How extraordinarily fortunate I am in my friends. Not only are they lovely, kind, generous, clever, funny and good-looking - they are all au fait with the finest food. Please note, not the most expensive and certainly not the most pretentious or trendiest - but almost invariably comestibles that convey contentment. Take, for example, the talented and lovely Kamila the cook. Unfortunately (for them) an earlier lunch date had proceeded without two friends who were both unwell (nothing serious thankfully) which meant on that occasion I was treated to lunch by myself. As a result, I made a special request this time round which Kamila the fairy godmother granted. More of that later. First to the main course, which was really good, as you can see for yourself.
Check out the mustard seeds nestling in the carrots - truly delicious. Everything was wonderfully and delicately spiced and sang with freshness. A tribute to Kam's skill not just in cooking but in shopping too. Whilst we're lucky to live nearby to Green Lanes and its myriad shops selling good and fresh fruit and vegetables, they were also perfectly cooked. The okra, usually known for their mucilaginous properties, retained a crunch with not a gummy one in sight - again beautifully spiced with coconut and curry leaves. 
It seems only fair to treat you to the whole ensemble, including a lovely mild aubergine and yoghurt dish and potatoes very simply but effectively spiced with black pepper.
If you ask an Indian person they will generally be of the view that whilst the mango is the queen of fruit (that is, Alfonso mangoes), pepper is the king of spice and in this potato dish you can see why...
All together now, a plate of delicious, delicately spiced food, pure veg and all prepared with skill, love and care, shared with friends. Can there possibly be anything better - with or without roti?
Oh yes, I hadn't forgotten - really, I hadn't. As I'd been lucky enough to sample the delights of Kam's cooking on a previous occasion I was cheeky enough to make a special request - pudding-wise. Quite simply the best carrot halva I've tasted, not least because being home-made it is much less sweet than shop-bought versions. Doesn't that sound quaint, in a 19th century, Little House of the Prairie type way? - reminiscent of frontier types eschewing commercially produced, shop-bought goods in favour of the homespun and home-made. Truly, Stroud Green is the final frontier, complete with the battle for Crouch End Clocktower - that will be a fight to the death with the squirrels destined to end up on the butchery counter of Thorntons Budgens. But enough of dead squirrels and back to carrot halva...
Notice the whole, split, fresh cardamom (left, centre right), imparting scent as well as savour to a yummy pudding, with or without ice cream.So, many thanks, Kam - you're both a star and a star cook. For the record, the recipes were from the faithful Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cookery, except for the okra and coconut dish which was from a South Indian cookery book. Everything was cooked from scratch by Kam with the exception of the ice cream, which was Green & Black's vanilla (very nice too).
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