Ravinder Bhogal’s epic New Year’s Eve menu

Meet Ravinder

In 2007 Ravinder made the unusual leap from journalism to a career in food and, in 2016, opened her restaurant Jikoni, in London’s Marylebone. It serves food inspired by Ravinder’s background (born in Kenya to Indian parents) and celebrates the cookery of the UK’s diverse immigrant cultures. She’s written three successful cookery books, writes for various publications and is a regular on TV cookery shows. Follow Ravinder on Instagram.

A note from Ravinder

“After weeks of holiday excess and indulgence, it’s not surprising that our palates begin to feel a little jaded come New Year’s Eve. The thought of another roast dinner makes me yawn. Instead, I crave fresh, vibrant and gutsy flavours, so I’ve looked to Asia – specifically Thailand – for inspiration. This isn’t a traditional Thai meal; rather it’s a fun, modern menu accented with a kaleidoscope of bold flavours, from lime leaves and lemongrass to fish sauce and coconut.

I like to welcome my guests with a glass of something charismatic to start, and a refreshing take on a gimlet with a zesty Thai basil syrup is evocative of sunnier climes – it’s a good mood in a glass. Because there’s nothing messier than a cocktail without something to soak it up, you’ll find the pork larb buns, which disappear in just a few punchy bites, are the perfect accompaniment. Packed with Thai herbs and assertive chilli, they’re a much more alluring prospect than a trad sausage roll.

For the main course, rather than plating up individually, I like to have guests congregating around a centrepiece that feels celebratory, accompanied by platters and bowls of sides to be passed around the table. Finally, crack into the silky tropical crème brulée as the clock strikes midnight and you’re guaranteed a joyful ending to 2024 and a happy transition to 2025!”

The menu

Thai basil gimlets
“A gimlet can be made with either gin or vodka, but I prefer a dry gin with citrus notes, like Sipsmith or Tanqueray. The Thai basil syrup brings a wonderful herbaceous note to this classically tart drink, which wakes up the appetite.”

Mini larb buns
“These wonderful buns are stuffed with pork and prawns, plus chilli, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, herbs and lime. You can sub in any ground meat, chopped mushrooms or even a plant-based mince.”

Fragrant roast monkfish with green curry beurre blanc and crispy noodles
“I’ve used monkfish here because I love its dense and meaty texture, but lobster or giant prawns would also be great. Cook the fish with the bone in as it helps to keep the fish moist. Present the whole tail, to be carved at the table for a sense of occasion.”

Pineapple and green bean rice
“When you’re hosting and have a million things to do, embrace convenience. Ready-cooked rice is jazzed up with a spiky curry paste and fresh, juicy chunks of pineapple – no one will be able to tell the rice came out of a pouch.”

Smashed brussels sprouts with peanut nam jim
“This recipe will convert even the staunchest sprout haters, thanks to the addictive hot, sweet and sour dressing. Smashing the sprouts gives you more surface area, meaning more charring and irresistible crispy bits. It also gives you crevices for the dressing to soak into.”

Passion fruit and coconut crème brûlée
“This silky, tropical-twist crème brûlée is indulgent yet refreshing, made with a handful of ingredients. It’s especially brilliant because it benefits from being made the day before.”

Food team’s tips

Here are some things to keep in mind when you tackle this fabulous menu.

• Before you start… You’re going to need a lot of lime leaves, lemongrass and chillies. They’re available in most large supermarkets these days, but if you have an Asian supermarket near you they’ll be cheaper. You can also buy these sorts of aromatics fresh, then freeze them.
• Get chopping! The majority of the work is chopping and prepping. Do you own a food processor? Put it to good use. And make sure everything you can prep is done during the day.
• Make ahead. All the pastes and dressings can be made and chilled – they’ll be happy for up to 8 hours. Don’t make the beurre blanc for the monkfish ahead, though, or it will split when you reheat it. There’s time to get it going while the fish finishes off in the oven.
• Sprout know-how. If your sprouts aren’t quite charred enough when the fish is ready, let the fish rest for 5 minutes and turn your oven up to max with the sprouts still in there.

Discover more of our favourite dishes to celebrate New Year’s Eve.