I only had “extra hot” Indian chili powder, so I halved it and added paprika powder for the other half, and pan friend the chicken later, because we don’t have a grill.

Prepare all the ingredients first is my tip here as there is a lot of prep for the chopping of onions and garlic to do! My mind is still down and out, sifting around in the dregs of ’23 but of course it knows that I should really straighten my back, raise my chin and look squarely up into the cold new light of ’24. However, it is a wonderful personal diary/travel/history book (with recipes thrown in) and if that is your thing, you will not be disappointed.

I made the salad exactly as directed, I only left out the chopped chili and the cilantro because my sweetie doesn’t eat either (although luckily she was just fine with the hint of heat from the dressing! I took a shortcut and blitzed the whole (peeled and cooked) potatoes in a food processor with the cornflour etc. Dishoom have released a short video where their head chef, Naved Nasir, talks about and makes the Dishoom Black Daal. However, I promise that once you dive into Indian cooking and realize just how simple it can be you will be seeking out new recipes to use up your bounty, just as I do.

We had it with homemade cheddar naan, but it would go great with just about anything: basmati rice, garlic naan, or even more chicken via Dishoom’s chicken biryani (biryani is like a mixed rice). It takes an awful lot of time to cook; more time, I think, than is outlined in the original recipe but it’s absolutely worth the effort. Jackfruit doesn't appeal to me at all but I thought i'd give this a go and the flavours are incredible. Pi Day with this Vietnamese take on Aussie-style pies: buttery pie crust stuffed with pork, shallots, and wood ear mushrooms seasoned with fish sauce.I know you didn’t really mean it but your comment regarding the best Indian food did rub me off the wrong way… Very hard to fathom that our coloniser took our culture, food etc.