Home chefs share recipes to cook a roast and shed light on the age-old tradition

It began as a weekly family tradition in the British Isles when people would gather post their Sunday church routine for a large meal To imagine that the practice of Sunday roast would grow so popular as to force The Bristol pub The Bank Tavern to close their reservations for four years is unimaginable Their popular Sunday menu consists of a 30dayaged rare bf slowcooked pork belly honey and rosemary roasted leg of lamb and a vegetable lentil loafWhile it is an English tradition the islandrsquos historic connection to the Subcontinent has led to the tradition acquiring its own flavours A couple of home chefs explain the draw of this traditional weekend repastThe facade of the Bristol pub Pics CourtesyTwitterA family occasionReshma Mane founder Every Aroma and Vannu TinukaThe roast was always meant to be eaten with family It is a myth that it is more of an East Indian or British tradition Last year I travelled to Kerala where we explored a wide variety of roasted meats in addition to the traditional chicken fare Since I also have family from Kerala it allowed me to learn about the traditional homemade masala The masala makes these roasts stand out from other recipes In Kerala people consume a variety of roasts and game meats as well At one toddy shop in Kochi I was lucky to try the quail roast which is a rare meat The region also has a great tradition of community feasts where the recipes originateLog on to vannutinnukaCall 9819875010Cost Rs 450 delivery charges only preorders acceptedKerala quail roastKerala quail roastIngredients 1 whole quail 1 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp red chilli powder 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 sprig curry leaves 3 green chillies slit 2 onions sliced 2 tbsp Kerala sambar masala 2 tsp black pepper powder 2 tsp soya sauce 2 tbsp rice flour 3 tbsp coconut oil Coriander chopped Salt to tasteMethodFor the marinadeMarinate the quail with all the ingredients except the onions chillies and coriander Set the mix aside for at least two to three hours for best results marinate for 24 hoursFor the quailHeat up the oven to 180 degrees Apply a little butter on the quail and roast it for 30 to 40 minutes Since quail meat is tender it will take less time to cook Get a nice char on it mdash but donrsquot dry it out If you do not have an oven fry the quail in a pan with a lot of oil preferably coconut oil on low flame until you get a nice crispy skin on both sidesMake curry gravy out of the marination juice and meat left by adding a little water and butter to the mix Boil it once and serve alongside the quail To serve fry the sliced onions with green chillies until crispy brown On a serving plate place the roasted quail garnish with crispy onions coriander and chillies and serve alongside coconut chutney and curry gravyNostalgia for the pastAaron DrsquoSouza founder The Goan PoieThe tradition is prominent in Goan families and is still a common practice For every gettogether each family often brings one roast dish There is always one person who specialises in the roast Usually it is someone senior in the family mdash mother or grandmother The women also pass down their recipes to their children Our Mamarsquos onepot slow roast chicken pork roasts or chicken and tongue roasts are a few examples It is slow cooked with a lot of flavour As times go by people tend to lose these traditional recipes and crave that nostalgia no matter where they are fromAt thegoanpoieCost Rs 950 only preorders acceptedMamarsquos one pot whole chicken roast by DrsquoSouzaGetting stuffed with roast Roast suckling pigOn Every Saturday and SundayAt O Pedro Unit No 2 Jet AirwaysGodrej Building BKC Bandra EastCost Rs 950Asian roast chicken Asian roast chickenOn Daily AT Smoke House Deli Plot B Savitribai Jyotiba Phule Road Versova Andheri WestCall 7506394247 VersovaCost Rs 750 onwardsSlowcooked chicken Slowcooked chicken layered with Java apple amp paired with braised cabbageOn DailyAt NAVA Suburbia Building Swami Vivekananda Road Bandra WestCall 7410156327COST Rs 750 Sunday roast chickenOn SundaysAt Sofitel Mumbai BKC ndash Pondichery Cafeacute C57 BKC Bandra EastCall 9167391130Cost Rs 3899 plus taxes agrave la carte Ghee roast chickenOn DailyAt Butterfly High Hiranandani Estate near Ghodbunder Road Thane WestCall 7900032674Cost Rs 460 plus taxes Sunday roast chickenOn SundayAt Julius Second Floor Phoenix Palladium Lower ParelCall 8828823987Cost Rs 845