Karam Sethi's Last Meal | Last Bites

Gymkhana's chef-patron Karam Sethi would indulge in some nostalgic gluttony in south Delhi

My last supper would recreate the most memorable meal of my life; the feast prepared by my father-in-law in Lucknow, India, when I married my wife. I've eaten various versions of the food in London, but really, it's impossible to replicate it here.There were so many dishes. Probably my favourite was a kebab called galavat. It's made with very finely ground mutton mince, mixed with 40‑50 different spices and finely laced with kidney fat.It absolutely melts in the mouth. My father-in-law has perfected the recipe, so it would have to follow his exact instructions.There was also a lamb curry with pickling spices, marinated overnight, then served with piles of rice, as well as a few different biryanis. There were also lots of different breads, all cooked in an oven built into the sand.To drink, it would have to be a gin and tonic, probably Hendrick's, served simply with a thin slice of lemon.I'd ask my family to make it for me: most likely my mother, mother-in-law and wife would cook the meal for me, although I'd probably get my father-in-law to help, too, given they are his recipes.But I wouldn't share it with them - it's too good, so I'd just make them watch me eat it!I would eat the meal in the garden at my grandparents' house in south Delhi. As children, we spent all our summers there. They are gone, but the house still stands; I remember running around the huge lawn and the verandah. There were lots of exotic plants, and the place was made of marble. It had a really regal feel to it.For dessert, it'd have to be ice-cream. My father-in-law makes the best ice-cream in the whole of India. My favourite flavour is alphonso mango. A bowl of that, with lots of fresh mangoes, would be a perfectly sweet ending.gymkhanalondon.com, trishnalondon.com
'There were so many dishes... To drink, it would have to be a gin and tonic...'