Follow these recipes to gorge on delicious food and drink

As people celebrate Gatari Amavasya this weekend Maharastrians are currently celebrating with delicious nonvegetarian food and drink A day before they will be giving up for the next one month as they take up fasting before the festive season While they gorge on delicious food they will also be indulging in some alcohol which is usually their fair share of whiskey rum vodka and more However chefs and bartenders want you to take it up a notch by making these delicious dishes and cocktails that are a complete feast and will help you get the party startedFoodJirey MiremGatari Amavasya popularly called Gatari is popularly celebrated in Maharashtra but the fever extends to our neighbouring state of Goa So when we ask chef Somnath Rakesh executive chef Taj Holiday Village Resort amp Spa in Goa for a recipe he says the classic Goan Jirey Mirem is perfect for the occasion He shares As Gatari Amavasya holds a significant day in Goa which leads to 40 days of vegetarian food till Goan homes get ready to receive their beloved Ganpati Bappa The classic Goan Jirey Mirem can be served as starters or as a side dish with your main course Jeerey and Meerem in Konkani mean Cumin and Black Pepper and this dish derives its name from the fact that these two most flavourful spices are the prime components that give this dish its definitionIngredientsChicken full 1 kgOnions large chopped 2 nosTomatoes large 2 nosGinger shredded 1 inchGarlic cloves 8 nos crushed roughly with a mortar and pestleCoriander leaves chopped a bunchMint leaves chopped 3 tbspOilSalt to tasteMethodFor masala1 Grind to a thick masala paste a handful of chopped coriander leaves 6 green chillies reduce amount if you donrsquot like spicy 8 curry leaves 4 tbsp mint leaves 3 tbsp each of chopped onions and tomatoes sugar 1 tsp 100 ml coconut vinegar and 14 cup water2 Grind to a fine powder together in a coffee mill 20 black peppercorns 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp fennel seeds 12 tsp turmeric powder 68 whole dried Kashmiri red chillies 12 tsp turmeric powder 68 cloves 2inch cinnamon 1 tbsp coriander seeds and 14 nutmegFor marination1 Marinade the chicken in salt and ginger garlic2 Then add the powdered spices and 30 ml of vinegar a sprinkle of coriander leaves and all of the mint leaves and mix well3 Set aside for about 15 minutesMethod1 In a pan heat oil and add curry leaves and rest of onions saute until translucent add the rest of the tomatoes sprinkle of the coriander leaves season with a pinch of salt and fry for 30 seconds2 Add the chicken and fry well to coat the chicken pieces3 Lower the flame and close the lid to cook4 In about 5 minutes lift off the lid and add in the masala paste and bring to a boil with as little water as possible5 Sprinkle the sugar and cook for another 5 minutes and turn of the flame Garnish the dish with the rest of the chopped coriander leaves6 Serve the curry which is spicy tangy and deliciousCocktailsAt the same property Ishan Bhardwaj food and beverage manager says you can make different kinds of cocktails too As most people are known to mix alcohols and drink to the fullest he believes combining different alcohols in controlled proportions can lead to unexpected and delicious flavoured products He shares Experimenting with flavour forward combination or technique driven creations my personal favourite being innovative ingredients The key to creating innovative cocktails is to experiment and have fun Donrsquot be afraid to try new combinations and flavoursDark and DreamyThe Dark and Dreamy he says it is a delightful mix of whisky bourbon and amaro for a rich and complex drinkIngredientsWhisky 30 mlBourbon 30 mlAmaro 30 mlSweet vermouthDash of bittersIce cubes optionalMethod1 Mix all the alcohol together2 Add sweet vermouth to it along with some bittersSpecial CocktailShubham Gandhi food and beverage manager at Yellow House Goa IHCL SeleQtions wants you to experiment with a variety of alcohols to explore different flavours He explaisn Connoisseurs who are open to combination of various spirits should experiment with layered cocktails using different densities of alcohol Make a combination of blue curacao vodka white rum and pineapple juice You may like to serve it on ice or without and choose glassware accordinglyIngredientsVodka 30 mlWhite rum 30 mlPineapple juice 30 mlBlue curacaoMethod1 Mix the spirits together2 Top it off with pineapple juice