Aktar Islam’s Indian-style barbecue menu

The mains

Rajasthani-style smoked short rib
A showstopper at any barbecue, this incredible piece of meat is brined, marinated, slow-cooked until tender, then given a final lick of smoke and char over the coals to create something memorable. The rich sauce served alongside is the perfect accompaniment, allowing the smoky beef and delicate marinade to shine through. This really is something special.

Goan-style recheado sea bream
Recheado (‘stuffed’ in Portuguese) is a fiery, tangy masala from Goa in southwest India, which was once a Portuguese colony. The use of vinegar is what makes this region’s cooking unique, and it’s key to the fiery recheado paste, which is slathered over a beautiful whole but boneless bream, brightened with a citrus-heavy dressing.

Indian-style barbecue lamb chops with mint and coriander chutney
This is a special marinade that lets the flavour of the lamb shine through. Instead of lots of ground spices, the yogurt-based marinade is full of sweetness from dates and sultanas, aromatics from ginger and garlic, heat and acidity from chillies and lemon, and plenty of depth thanks to caramelised onions. The balance in flavours is stunning, and the overnight marination means the lamb is super tender.

The vegetarian barbecue dishes and sides

Achaari paneer shashlik (skewers)
Achaar is the Indian word for pickle, and achaari-style dishes are made using a similar spice blend, with yogurt carrying all that pickle flavour in the marinade. These paneer skewers (‘shashlik’ is derived from the Turkish word ‘shish’ and refers to anything cooked on a skewer) are simple to put together and they char up wonderfully over the fire.

North Indian barbecue ‘adraki’ cauliflower
Adraki (ginger) should give you a clear hint at what this comforting cauliflower dish has as its flavour profile. Ginger appears in three forms: finely chopped, as a paste and as a powder. Cream, yogurt and cream cheese all carry the flavours of the ground spices, with cashew butter and ghee adding to the richness.

Indian-style roast squash salad
This is a proper centrepiece salad, with each layer or element delicious in its own right. A spiced tempered yogurt forms the base for some herby dressed grains, which are then topped with roast squash, charred broccoli and little pieces of crispy sweetcorn ‘bhaji’ fritters. It looks like a lot of work, but it’s actually pretty simple and the vast majority can be done in advance. 

Smoky apple chutney
A smoky, sweet and fiery chutney, this one is unusual in that you char and burn some of the ingredients first (just like when making Mexican salsas). It’s wonderful with most things, especially barbecued meat.

Next: browse more brilliant barbecue recipes.