barbecue evening with ranji, anna, pori and miku

Hot spring day. Rather impromptu barbecue get-together of Gogoi's in England when Anna rang at lunch time to confirm that she would visit us in the evening - Anna and Ranji (sister and brother) originally from Coventry, and Miku and Pori (husband and wife of just over a year) from Leeds. Pori is a grand-daughter of one my father-in-law's younger sisters (Pehi). Yep - relationships in Assam remain firm through generations. And Pori happens to be the name of Anna's mother too!

A real explosion of flavours from different corners of the world. Meats were marinated only after Anna rang - but they still got about four hours wallowing unashamedly with fresh chopped herbs and freshly ground spices. A coal barbecue adds that definitive summer touch but an electric or gas grill will do the job perfectly. And if some smoke flavouring is available for the kitchen alternative, pour it on. Found 'smoke' flavour in a bottle on a trip to New York but have not come across it in English or French supermarkets as yet.

Unfortunately, this was the only picture that was taken that evening. Somehow, ended up relaxing too much to even remember to take pictures.

menu

chicken in a lemon and olive oil marinade

lamb kebabs in a spicy yoghurt marinade

pork ribs in a soy sauce and ginger marinade with a secret ingredient

sea bass with spices (recipe another time!!) - picture missing as we started to eat while the fish was being barbecued

grilled aubergine slices brushed with olive oil and garlic, in a pomegranate molasses dressing

green leaves salad drizzled with olive oil and raspberry vinegar

fennel and apple straws in mayonnaise

steamed couscous with barberries

thai fragrant rice with coconut milk

tomato 'tok' - tomato relish with raisins

Jersey royal new potatoes with olive oil and sea salt

and to satisfy the sweet toothed

mango mousse

zarda - sweet rice with nuts and raisins

Recipe for Chicken in a lemon and olive oil marinade

Family find chicken breasts too dry. So drumsticks and thighs are perfect for us. Size of lemons vary - so if the lemons are small, use two.

8 chicken thighs (or legs), boned

grated zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

3 tbsp olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

Marinate the chicken with the other ingredients and barbecue for about fifteen minutes - cooks quicker since the bones have been removed.

Recipe for lamb kebabs in a spicy yoghurt marinade

I like shoulder of lamb for kebabs that need to be barbecued. It does not get dry as the marbling of fat keeps it moist and tender. Be careful not to overcook them either. You do not want to be chewing on a piece of overcooked meat.

Ingredients :

1 large shoulder of lamb, bone removed and cubed into 5 cm pieces

1 tbsp freshly ground cumin

1 tbsp freshly ground coriander

1 tbsp garam masala

Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp red chilli powder

Method

Mix the spices and the yoghurt together. Marinate the meat in this mixture. Once the fire in the barbecue is ready, thread the meat onto skewers interspersed with pieces of pepper and red onions ( I used red, yellow and green peppers). No hard and fast rules!!

Barbecue each for about ten minutes turning often - depends on heat of barbecue!!

Recipe for pork ribs in a soy sauce and ginger marinade with a secret ingredient

The secret ingredient is - tomato ketchup!!! We used Heinz. (Not endorsing any products; it's just that we have been using the same brand for years and know that it has never let us down on taste). Using kethchup means that a whole lot of other ingredients are not required. They are sticky and finger licking good.

Ingredients

1 kg meaty pork ribs

3 tbsp soy sauce

5 to 8 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp dried crushed red chillies

salt to taste

Method

Boil the ribs first for about ten minutes in the kitchen. Drain and dry with kitchen towels. Boiling the ribs means that the cooking time on the barbecue is reduced and ensures that the ribs will cook properly.

Mix the soy sauce with the ginger, ketchup and chillies and lather this mix all over the ribs. Use a flat dish to marinate in so that all the pieces can enjoy the 'mud bath'. Barbecue on a hot grill brushing the pieces with the left over marinade in the dish.

Recipe for grilled aubergine slices brushed with olive oil and garlic, in a pomegranate molasses dressing

Pomegranate molasses is wonderful - it is sweet and tart at the same time and has a pure rich viscosity that manages a caressing touch. We love it. We love aubergines too. And if fresh pomegranates are available, sprinkle the seeds over the aubergines. They make a fantastic combination.

Aubergines are 'greedy' when it comes to oil - be generous.

Aubergines come in different sizes - so if they are small, use two or three. Most supermarkets sell what I would term small ones, whereas the ethnic shops often sell quite large ones.

Ingredients :

1 large aubergine or two small ones, cut into 1/2 cm round slices

2 tsp pureed garlic (mash up about six fat garlic cloves with some sea salt in a mortar and pestle)

125 ml - 150 ml extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

a handful of fresh parsley, chopped finely

Method

Mix the garlic with the olive oil and salt. Brush the aubergine slices generously on both sides with this mix. Grill the slices on the barbecue turning them every few minutes until the slices are cooked. They will become creamy soft and you will notice 'holes' in the flesh. There is nothing worse than uncooked aubergines.

When the slices are cooked, transfer to a serving dish. Add the pomegranate molasses all over the slices and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Ranji is a first year Physics student. A 'doggy' bag with some of the leftovers was immensely appreciated.