout history, today thrives as a new year celebration for hundreds of millions.
In Bombay, London, and throughout the South Asian diaspora, you’ll find many folks of the Zoroastrian faith (amongst others) celebrating this new year, or Navroz as we like to call it.
A nurturing presence, neatly packed lunches, and homes that exude warmth – radiating from the walls and from the person within. In uncertain times, we look to the motherly figures in our lives for gentle guidance, affection and life’s most important lessons. For those looking to show gratitude this Mother’s Day, new curiosities have appeared on the Dishoom Store. We hope to impart a little inspiration as we share gifts to guarantee warm smiles.