h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hey! Have you really done this? Was it as good as it sounds?

I started to prepare one for the visit of some old friends last week, then my wife went down with flu and we had to postpone the visit for 3 weks, so I put the lamb, complete with spice paste, in the freezer after it had already marinated for 24 hrs (give or take).

I'm really looking forward to cooking and (more especially) eating this!

You sound like a lady afer my own heart..whatever that means.

I've done one or two unconventional Christmas dinners myself, if you're interested in swapping notes.

Hi Stephen!

Yes I've really done this on more than one occasion and it is fantastic every time!

I was introduced to Indian food when I was very young (about 5). My dad used to go to one of the very first Indian restaurants in London (the Khyber Pass) and when the chef wanted to move out of London my dad followed! He went to a place in Leytonstone which was very handy as it was just 5 minutes from where we lived! Our family (mum, dad, me and my sis) together with another family used to go the restaurant every Friday night for about 8 years! We had our own table there and us kids used to go and "help" in the kitchen. I have actually cooked a Naan bread in a tandoor! Anyway, one day Mahmood - the owner of the restaurant - invited us along for a private Sunday lunch. He introduced us to what he called Kurzi Lamb aka Raan!

We asked for the recipe and tried it ourselves a few months later! Have never looked back!

You must go for it - take the lamb out of the freezer 3 days before the dinner party and thaw it in the fridge - make the yoghurt and almond sauce and put it on the lamb the next day and keep turning it. Don't be surprised if the meat falls apart when you serve it - and as for the bone - it will be there but it won't be obvious!

We served it with home made pilau rice and a vegetable bhajia. Delish!

You must let me know how it goes!

Must go and have dinner now! Good luck!

As for unconventional Xmas dinners - the year before last we had Beef Wellington with home made chicken liver pate and the year before that we had Fajitas and all the accompaniments (re-fried beans, guacamole, salsa etc)

Thank you for your reply! You clearly know a fair bit about Indian food and I appreciate your advice/comments.

We did leg of Lamb in puff-pastry for Christmas one year, though I don't remember all the details. I was working Christmas day that year and didn't cook it. Two of the ones I am most proud of though have already been mentioned in a guide entry but Idon't remember the title or number.

They were both vegetarian, the first being a Chestnut Loaf made with fresh chestnuts, bread-crumbs, onions, herbs, garlic and sherry. I actually made this up as I went along. It turned out delicious and huge. Went on for at least as long as a turkey would have. In fact I seem to remember that we froze half of it and had it some months later. We served it with roast potatoes and vegetables.

The other was a vast pasta pie with all sorts of vegeatable and mozarella cheese in it. It was a rather chaotic lunch party with 11 people eating in 2 rooms (our dining room was 10 ft by 7 and seated 6 at a tight squeeze but we has a large L-shaped entrance hall next door where we put the other table!)3 of those present were veggy - hence the pie - and we did a turkey as well. Only about 3 people had the bird but the pie - enough for about 20 I thought - was demolished. Very gratifying. I got that recipe from the BBC Food and Drink show and probably still have it somewhere.

I love very full-flavoured food, probably due to having my taste-buds ruined by boarding-school and military mess eating. Indian and Italian are amongst my favouties but my tastes are pretty catholic.

AS long as it'snot dull, I really enjoy both cooking and eating it.

Stephen